Available and refractory nitrogen in detritus of coastal vascular plants and macroalgae

Abstract

Followed changes in total, available and refractory nitrogen and amino acids during decay of six different species of marine plants and macroalgae. Immobilization of N occurred only in detritus derived from Spartina patens, probably because the decay rates of all other species were too rapid to allow mechanisms fostering N incorporation into detritus to exceed N losses. In vascular plants, N in whole detritus and detrital cell wells was lost more slowly than detrital C; in marine algae, there was little difference between rates of N and C loss. In S. alterniflora detritus, the pool of N associated with lignocellulose actually increased in size during decay, probably because N becomes bound to lignin. Data support the central role of detrital chemistry in controlling rates of decomposition and nitrogen turnover. -from Authors