Research Product

Artificial sediments are described for use in studies on rooted plants. The sediments are formulated from commercially available sand, silt, clay and organic matter. Survival of seedlings of Echinochloa crusgalli var. crusgalli, Scirpus paludosus and Spartina alterniflora was the same in natural and artificial sediments. Average seedling weight of each species was greater in artificial than in natural sediment, probably, because of a more suitable pH in the artifical sediments. Particle size of sand, silt, or clay, percentage sand, silt or clay, percentage organic matter, and cation exchange capacity did not affect growth of E. crusgalli and S. alterniflora. Growth of S. paludosus was related to percentage organic matter in sediment and to interaction between particle size and percentage sand.