| Summary: | In order to assess the nutrient limitation of plants and soil microorganisms in the Arctic coastal salt marsh at La Pérouse Bay, Manitoba, a nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization experiment was conducted. The partitioning of carbon (C), N and P was measured from June 2003 to July 2004. Soil solution inorganic N and P results indicate that the system is strongly limited by N and, to a lesser extent by P. Results indicate that strong N-limitation and high concentrations of inorganic P compared to dissolved organic P moderate the release of phosphatases. Primary productivity is co-limited by N and P, while soil microbial biomass is limited by carbon. Plants and microbes compete for N, but not P, during the summer. Overall, there was a seasonal shift in the allocation of nutrients within the community, from a microbial dominated system in the winter to a plant-dominated system in the summer.
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