PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS IN A FRESHWATER COASTAL WETLAND: IMPLICATIONS FOR CARBON DYNAMICS

A Thesis

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

the Degree Master of Science in the

Graduate School of The Ohio State University

BY

Erin K. Rothrnan, B.A. *****

The Ohio State University 2005

Master's Examination Committee

Dr. Virginie Bouchard, Adviser

Dr. Ralph E. J. Boemer

Dr. Craig B. Davis

School bf ~aturalResources

our lab. Because our research focused on wetland soil, which typically has greater organic matter content than terrestrial soil, substrate concentrations were increased to those specified by Ravit et al. (2005) and verified by a substrate-induced response experiment with glucose. Soil pH was determined with soil slurries prepared for each plot. Because average pH in the wetland soil tested was 7.0, all substrates were adjusted to pH 6.8-7.2 immediately following their preparation.

Substrate Concentration (g-' Substrate Type Source dry wt-') bketobutyric acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 d-ketovaleric acid 200 mM carbox ylic acid Degens 1998,2001 Caffeic acid 100 mM phenolic acid Ravit 2005 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 d-glucosamine 100 mM amine Degens 1998,2001 d-glucose 200 mM carbohydrate Degens 1998,2001 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 Gallic acid 100 mM phenolic acid Ravit 2005 Gluconic acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 I-ascorbic acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 I-asparagine 100 mM Degens 1998,2001 I- 100 mM amino acid Degens 1998,2001 Lignin 0.5% w/w polymer Ravit 2005 I- 100 mM amino acid Degens 1998,2001 I- 100 mM amino acid Degens 1998,2001 I-tartaric acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 p-hydroxybenzoic acid 100 mM phenolic acid Ravit 2005 100 mM amino acid Ravit 2005 Protocatechuic acid 100 mM phenolic acid Ravit 2005 100 mM amino acid Ravit 2005 Quinic acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 Tannic acid 0.5% wlw polymer Ravit 2005 Uric acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 Urocanic acid 200 mM carboxylic acid Degens 1998,2001 Dl water (control)

Table 2.1. Organic substrates used in the catabolic response profiles.

4 T 12 putrescine amino acid 252 14.959 5.1 97 0.563869801 1 P 22 quinic acid carboxylic acid 73 19.564 0 0 2 P 22 quinic acid carboxylic acid 47 0.467 0 0 3 P 22 quinic acid carboxylic acid 2 1 1.1 74 0.6285 0.515780475 4 P 22 quinic acid carboxylic acid 99 2.381 0 0 1 S 22 quinic acid carboxylic acid 152 31 9.923 207.5365 0.608624526 2 S 31 uric acid carboxylic acid 184 118.822 82.5445 0.446416532 3 S 31 uric acid carboxyiic acid 132 25.83 18.0035 0.632231387 4 S 31 uric acid carboxylic acid 21 0 51 6.535 21 2.904 0.71 3590476 1 T 31 uric acid carboxylic acid 288 271 -574 113.1 275 1.20061 1038 2 T 31 uric acid carboxylic acid 236 83.385 0 0 3 T 31 uric acid carboxylic acid 31 4 26.994 0 0 ------4 T 31 uric acid carboxylic acid 262 13.452 3.69 0.400361 664 1 P 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 80 34.1 83 0 0 2 P 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 54 1.027 0.452 2.384699934 3 P 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 28 1.674 1.1285 0.9261 07027 4 P 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 106 8.74 5.802 0.923585087 1 S 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 159 449.693 337.3065 0.989189895 2 S 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 185 124.485 88.2075 0.477043125 3 S 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 133 64.531 56.7045 1.991299729 4 S 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 21 1 261.857 0 0 1 T 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 289 101.416 0 0 2 T 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 237 42.046 0 0 3 T 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 31 5 19.1 31 0 0 4 T 32 urocanic acid carboxylic acid 263 10.017 0.255 0.027667269 1 P Dl1 6 1 35.563 1 P D!2 62 34.003 2 P Dl1 35 0.57 ------2 P D!2 36 0.58 3 P Dl1 9 0.51 4 3 P D!2 10 0.577 - - - 4 P Dl1 87 2994 4 P D!2 88 2.882 1 S Dl1 140 118.646 1 S D!2 141 106.127 2 S Dl1 166 39.1 82 C-i 0 Micrnbial catabolic response profiles - C& data N