Publication
Title
Influence of hydraulics on the uptake of ammonium by two freshwater plants
Author
Abstract
Macrophytes are important in the biogeochemistry of flowing rivers, although most information so far has relied on measurements of nutrients in plant tissues. This yields only indirect information on the nutrient uptake fluxes by roots and shoots and about nutrient translocation between roots and shoots. Here, we studied nitrogen uptake through experiments with enriched N-15 stable isotopes. Two macrophytes (Potamogeton natans and Ranunculus fluitans) were grown in a closed race track-shaped flume, allowing us to control the hydraulic conditions in and around the plants. Overall ammonium uptake rates (mol g(-1) dry mass h(-1)) were higher for R.fluitans than P.natans. In addition to differences between the species, the spatial position of individuals within the plant patch and water flow were also important in explaining ammonium uptake. Thus, ammonium uptake was high at the leading edge of the patch and increased with velocity. Plant characteristic, such as the angle at which the plants bent in the flow, was also correlated with ammonium uptake. Differences in nutrient uptake associated with hydrodynamic parameters raised the question of how the two are related. For both species, uptake was not correlated with Reynolds stress, indicating the poor effect of turbulent mixing in determining ammonium uptake.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Freshwater biology. - Oxford
Publication
Oxford : 2013
ISSN
0046-5070
DOI
10.1111/FWB.12222
Volume/pages
58 :12 (2013) , p. 2452-2463
ISI
000326021800002
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 16.12.2013
Last edited 09.10.2023
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