Effects of plant diversity on biomass production and substrate nitrogen in a subsurface vertical flow constructed wetland

Wang

et al. 2012

Self Cite

The effects of plant species richness (SR; i.e., 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 species per plot) on substrate nitrate and ammonium retention and ecosystem productivity in a full-scale constructed wetland (CW) with high nitrogen (N) input were studied. Substrate nitrate (0.1-16.4 mg kg À1 ) and ammonium concentrations (1.3-9.2 mg kg À1 ) in this study were higher than those in other comparable biodiversity experiments. Substrate nitrate concentration significantly increased while ammonium concentration significantly decreased with the increase of plant SR (p ¼ 0.008 and 0.040, respectively). The response of ecosystem productivity to increasing SR was unimodal with four species per plot achieving the greatest productivity. Transgressive overyielding, which was compared to the most productive of corresponding monocultures, did not occur in most polycultures. We conclude that substrate N retention was enhanced by plant SR even with high N input, and plant SR could be managed to improve the efficiency of N removals in CWs for wastewater treatment.

Section: Effects Of Species Richness On Substrate Inorganic N Concentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1) of the CW with high N input (about 400 g N m À2 year À1 ). Further details of the field experiment were provided in Zhu et al [16].…”

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Plant Species Richness Affected Nitrogen Retention and Ecosystem Productivity in a Full‐Scale Constructed Wetland

Zhu

Wang

et al. 2012

Self Cite

Soil Microbial Abundances and Enzyme Activities in Different Rhizospheres in an Integrated Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland

Jiang

et al. 2011

Self Cite

Rhizosphere microorganism is an important bio-component for wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands (CWs). Microbial abundance and enzyme activities in the rhizospheres of nine plant species were investigated in an integrated vertical-flow CW. The abundance of denitrifiers, as well as urease, acid, and alkaline phosphatase activities were positively correlated to plant root biomass. The abundance of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, ammonifiers, denitrifiers, and phosphorus decomposers, related to nutrient removal efficiencies in CWs, greatly varied among rhizospheres of different plant species (p < 0.05). Significant differences in rhizosphere enzyme activity among plant species were also observed (p < 0.05), with the exception of catalase activity. The principal component analysis using the data of microbial abundance and enzyme activity showed that Miscanthus floridulus, Acorus calamus, and Reineckia carnea were candidates to be used in CWs to effectively remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater.

Plant Species Richness Increased Belowground Plant Biomass and Substrate Nitrogen Removal in a Constructed Wetland

Wang

Chen

et al. 2013

The effects of plant species richness on both above‐ and belowground plant biomass, plant nitrogen (N) pool size, and substrate N concentrations were studied in a full‐scale subsurface vertical‐flow constructed wetland (CW). Results showed that (i) plant species richness increased belowground plant biomass and its N pool size but had no effect on aboveground plant biomass and its N pool size; (ii) plant species richness increased substrate N removal, especially ammonium N removal; and (iii) plant species richness had no effect on plant N use efficiency, suggesting that the N pool size increased with increasing plant species richness. More N accumulation could be removed through harvesting plant biomass. We concluded that the N removal performance of the CW improved by plant species richness through increasing belowground biomass and relevant N pool size.