Temporal variations in the primary productivity of Eleocharis acutangula (Cyperaceae) in a tropical wetland environment

Abstract

Wetland vegetation typically includes aquatic macrophytes with high primary production capacities. The present study investigated how hydrological variations affect biomass allocation and primary productivity in the emergent macrophyte Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult. Eleocharis acutangula ramets were collected from the Campelo Lagoon flood plain (21°39' S, 41°12' W and 21°37 S, 41°11' W) between March/2005 and February/2006. This region experienced an unusually short rainy period between November/2005 and February/2006 that generated atypically high primary production levels (128 gDW m-2 month-1) and total biomass gains (447 gDW m-2) in May and June/2005 respectively. Our data indicated that primary production and biomass allocation were strongly influenced by variations in wetland water levels and that macrophytes quickly invested in biomass accumulation when surface water levels rised.