Effects of Salinity on Plant Health

Arielle LaurentMay 11, 2012

Dr. Janell Simpson

• What is the effect of the amount of salinity in water on the growth and chlorophyll content of Spartina alterniflora compared to the growth and chlorophyll content of Spartina patens?

• If two species of Spartina are grown in water of increasing salinity, then the growth rate and chlorophyll content of Spartina alterniflora grown in salt water will be higher than the chlorophyll content and growth rate of Spartina patens grown in salt water.

Tables/FiguresTable 3. Mean Change in Height of Spartina alterniflora (cm)

Type of water based on Salinity level

Freshwater(FR)

Slightly Saline(SS)

Brackish(BR)

High Saline(HS)

Hypersaline(HY)  

Mean Height (cm) 30.4 22.2 22.4 22.0 23.7  

Range 14.0 15.7 20.0 12.0 8.2  

Minimum 22.7 15.0 13.5 16.1 18.8  

Maximum 36.7 30.7 33.5 28.1 27.0  

Number of Plants 5 5 5 5 5  

Discussion of Results

• The average change in height and chlorophyll content of the Spartina alterniflora plants was higher than that of the Spartina patens plants in every salinity level

• The data supports that hypothesis because the S. alterniflora plants maintained higher growth rates and chlorophyll contents in the salt waters of different salinity levels than the S. patens– I hypothesized that the S. alterniflora would have a higher

growth rate and chlorophyll content than that of the S. patens in salt water