Abstract
We examined the effects of burial by sediment on seed germination, seedling survival, growth of adults, and litter decomposition of cattail (Typha × glauca). Seed germination and seedling survival were studied in the greenhouse, while adult plant growth and litter decomposition were studied outdoors in 3-m-diameter experimental tanks (mesocosms) at the Iowa State University Experimental Wetlands Complex near Ames, IA. The effect of burial on litter decomposition was also examined in the field at the Des Plaines River Wetlands Demonstration Project near Wadsworth, IL. Seed germination was decreased by 60–90% when sediment loads of 0.2 to 0.4 cm were applied to the surface of the soil. Seedling survivorship increased with increasing age and size of seedlings and decreased as sediment load increased from 0.2 to 1.0 cm. Sediment loads of 0, 1, 2, or 4 cm had no effect on adult plant density, number of leaves produced per plant, or leaf photosynthetic characteristics of plants grown in the mesocosms. Burial by sediment led to an initial decline in rate of cattail litter decay, for two months, but thereafter, rates for buried and unburied litter were similar. Small amounts of sediment had large effects on seed germination and growth of small seedlings, but adult plants and litter decomposition were largely unaffected by sediment.
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