The ecology of Ruppia-dominated communities in western Europe: III. Aspects of production, consumption and decomposition
In: Aquatic Botany. Elsevier Science: Tokyo; Oxford; New York; London; Amsterdam. ISSN 0304-3770; e-ISSN 1879-1522, more
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| Abstract |
In this final paper in the series on Ruppia-dominated communities several functional aspects are treated, most attention being paid to the cycle of the macrophyte material.The productivity of the Ruppia stands was studied by regular samplings of the macrophyte biomass and estimations of the annual turnover. Biomass was measured at the moment of the seasonal maximum in a large number of localities in the Camargue, France, in the costal area of The Netherlands and in the coastal archipelago near Tvärminne, Finland. Seasonal maximum biomass of the Ruppia stands proved to be rather similar in the three study areas (mostly around 150 g m- ash-free dry weight), whereas the annual turnover rate showed distinct differences between the localities in the Camargue (1.5–2.5) and those in The Netherlands and Finland (1.2–1.4). The productivity of Ruppia is only moderate compared with the productivity of aquatic macrophytes in freshwater and marine habitats. |
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