Abstract
Fragments of fresh or dead Spartina alterniflora which were decomposed for 10 months in sea water yielded appreciable amounts of humic substances when extracted with alkali under nitrogen. The plant materials inoculated with mixed populations of epiphytic or mud microorganisms indigenous to the salt marsh yielded up to 168% more humic substances than controls. The results of elemental analyses, including atomic ratios for some elements, and also UV and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy investigations, indicate a great similarity between humic substances from the decomposing S. alterniflora and salt marsh humic acid calculations based on the experimental data indicate a potential annual input of ∼ 330 kg of fresh Spartina-related humic substances per hectare of salt marsh.
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