Laboratory assay of sediment phytotoxicity using the macrophyte Vallisneria americana
1997
Biernacki, M. | Lovett-Doust, J. | Lovett-Doust, L.
In contrast to their ecological importance, submersed rooted macrophytes have been overlooked in environmental science. Presently, the array of standard phytotoxic bioassays includes only one free-floating vascular macrophyte (Lemna) and several algal species. A short-term and inexpensive assay was studied for feasibility in evaluating sediment quality. Cloned ramets of the macrophyte Vallisneria americana were used to test phytotoxicity of sediments collected at different locations in the Detroit River. Ramets were planted in sediment samples and placed in greenhouse aquaria. After a week of exposure, ramets of V. americana were destructively sampled and preserved. The leaf and root surfaces areas were determined, and plant biomass was recorded for each ramet. An index of the leaf-to-root surface area ratio was a reliable predictor of sediment phytotoxicity; the ratio of leaf-to-root mass was also useful but proved less consistent. Ramets grown in sediments that were relatively less contaminated with organic compounds had lower values of the leaf-to-root surface area ratio, while plants grown in more contaminated sediments had greater values. Results of analyses of variance indicated that the index of leaf-to-root surface area ratio responded to sediment quality but was not significantly affected by either variation in plant genotype or interaction between sediment and plant genotype. There was a significant correlation (p <0.001) between rank-ordered results of the present greenhouse study and results of leaf-to-root surface area ratios for plants previously surveyed in the field.
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