Potential Effects of Episodic Deposition on Nutrients and Heavy Metals in Decomposing Litters of Suaeda glauca in Salt Marsh of the Yellow River Estuary, China

Abstract

Episodic deposition has been recognized as a major factor affecting the decomposition rate of detrital material in salt marshes. In this paper, three one-off burial treatments, no burial treatment (0 cm, NBT), current burial treatment (10 cm, CBT) and strong burial treatment (20 cm, SBT), were designed in intertidal zone of the Yellow River Estuary to determine the potential influences of episodic deposition on nutrient (C, N) and heavy metal (Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, Cd, V and Co) variations in decomposing litters of Suaeda glauca. Results showed that although various burial treatments showed no statistical difference in decomposition rate of S. glauca, the values generally followed the sequence of CBT (0.002 403/d) > SBT (0.002 195/d) > NBT (0.002 060/d). The nutrients and heavy metals in decomposing litters of the three burial treatments exhibited different variations except for N, Cu, Cr, Ni and Co. Except for Mn, no significant differences in C, N, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, V and Co concentrations occurred among the three treatments (P > 0.05). With increasing burial depth, Cr and Cd levels generally increased while Cu, Ni and Mn concentrations decreased. Although episodic deposition was generally favorable for C and N release from S. glauca, its influence on release was insignificant. In the three burial treatments, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, Mn, V and Co stocks in S. glauca generally evidenced the export of metals from litter to environment, and, with increasing burial depth, the export amounts increased greatly. The S. glauca were particular efficient in binding Cd and releasing Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, Mn, V and Co, and, with increasing burial depth, stocks of Cu in decomposing litters generally shifted from release to accumulation. The experiment indicated that the potential eco-toxic risk of Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, Mn, V and Co exposure would be serious as the strong burial episodes occurred in S. glauca marsh.