Masters Theses

Abstract

“This research aims to mitigate eutrophication of freshwater habitats affected by urban stormwater runoff. Two highly impacted urban ponds near the Missouri S&T campus in Rolla were the focus of this research on the application of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs). An FTW consists of a man-made floating mat that is planted with emergent or floating macrophytes. The plants grow on the mat and their roots extend into the water column below the mat. Plant tissues, especially roots in direct contact with the water, take up nutrients, act as biofilm growth sites, and may facilitate precipitation of nutrients. With urbanization, ponds receive enhanced fluxes of nutrients from runoff that can negatively impact the ponds and downstream ecosystems. By mitigating the inflows of nutrients, FTWs can help maintain water quality and biodiversity of these systems. My research objectives were to examine nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal rates from microcosms containing different plants. Simulated stormwater runoff was added to lab microcosms containing coir fiber medium and bare-root plants. The removal rate of N and P from the water was monitored by taking samples over time. Based on a one-way ANOVA, there was a significant difference among the plant treatments for the rate of uptake for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) for rates per microcosm (P = 0.003) but not for rates per mass of plant used (P = 0.22). ANOVA did reveal significant differences among plant treatments for uptake rates of N per microcosm (P < 0.001) and per biomass of plant used (P < 0.001). Microcosms planted with Cladophora and Spirogyra (algae) and Scirpus atrovirens (Bulrush) had higher uptake rates of N compared to most other plants (Tukey post-hoc comparison, P < 0.05)”--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Niyogi

Committee Member(s)

Fitch, Mark W.
Verble, Robin M.

Department(s)

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

M.S. in Applied and Environmental Biology

Comments

This project was funded by Missouri Water Resources Research Center, with funding from USGS Project 00061235 and the Department of Biological Sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology and the Ozark Research Field Station.

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Fall 2020

Pagination

x, 54 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographic references (pages 46-53).

Geographic Coverage

Rolla, Missouri

Rights

© 2020 Katherine May Mazanec, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 11793

Electronic OCLC #

1240361928

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Thesis Location

 
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