Study on the Decomposition of Pistiu strutiotes L.(Araceae) in Cisne Reservoir, Uruguay key words: Pistia stratiotes, decomposition, phosphorus cycling, reservoir, Uruguay.
AbstractA study on the decomposition process of Pisfia stratiotes L. was carried out in Cisne Reservoir, Uruguay. For this purpose, leaves and roots were considered separately, and the process was studied in the littoral and the pelagic zone. The litter bag technique was used to estimate dry weight losses at different times. Leaves decomposed faster than roots in both zones. Pistia decomposed faster in the pelagic zone due to better oxygen conditions and a more intensive water movement that removes material from within the bags. Phosphorus, potassium, sodium and magnesium were leached rapidly during the first week. Nitrogen content in the leaves initially increased, reaching its maximum in the littoral zone that coincided with that of bacterial numbers colonizing the litter. The number of macroinvertebrates, dominated by Chironomidae, was low. A rough estimation of the phosphorus impact on the littoral zone associated to the decomposition process shows that after 24 h between 13.9 and 16.8 pg-at.l-1 have been released to the water.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.