New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Growth and productivity of intertidal Zostera capricorni in New Zealand
estuaries
S. J. Turner
Environment Waikato
P.O. Box 1040
Hamilton East, New Zealand
Present address: Oceanica Consulting Pty Ltd, P.O. Box 3172, Nedlands, Western
Australia 6009. email: steph.turner@iinet.net.au
Abstract In situ leaf and rhizome growth and productivity
rates were determined for intertidal populations of Zostera capricorni in
three New Zealand estuaries on four occasions in summer and winter 2000 and
2001. Leaf growth and productivity, leaf plastochrone interval, leaf life-spans
and turnover rates were found to vary depending on site, bed position, season,
and year. Absolute leaf growth (2.1±0.8 mm leaf–1 day–1)
and productivity (0.4±0.2 mg shoot–1 day–1) were generally
lowest, relative growth (0.2±0.6 mm leaf–1 day–1) and productivity
(0.4±0.4
mg shoot–1 day–1) highest, and the leaf and shoot plastochrone
intervals shorter at the site exposed to greater desiccation stress and photoinhibitory
high irradiances. Rhizome growth rates, the production of new branches and
shoots, as well as rhizome and shoot plastochrone intervals were also found
to vary depending on site, season, and year. The results indicate that Z.
capricorni is
able to maintain high productivity and growth rates in intertidal estuarine
environments which signify a high degree of environmental stress for marine
plants.
Keywords seagrass; leaf growth rates; leaf productivity;
rhizome growth rates; environmental stress; emersion
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2007, Vol. 41:
77–90
0028–8330/07/4101–0077 © The Royal Society
of New Zealand 2007
M06059; Online publication date 2 March 2007. Received 5 September
2006; accepted 29 January 2007
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