Characteristics of Sediments Associated with Submersed Plant Communities in the Lower Mobile River Delta, Alabama

Sediments are an important factor influencing growth of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV). We collected sediment cores from communities of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.), native SAV, and sparsely vegetated SAV in the lower Mobile River Delta and examined relationships between general sediment characteristics (texture, pH, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) and distribution and abundance of species of SAV. We found that sediments were similar between nat ve and sparsely vegetated plant communities. Sediments from milfoil communities had less sand (9%) and more clay (57%) than sparsely vegetated communities. Sediments from milfoil communities also had higher concentrations of carbon and nitrogen in 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm sections of cores than native SAV and sparsely vegetated communities. Low current velocity and high sedimentation rates in milfoil communities likely contributed to high concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, and clay at these sites.