Presence of Ferulicacid in S. Alterniflora and Biogeochemical Influences on Salt Marshes

Overview

Patches of fragmented wetlands within the Barnegat Bay, called “pocket marshes,†are isolated and surrounded by urban development, making them increasingly subject to polluted runoff due to human and environmental interference. Increases in environmental pollutants are responsible for the cycling of phenolic compounds within the watershed. Ferulic acid is one of the most abundant saltmarsh phenolic compounds found within the leaves of Spartina alterniflora. Presence of ferulic acid has the ability to interfere with saltmarsh soil and plant chemistry, along with the feeding patterns of Melampus bidentatus. Three pocket marshes at Barnegat Bay, NJ were tested for sand fractions, percent organic matter, percent moisture, along with nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Ferulic acid concentrations within S. alterniflora were determined through the use of extraction and spectrophotometry methods. In analysis, it was determined that fluctuations within the concentration of ferulic acid in the saltmarshes had influence on other biogeochemical properties, including the presence of M. bidentatus. The Barnegat Bay is vulnerable to degradation due to its slow flushing time, and measuring the interactions of properties within pocket marshes can help further understanding of the pollution of tidal wetlands, and how the Barnegat Bay watershed is affected by the cycling of phenolic compounds.

Competition history

• AJAS 2025 Category not listed

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