Effects of plant diversity on nutrient retention and enzyme activities in a full-scale constructed wetland.
This study focused on the relationship between plant diversity (six species richness levels) and nutrient retention and enzyme activities associated with carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in a full-scale constructed wetland (CW) fed with post-treatment domestic wastewater. Effects of plant species richness on nutrient retention and enzyme activities were assessed using soil chemical and zymological methods, respectively. Retention of NH(4)-N and NO(3)-N in the wetland substrate increased with increasing species richness, while phosphorus retention significantly decreased under the richness level of 16 species per plot. Activities of enzymes such as dehydrogenase, beta-glucosidase, invertase, phenol oxidase, L-arsparaginase, protease and nitrate reductase, while they were affected by plant species richness, were strongly depended on the presence or absence of plants in CW substrate, while activities of enzymes such as CM-cellulase, urease and acid phosphatase were strongly depended on plant species richness. We conclude that plant species richness influenced nutrient retention and enzyme activities in the substrate in our subtropical CW; increase plant species richness in CW will likely improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment.
Zhang
Chong-Bang
CB
School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Linhai 317000, PR China.
Wang
Jiang
J
Liu
Wen-Li
WL
Zhu
Si-Xi
SX
Liu
Dong
D
Chang
Scott X
SX
Chang
Jie
J
Ge
Ying
Y
D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry; D044822:Biodiversity; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002480:Cellulase / Q000737:chemistry; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014510:Urease / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods; D053833:Wetlands; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000737:chemistry
D009566:Nitrates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; D000641:Ammonia; D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D002480:Cellulase; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D014510:Urease; D009584:Nitrogen