Nitrogen dynamics in Posidonia oceanica cuttings: implications for transplantation experiments.
A (15)N tracer study was performed during an experimental transplantation trial of natural Posidonia oceanica cuttings. The experiment was done in situ at 17 m depth in the Revellata Bay (Calvi, NW Corsica, France). Despite high survival rates of transplants (>90%) after one year, the weight and the N content of transplants are significantly lower than those of reference plants. In absence of roots, the transplants are not able to meet their N requirement, because leaf uptake is insufficient to replenish the N lost during the natural leaf decay. This could constitute a major cause of long-term failure for transplantation experiments or natural re-colonisation processes. The increase of the (15)N content in the roots shows that the plant re-allocates the nitrogen of one organ (i.e. leaves, rhizomes) to ensure the growth of another (i.e. roots).
Centre MARE, Laboratoire d'Océanologie, Institut de Chimie, B6, Université de Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium. g.lepoint@ulg.ac.be
Gilles
G
Lepoint
Denis
D
Vangeluwe
Michael
M
Eisinger
Markus
M
Paster
Peter
P
van Treeck
Jean-Marie
JM
Bouquegneau
Sylvie
S
Gobert
D035961:Alismatales / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D018517:Plant Roots; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D009584:Nitrogen