Keywords
Arkansas, habitat, eutrophication
Abstract
There is insufficient research focusing exclusively on how nutrient competition between algae and wetland macrophytes affects the growth of these species. This study examined the relationship between nutrient concentrations (N and P), algal concentrations, and the growth of Juncus effusus. Juncus effusus growth in the Lake Fayetteville artificial spiral wetland was monitored over a four month period during the prime growing season. Eighteen plants were taken from the wetland and replanted in 1 of 6 treatments: plant-only, algae-only, combined, plant-only +supplement, algaeonly +supplement, or combined +supplement. The algae and combined environments received an inoculation of algae, and the +supplement treatments received an infusion of an N and a P supplement. An analysis of variance test was conducted to determine the presence of a significant relationship between Juncus effusus growth, nutrient concentrations, and/or algal growth. No significant relationship existed between Juncus effusus and nutrient concentrations or between Juncus effusus and algal concentrations. There was a significant relationship between algal growth and the presence of Juncus effusus, which produced an additive effect causing the greatest algal growth in the combined +supplement treatment. Results indicate that nutrient competition between Juncus effusus and algae in the Lake Fayetteville artificial spiral wetland is not the limiting factor in Juncus effusus growth in the wetland
Recommended Citation
Jones, T., & Scott, T. (2015). Nutrient competition between algae and Juncus effusus in the Lake Fayetteville artificial spiral wetland. Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, 16(1), 39-45. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/discoverymag/vol16/iss1/9
Included in
Plant Biology Commons, Plant Breeding and Genetics Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons