RT journal article
T1 Differential ecophysiological responses to inorganic nitrogen sources (ammonium versus nitrate) and light levels in the seagrass Zostera noltei
A1 Jiménez Ramos, Rocío
A1 Villazán Peñalosa, Beatriz
A1 Egea Tinoco, Luis Gonzalo
A1 Cantero, Rosa
A1 Pérez Lloréns, José Lucas
A1 Vergara Oñate, Juan José
A1 Brun Murillo, Fernando Guillermo
A2 Biología
K1 Ammonium
K1 Dissolved inorganic nitrogen
K1 Eutrophication
K1 Light intensity
K1 Nitrate
K1 Nitrogen metabolism
K1 Seagrass
K1 Toxicity
AB eagrasses can use both ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) as inorganic nitrogen (N) sources. However, NO3− uptake and assimilation are energetically more expensive and tightly regulated than NH4+ uptake. The objective of this study was to test the complex interactive effects between different forms of N enrichment (NH4+ and NO3−) and light levels on the morphological and physiological traits in the intertidal seagrass Zostera noltei. Plants were cultured over 40 d under 2 levels of light (low and high) with 2 inorganic N concentrations supplied at the same dose, NO3− (25 μM) and NH4+ (25 μM), and a control, following a 2-factorial design. Results showed a differential response in Z. noltei depending on the inorganic N source and light dose. NH4+ enrichment negatively affected almost all morphometric and dynamic variables analyzed, both in isolation and combined with low light conditions. In contrast, NO3− enrichment had a positive effect on Z. noltei survival compared with the control treatment in terms of net growth rate and rhizomatic growth, mainly under high light conditions. Therefore, our study demonstrated that the effects promoted by nutrient enrichment largely depend on the source of N used. Light levels play a crucial role in this response by potentially shifting the effects from toxic (under low light) to beneficial (under high light) when NO3− is the main N source. Our findings highlight that N form in eutrophication events should be considered when evaluating the potential impacts of nutrient enrichment and light reduction on seagrass communities
PB Inter-Research Science Publishing
SN 0171-8630
YR 2022
FD 2022-12-08
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/29144
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/29144
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 08-nov-2026