Nitrogen and Phosphorus Differentially Affect Annual and Perennial Plants in Tidal Freshwater and Oligohaline Wetlands

Abstract

To test species composition and biomass responses to excess nutrients, herbaceous plants of tidal freshwater and oligohaline wetlands in a Chesapeake Bay subestuary were fertilized with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), both N and P (N + P), or not fertilized (Control) for 4 years. In marshes, the N treatment increased abundance measures of perennials but decreased those of annuals while the P treatment increased annuals and decreased perennials. In swamps, however, perennials increased in response to P. Total herbaceous aboveground biomass production was not limited by N, P, or N + P in marshes or swamps. These findings suggest that annual species are more susceptible than perennials to P limitation, possibly due to lack of a large perenniating root organ and lower susceptibility to mycorrhizal inoculation. Furthermore, eutrophication effects are likely to vary between swamp and marsh habitats and depend on whether the dominant nutrient supplied is nitrogen or phosphorus.