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Response of biogeochemical processes of the water-soil-plant system to experimental flooding-drying conditions in a eutrophic wetland: the role of Phragmites australis

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Abstract

Aims

Assess the role of Phragmites australis in the temporal variability of physico-chemical and microbiological soil properties related to biogeochemical processes in eutrophic wetlands.

Methods

A mesocosms experiment was performed with alternating flooding-drying conditions with eutrophic water at two nutrient levels, and soil Eh, pH, temperature, CO2 emissions, dissolved organic carbon, carbon from microbial biomass, and Phragmites physiological activity were measured during 44 weeks.

Results

In surface, Eh decreased with flooding and increased with drying regardless plant presence and nutrients content. In depth, Phragmites maintained oxic conditions. During warmer months, O2 diffusion promoted by Phragmites hindered the drop of pH. Soil microbial respiration was stimulated in warmer months (soil temperature ~ 20–30 °C), as shown by larger CO2 production, and higher aromaticity and phenolic compounds content in pore water. The latter occurred regardless the plant presence and nutrients content, although the combination of both contributed to a higher microbial population (shown by higher concentrations of carbon from microbial biomass).

Conclusions

The presence of Phragmites and the nutrient concentration in the flooding water had a different role in the temporal evolution of the physico-chemical and microbiological soil properties in eutrophic wetlands, and this role was strongly influenced by soil depth and temperature.

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Acknowledgments

Support for this research was provided by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain (CGL2010-20214). Dr. M. Nazaret Gonzaléz-Alcaraz thanks the Fundación Ramón Areces for funding her post-doctoral grant in the Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University. Dr. Héctor M. Conesa thanks the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and UPCT for funding through the “Ramon y Cajal” programme (Ref. RYC-2010-05665). Antonio López-Orenes received a pre-doctoral grant (AP2012-2559) financed by the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte of Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agraria, E.T.S. de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, Cartagena, 30203, Murcia, Spain

    M. C. Tercero, J. Álvarez-Rogel, H. M. Conesa, M. A. Ferrer, A. A. Calderón, A. López-Orenes & M. N. González-Alcaraz

  2. Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    M. N. González-Alcaraz

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  1. M. C. Tercero
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  2. J. Álvarez-Rogel
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  3. H. M. Conesa
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  4. M. A. Ferrer
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  6. A. López-Orenes
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  7. M. N. González-Alcaraz
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Correspondence to M. N. González-Alcaraz.

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Responsible Editor: Elizabeth M Baggs.

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Tercero, M.C., Álvarez-Rogel, J., Conesa, H.M. et al. Response of biogeochemical processes of the water-soil-plant system to experimental flooding-drying conditions in a eutrophic wetland: the role of Phragmites australis . Plant Soil 396, 109–125 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2589-z

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