Gulf ribbed mussels increase plant growth, primary production, and soil nitrogen cycling potential in salt marshes.

ABSTRACT: Smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora and Atlantic ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa have a mutualism whereby S. alterniflora provides substrate and shade for G. demissa while G. demissa enhances S. alterniflora growth and drought tolerance. Together, these species im prove salt marsh stability and function. To better understand if a similar relationship exists between S. alterniflora and Gulf ribbed mussels G. granosissima in salt marshes of the Gulf of Mexico, we conducted a manipulative experiment with identical starting plant density and varying densities of G. granosissima and monitored plant and soil responses over a growing season. We found that S. alterniflora stem and leaf density was 1.5 and 1.9 times greater f

SUBMITTER: Rossi RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12425140 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature