Abstract
Manmade freshwater diversion efforts in Louisiana will likely drive gradual community shifts of brackish and salt-tolerant plants species to more freshwater oriented species. Sagittaria lancifolia, a freshwater dominant wetland species, may replace salt-tolerant species as salinity regimes are altered due to freshwater diversion input. Therefore, the understanding of this species’ inundation-productivity relationship is important to better quantify the effects of diversions on prominent freshwater wetland species. We are utilizing a marsh organ in-situ mesocosm design to study morphometrics and biomass allocation of Sagittaria lancifolia in the Pascagoula River drainage, a freshwater, tidally influenced coastal wetland. Estimated percent inundation times of the six marsh organ levels are 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, and 10% respectively. We have noted a positive correlation of this species to increased inundation, and negligible effects of nitrate addition. Continuation of this study includes biomass collection and analysis, and soil chemistry analysis.
