Photophysiology of smooth cordgrass (Sporobolus alterniflorus) measured using rapid light curves

Smooth cordgrass (Sporobolus alterniflorus) (previously known as Spartina alterniflora) is often the dominant intertidal plant in saltmarshes on the east coast of the United States. It is an invasive species in several locations globally, where it has been introduced accidently, or deliberately to stabilize eroding shorelines. These data present measurements of the photophysiology of photosynthesis in Sporobolus alterniflorus. Measurements were made in situ using pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorescence. The data includes measurements of the quantum yield of photosystem II and rapid light curves (RLCs), which were used to determine electron transport rates (ETRs) and parameterize the relationship between ETR and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). The measurements are supported by in situ environmental data, specifically measurements of PPFD and air temperature. These data have potential value to researchers interested in the physiology of saltmarsh plants and grasses, and estuarine ecologists and resource managers.