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Purification Efficiency of Two Ecotypes of Wetland Plants on Subtropical Eutrophic Lakes in China

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Abstract

The accelerated eutrophication rate of (sub)tropical lakes is a major environmental problem. Constructed wetlands are considered as an effective method to purify water bodies. However, the removal rate of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and other nutrients by wetland vegetation is quite different, and the continuous observation of plants and water ecosystems is required. In this study, the growth curves of two subtropical wetland plants, Phragmites australis and Zizania caduciflora, and their absorption effects on N and P in constructed wetlands were studied. The results showed that the growth curves of the two wetland plants were similar, reaching the biomass peak in July to August, and the cumulative absorption of N and P by plants had the same trend with the change of biomass. The N and P concentration of plants reached the peak in March to April, with higher concentration in Phragmites australis than that of Zizania caduciflora. At the end of the growing season, i.e. around October 20, the accumulated absorption of N and P by plants reached the maximum, which was the optimal time for harvest of subtropical wetland plants. Thereafter, the residues of plant litter entered the water, causing the recovery of N and P concentration in the water body, therefore affected the purification function of wetland. There is a strong correlation between the water purification efficiency and plant growth. With the increase of biomass, N and P accumulation in Phragmites australis and Zizania caduciflora, the N, P content and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the water of wetland showed a significant decreasing trend. The removal rates of N, P, COD and suspended substance (SS) in the constructed wetlands with Phragmites australis and Zizania caduciflora as the main plants were 95%, 96%, 82% and 86%, respectively. In general, the purification capacity of Phragmites australis is slightly higher than that of Zizania caduciflora and precipitation had positive effects on the pollutants concentration of wetland water. The results provide scientific basis for plant selection and management of subtropical constructed wetlands.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information file.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32260323), Yunnan Science and Technology Planning Project (202303AC100009, 2018BC007, 202201AT070165, 202101BC070002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Civil Aviation and Aeronautics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China

    Yingmo Zhu

  2. Yunnan Meteorological Observatory, Kunming, 650034, Yunnan, China

    Kangning Shu

  3. Yunnan Kunming Agrometeorological Station of Yunnan Province, Kunming, 650228, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China

    Ke Yang

  4. Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, Yunnan, China

    Zhe Chen

  5. School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, East Outer Ring Road, Chenggong, Kunming, 650500, People’s Republic of China

    Zhe Chen

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  1. Yingmo Zhu
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  2. Kangning Shu
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  4. Zhe Chen
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Contributions

YZ participated in sample collection, optimization of analysis and manuscript writing. KS participated in sample collection and provided field data. KY participated in sample collection and provided field data. ZC participated in development of ideas and optimization of analysis. All the authors read and approve the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ke Yang or Zhe Chen.

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Zhu, Y., Shu, K., Yang, K. et al. Purification Efficiency of Two Ecotypes of Wetland Plants on Subtropical Eutrophic Lakes in China. Wetlands 44, 29 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-024-01787-7

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