Abstract
Suaeda maritima L. var. macrocarpa is a halophytic species distributed in the lower parts of salt marshes of the French coasts. The influence of salinity on nitrogen nutrition and on levels of the key enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation is analyzed by growing Suaeda under experimental conditions. Use of 15N-labelled NO −3 and NH +4 shows that both ions are effective sources of inorganic nitrogen for Suaeda. The plant is found to use NH +4 ions with a good yield, chiefly at high salinities (up to 130 mM). Nitrate reduction and ammonium assimilation by the glutamine synthetase/ glutamate synthase pathway occurs mainly in leaves when Suaeda is grown at optimal saline conditions (130 mM NaCl). Absence of NaCl creates less favourable conditions and lowers the activity of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase but leads to an important activity of glutamate dehydrogenase in roots. This enzyme could play a major role under suboptimal environmental conditions (i.e., absence of NaCl for Suaeda maritima).
Part of this paper is taken from a thesis that was submitted by J. P. Billard in fulfillment of the Doctorat d’Etat degree at the University of Caen, France.
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© 1985 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht
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Boucaud, J., Billard, J.P. (1985). Nitrogen nutrition in the estuarine zone: the case of Suaeda maritima var. macrocarpa . In: Beeftink, W.G., Rozema, J., Huiskes, A.H.L. (eds) Ecology of coastal vegetation. Advances in vegetation science, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5524-0_34
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5524-0_34
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