Establishment and Growth of Selected Freshwater and Coastal Marsh Plants in Relation to Characteristics of Dredged Sediments.

An investigation of the success of establishment and the growth of marsh plants on physically and chemically different dredged sediments was conducted under semicontrolled conditions in a greenhouse. Freshwater, brackish, and salt marsh environments were simulated for concurrent experimentation with various propagules of respective vegetative contingents. Growth of individual marsh plant species was determined on the basis of stem density and total plant biomass. Growth of the freshwater plants, affected by the availability of nitrogen, was significantly greater on fine-textured sediments than on sand. Growth of both brackish and salt marsh plants was relatively unrelated to nutrient availability, and was most affected by the salinity of the sediment solution. Within the same period of growth, transplants produced plant populations having greater biomass and numbers of stems than did any of the other plat propagules. Rhizomes, rootstocks, and tubers responded similarly, but to a lesser extent, to sediment differences than transplant propagules of the same species. Recommendations are made relevant to marsh-creation projects.
Report on Dredged Material Research Program.