Examining Variation in Photosynthetic Pigments in Salt Marsh Grass and Seagrass

Grassy coastal ecosystems, including salt marshes and seagrass beds, are highly productive, critical for coastal food webs, and threatened by human activities. This project examined the variability in the photosynthetic pigments found in the tops and bottoms of the blades of Distichlis spicata, a salt marsh grass, and Zostera marina, a subtidal seagrass, across stress gradients for both plants. Chlorophyll a and b were both higher in the top sections of the plants than in the lower sections, and this pattern was more pronounced for the salt marsh grass. The chlorophyll a to b ratio was higher in the salt marsh grass than in the seagrass, but did not vary across the stress gradients for either species. Understanding how these plants allocate these pigments provides insight into how they may respond to future stressors, particularly continued sea level rise.

Presentation Preference: Poster

Primary Presenter: Jarad Walker, Randolph College (jwalker@randolphcollege.edu)

Authors:

Jarad Walker, Randolph College  (jwalker@randolphcollege.edu)

Alexander Archinal, Randolph Colege  (aarchinal@randolphcollege.edu)

Sarah Sojka, Randolph College  (ssojka@randolphcollege.edu)