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Tropical forests biodiversity is influenced by human activities in both positive and negative ways (Giam, 2017; Storch et al., 2018). Historically, clearcutting and selective logging have been the most commonly used forest management regimes, resulting in deforestation and degradation, respectively, that influence plant diversity and forest structure (Borma et al., 2013). For example, selective logging alters forest structure through creation of canopy gaps, logging roads, and skid trails (Magrach et al., 2016). On the other hand, clearcutting removes virtually all plant species (Keenan & Kimmins, 1993), and so shows lower recovery rate than selectively logged forest (Ding et al., 2017). Whereas both forest management regimes open the canopy and increase sunlight penetration (Ding &

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Phytoremediation is thought to be the most sustainable wastewater treatment option for developing countries. However, its application is often limited by unavailability of suitable candidate species. In the present study, the potentials of Limnocharis flava, Thalia geniculata and Typha latifolia for remediation of heavy metal contaminated wastewater with a constructed wetland system were evaluated. The wetland consisted of three treatment lines each planted with sufficient and equal number of a species. Duplicate plant and water samples were collected bi-monthly and analyzed for Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Hg using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer over a six month period. Bioaccumulation rates generally increased over time and varied among plants for these metals, with Fe (456-1549 mg kg1 roots; 20-183 mg kg(-1) shoot) being the most sequestered and Pb (1.2-7.6 mg kg(-1) roots; 1.55-3.95 mg kg(-1) shoot) the least. Translocation factors differed among the species but generally remained stable over time. L flava showed potential for hyperaccumulating Hg. Removal efficiencies varied for the studied metals (approximately 20-77 %) and were generally related to metal uptake by the plants. These results demonstrate the suitability of the species for phytoremediation, and the usefulness of the technique as an option for improving irrigation water quality in Ghana.

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