| Abstract: | The stability of the salt content in Salicornia pacifica Standl. var. utahensis (Tidestrom) Munz in relation to environmental changes was investigated. Salicornia pacifica communities have a characteristic soil pH of 7.5 to 8.0 ± 0.2 and a constant subsurface soil moisture level of 25 to 35 percent. The ion content in the tissue of S. pacifica remained constant despite increased moisture stress throughout the growing season. The concentrations of the salts were significantly higher in the surface soil layers than in the subsurface layers around the roots. Normal metabolic processes in the tissues of S. pacifica appear to occur even though some fluctuations in the ionic balance and concentration of ions in the plant occur. |
