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Substrate
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results of analyses of substrate samples from lie Grande indicated
important differences among sites which affect plant growth. Samples
from relatively undisturbed areas of marsh from which transplants were
taken and from the root mat of marsh killed by oil but with no surface
manipulation, had relatively high ammonium, phosphorus and organic
matter concentrations and low volume weight and pH values compared to
substrate below the undisturbed root mat and that exposed by the
cleanup operations (Table 1 ) . The low ammonium and phosphorus
concentrations of the subsurface material definitely were limiting to
plant growth. Data to be presented later in the report indicate that
fertilizer materials were necessary for significant plant growth in
these disturbed substrates.
TABLE 1. Values for five substrate variables for seven sites (source
of transplant sites for four species, two strata of marsh
without vegetation but with surface not removed, upper
stratum of a creek bank without vegetation but with surface
not removed, and a site from which the marsh surface was
removed) at lie Grande.
Site