Analysis of the relationships between Spartina maritima and nutrient enrichment in North Adriatic salt marshes

Gadoni, Lorenzo (2015) Analysis of the relationships between Spartina maritima and nutrient enrichment in North Adriatic salt marshes. [Laurea magistrale], Università di Bologna, Corso di Studio in Biologia marina [LM-DM270] - Ravenna, Documento ad accesso riservato.
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Abstract

Salt marshes are coastal ecosystem in the upper intertidal zone between internal water and sea and are widely spread throughout Italy, from Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the North, to Sicily, in the South. These delicate environments are threatened by eutrophication, habitat conversion (for land reclaiming or agriculture) and climate change impacts such as sea level rise. The objectives of my thesis were to: 1) analyse the distribution and biomass of the perennial native cordgrass Spartina maritima (one of the most relevant foundation species in the low intertidal saltmarsh vegetation in the study region) at 7 sites along the Northern Adriatic coast and relate it to critical environmental parameters and 2) to carry out a nutrient manipulation experiment to detect nutrient enrichment effects on S. maritima biomass and vegetation characteristics. The survey showed significant differences among sites in biological response variables - i.e., live belowground, live aboveground biomass, above:belowground (R:S) biomass ratio, % cover, average height and stem density – which were mainly related to differences in nitrate, nitrite and phosphate contents in surface water. Preliminary results from the experiment (which is still ongoing) showed so far no significant effects of nutrient enrichment on live aboveground and belowground biomass, R:S ratio, leaf %Carbon, average height, stem density and random shoot height; however, a significantly higher (P=0.018) increase in leaf %Nitrogen content in treated plots indicated that nutrient uptake had occurred.

Abstract
Tipologia del documento
Tesi di laurea (Laurea magistrale)
Autore della tesi
Gadoni, Lorenzo
Relatore della tesi
Correlatore della tesi
Scuola
Corso di studio
Ordinamento Cds
DM270
Parole chiave
Salt marshes, Spartina maritima, nutrient enrichment, North Adriatic, large-scale survey
Data di discussione della Tesi
20 Marzo 2015
URI

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