Spartina alterniflora

Saltmarsh Cordgrass in N. America

Spartina alterniflora, otherwise known as saltmarsh cordgrass, is an invasive species of plantae prevalent in the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America (Mao, 1).
S. alterniflora is extremely problematic for marine environments as it has caused serious ecological consequences including altered traditional landscape, threatened biodiversity, and degraded ecosystem functioning (Wan, 2).
Mao D, Liu M, Wang Z, Li L, Man W, Jia M, Zhang Y. Rapid Invasion of Spartina Alterniflora in the Coastal Zone of Mainland China: Spatiotemporal Patterns and Human Prevention. Sensors. 2019; 19(10):2308. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19102308

Taxonomy of S. alterniflora

Kingdom: Plantae

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Poales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Spartina

Species: Spartina alterniflorus

Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora), a species native to the Atlantic coastal America, has invaded worldwide from southern England (50° N) to South Africa, New Zealand (40° S) and China (Mao, 1).
Negative of this invasive species include, occupying the niche of local species, altering the mudflat habitat, changing and even diminishing biodiversity, and damaging the aquiculture in the tidal land (Wan, 2).
Although the effects of this species are mainly negative, there are a few positives. Major positive effects of S. alterniflora include, being a dominant primary producer, buffering against tides, accelerating accretion and reclamation, absorbing nutrients and digesting pollutants (Wan, 2).
Saltmarsh Cordgrass can grow up to 8 feet tall (Mao, 3).
Serves as important habitats for large populations of migratory birds, fish, and other animals including crustaceans, mollusks, and amphibians (Mao, 2).
S. alterniflora is photosynthetic, meaning it provides food for itself as well as the organisms that consume it, as well as they reproduce asexually (Fairchild, 1).

In this experiment, the scientists are looking at the shoreline distribution in Yancheng, China from 1990-2015 vs. the invasive patterns of S. alterinflora from 1990-2015 (Mao, 8).
The scientists found that the shoreline had become bigger since 1990, as that is the area where the Saltmarsh Cordgrass was invading. They also observed the pinkish color that can be seen from an aerial shot, this can be seen in the picture as well (Mao, 8).
In the article, the authors come to the conclusion that due to the increasing invasiveness of Saltmarsh Cordgrass in Yancheng, China, the coastline has grown since 1990, becoming pink in color and covered in this invasive species. This has led to many ecological problems in the region (Mao, 8).

Conclusion

The Spartina alterniflora is an invasive plant species that comes from the Atlantic coasts in America but has recently spread to parts of Europe and spread heavily to China (Mao, 1).
Recent findings suggest that the plant is growing rapidly on American and Chinese coastlines, causing a wide variety of problems including, threats to biodiversity, degraded ecosystem function, and changes to coastlines' shapes (Wan, 2).
This discovery is extremely important because it brings light to a problem, that if left untreated could be detrimental to the world in the future. Identifying the problem early and finding a solution for this 8-foot-tall monster of a plant is of utmost importance to the ecosystem.

Fairchild, Judy. “Saltmarsh Cordgrass, Anchor of the Estuary.” Nature Walks With Judy, July 2023, naturewalkswithjudy.com/2021/10/12/saltmarsh- cordgrass-anchor-of-the-estuary
Mao, Dehua, et al. “Rapid Invasion of Spartina Alterniflora in the Coastal Zone of Mainland China: Spatiotemporal Patterns and Human Prevention.” Sensors, vol. 19, no. 10, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, May 2019, p. 2308, doi:10.3390/s19102308.
Wan, Shuwen, et al. “The Positive and Negative Effects of Exotic Spartina Alterniflora in China.” Ecological Engineering, vol. 35, no. 4, Elsevier BV, Apr. 2009, pp. 444–52, doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.05.020.

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