Plant traits that enhance pollutant removal from stormwater in biofiltration systems.
Plants species have been shown to improve the performance of stormwater biofiltration systems, particularly in removal of N and P. Recent research has shown that plants vary in their contribution to pollutant removal but little is known about the type of plant that is best suited to use in biofilters in terms of survival, growth rate, and performance. In this study, growth responses of 20 species to applications of semi-synthetic stormwater were measured, and the roles of key plant traits in removal of N, P, and several metals were investigated. There was no evidence of negative effects of stormwater application on plant growth, and plant traits, particularly root traits, were strongly correlated negatively with N and P concentrations of effluent stormwater. The most common and strong contributors to N and P removal appeared to be the length of the longest root, rooting depth, total root length, and root mass. The plants that made the strongest contribution to pollutant removal, e.g, Carex appressa, combined these traits with high growth rates. Investigation of other plant traits (e.g, physiology), causal mechanisms, and effects of more complex planting environments (e.g, species mixtures) should further guide the selection of plants to enhance performance of biofiltration systems.
Read
Jennifer
J
Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration-FAWB, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. jenny.read@sci.monash.edu.au
Fletcher
Tim D
TD
Wevill
Tricia
T
Deletic
Ana
A
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D063245:Plant Development; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen