Biological Flora of Coastal Mid- and High Marshes: Juncus roemerianus Scheele

Stalter, R. and Lonard, R.I., 2023. Biological flora of coastal mid- and high marshes: Juncus roemerianus Scheele. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(6), 1194–1205. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Juncus roemerianus Scheele, black needlerush, is a rhizomatous salt marsh species that often forms dense monotypic stands in the mid- and high marshes along the mid- to SE Atlantic coastline and southward to the upper Texas coast in the United States. A dense rhizome complex allows this taxon to reproduce asexually and to exclude potential competitors. Juncus roemerianus has numerous ecosystem functions, including carbon sequestration, control of erosion, protection from storm surges, and as a nursery for numerous marine organisms. This species tolerates a range of salinity generally less than 5.0 ppt to as high as 35 ppt in a few marshes. Juncus roemerianus is noted for its high levels of productivity in below- and aboveground biomass values. Black needlerush is highly sensitive to oil pollution, much more so than its closest associate in the salt marsh community Sporoblus alterniflorus. Juncus roemerianus plays an important role in revegetating disturbed marshes and has a potential role for preventing the re-invasion of Phragmites australis in newly created marshes.