The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and contribution of Schoenoplectus fluviatilis (Torr.) (river bulrush) to phosphorus (P) removal from dairy-farm effluent in a cold climate constructed wetland. After 3 years of operation (1,073 days), both nonaerated wetland cell 3 (C3) and aerated cell 4 (C4) exhibited a sharp decline in dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) storage, indicating wetlands saturation. The quantities of DRP stored during the three growing seasons (433 days) represented only 10.0%(C3) and 17.7%(C4) of the total amount of DRP (435.06 ± 2.3 g m–2, 97.02 kg) added to each cell (C3 and C4) over the entire 3-year period. However, of the total DRP retained by both wetland cells during 1,073 days of operation, the quantities stored during the three growing seasons (433 days) represented 50.3%(C3) and 36.50%(C4) of the total DRP retention. This indicated that vegetation had an important role in the overall DRP storage regardless of supplemental aeration. Overall, nonaerated C3 DRP mass removal efficiency during the 3-year period of investigation was low, averaging 19.9%. Aerated C4 DRP mass removal efficiency was 2.4-fold higher, averaging 48.4%. Belowground (BG) biomass had significantly higher (p < 0.001) P content than aboveground (AG) biomass, throughout the 3-year period of investigation.
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Drizo, A., Seitz, E., Twohig, E., Weber, D., Bird, S., Ross, D. (2008). The Role of Vegetation in Phosphorus Removal by Cold Climate Constructed Wetland: The Effects of Aeration and Growing Season. In: Vymazal, J. (eds) Wastewater Treatment, Plant Dynamics and Management in Constructed and Natural Wetlands. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8235-1_21
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