The Ecotone Between Spartina Foliosa Trin. and Salicornia Virginica L. in Salt Marshes of Northern San Francisco Bay: II. Soil Water and Salinity

Soil salinity has received more attention than any other environmental factor considered to influence plant zonation in tidal salt marshes. The word 'salinity' implies a concentration of total salts, NaCl, Cl-, or other specific salt ions in solution. Depending upon methods of measurement, 'salinity' has been given other meanings such as the amount of Clper unit dry weight of soil. Wide temporal variations in salt marsh soil salinities also make comparisons of data in the literature difficult. In general literature on tidal salt marshes in Britain and other parts of Europe (Chapman 1939, 1960; Gillham 1957a, b; Adriani 1958), and in Australia (Clarke & Hannon 1969) indicates that soil salinity increases landward to a maximum at or just above mean high water (MHW) and then gradually decreases. Some workers have found similar salinity gradients in North Americah east coast marshes (Steiner 1934; Kurz & Wagner 1957), but others have measured a gradual decline in salinity from the most seaward edge of the marsh (Ganong 1903; Penfound & Hathaway 1938; Reed 1947). The few soil salinity measurements made in marshes on the Pacific coast of North America indicate that Salicornia virginica L. tends to grow in more saline places than other salt marsh species (Purer 1942; Mall 1969). Past studies have been hampered in achieving good seasonal or yearly evaluations of soil salinities because scattered, unpredictable, year-round rainfall may produce wide variations in soil salinities from day to day. Also, variations in soil composition may further complicate salinity gradients by altering soil moisture and salt retention characteristics. Finally, there has been a general lack of good statistical sampling of salt marsh soil salinities.

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