Abstract
Two horizontal constructed wetlands with subsurface flow (CWs) of different age were monitored in a 2-year study. One of the CWs was new, while the second one had been in operation for 5 years in the first year of study. Transformations of C, P, and N were measured in each CW in the substrate of the vegetated bed under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and their rates were compared. C was mineralized in both CWs under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, but mineralization rates differed between the CWs; they were cca ten times higher in the established CW compared to the new CW. Dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) was immobilized under aerobic conditions but was mobilized under anaerobic conditions. DRP transformation was cca five times faster in the established CW. Nitrification occurred under aerobic conditions at similar rates in both CWs. NH4 + concentration decreased under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, but there was large variability. The age of the CW affected C mineralization rates and DRP immobilization rates under aerobic conditions and mobilization rates under anaerobic conditions; they increased as the CWs maturated, while no effect of CW age was observed on nitrogen removal rates.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arias, C. A., Del Bubba, M., & Brix, H. (2001). Phosphorus removal by sands for use as media in subsurface flow constructed reed beds. Water Research, 35, 1159–1168.
Armstrong, W., Armstrong, J., & Beckett, P. M. (1990). Measurement and modelling of oxygen release from roots of Phragmites australis. In P. F. Cooper & B. C. Findlater (Eds.), Constructed wetlands for water pollution control (pp. 41–51). Oxford: Pergamon.
Braskerud, B. C. (2002). Factors affecting phosphorus retention in small constructed wetlands using a mixture of sand and dolomite as substrate. Ecological Engineering, 19, 41–61.
Brix, H. (1997). Do macrophytes play a role in constructed treatment wetlands? Water Science and Technology, 35(5), 11–17.
Burianová, J. (2006). The evaluation of importance of the plant roots for microbial processes in constructed wetland (p. 36). Bc. Thesis. České Budejovice, Czech Republic: Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia. (in Czech)
Cooper, P. F., Job, G. D., Green, M. B., & Shutes, R. B. E. (1996). Reed beds and constructed wetlands for wastewater treatments. Medmenham: WRc.
D’Angelo, E. M., & Reddy, K. R. (1999). Regulators of heterotrophic microbial potentials in wetland soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 31, 815–830.
Davidson, T. E., & Ståhl, M. (2000). The influence of organic carbon on nitrogen transformation in five wetland soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 64, 1129–1136.
Dušek, J., & Picek, T. (2006). Seasonal variation of redox potential in horizontal subsurface flow reed beds. In L. Kröpfelova (Ed.), 6th International Workshop on Nutrient ycling and Retention in Natural and Constructed Wetlands. Trebon: ENKI o.p.s.
Edwards, K. R., Čížková, H., Zemanová, K., & Šantrůčková, H. (2006). Plant Growth and Microbial Processes in a Constructed Wetland Planted with Phalaris arundinacea. Ecological Engineering, 1012, 1–13.
Hernandez, M. E., & Mitsch, W. J. (2007). Denitrification potential and organic matter as affected by vegetation community, wetland age, and plant introduction in created wetlands. Journal Of Environmental Quality, 36, 333–342.
Huett, D. O., Morris, S. G., Smith, G., & Hunt, N. (2005). Nitrogen and phosphorus removal from plant nursery runoff in vegetated and unvegetated subsurface flow wetlands. Water Research, 39, 3259–3272.
Jones, D. L., Hodge, A., & Kuzyakov, Y. (2004). Plant and mycorrhizal regulation of rhizodeposition. New Phytologist, 163, 459–480.
Kadlec, R. H., & Knight, R. L. (1996). Treatment wetlands. Boca Raton: CRC, Lewis. 893 pp.
Karlberg, B., & Twengström, S. (1983). Applications based on gas diffusion and flow injection analysis in focus. Tecator. Journal of Technology and Chemical Analysis, 6, 14–15.
Kuzyakov, Y., Ehrensberger, H., & Stahr, K. (2001). Carbon partioning and below-ground translocationby Lolium perene. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 33, 61–74.
Mann, R. A., & Bavor, H. J. (1993). Phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands using gravel and industrial waste substrata. Water Science and Technology, 27, 107–113.
Munch, C., Kuschk, P., & Roske, I. (2005). Root stimulated nitrogen removal: only a local effect or important for water treatment? Water Science and Technology, 51(9), 185–192.
Parsons, T. R., Maita, Y., & Lalli, C. M. (1984). A manual of chemical and biological methods for seawater analysis (p. 173). Oxford: Pergamon.
Paul, E. A., & Clark, F. E. (1996). Soil microbiology and biochemistry. London: Academic. 340 p.
Picek, T., Čížková, H., & Dušek, J. (2007). Greenhouse gas emission from a constructed wetland—Plants as important source of carbon. Ecological Engineering, 31, 98–106.
Prochaska, C. A., & Zouboulis, A. I. (2005). Removal of phosphates by pilot vertical-flow constructed wetlands treating agricultural non-point source pollution. Ecological Engineering, 19, 41–61.
Shaw, A., Karlsson, C. H., & Moller, J. (1988). An introduction to the use of flow injection analysis. HoÉganaÉs: Tecator. 72 pp.
Song, Z., Zheng, Z., Li, J., Sun, X., Han, X., Wang, W., et al. (2006). Seasonal and annual performance of a full-scale constructed wetland system for sewage treatment in China. Ecological Engineering, 26, 272–282.
Tanner, C. C. (2001). Plants as ecosystem engineers in subsurface-flow treatment wetlands. Water Science and Technology, 44, 9–17.
Tiedje, J. M. (1982). Denitrification. In A. L. Page, R. H. Miller & D. R. Keeney (Eds.), Methods of soil analyses, Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties (2nd ed., pp. 1011–1026). Madison: American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America.
Vymazal, J. (1996a). Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in the Czech Republic the first 5 years experience. Water Science and Technology, 34(11), 159–164.
Vymazal, J. (1996b). The Use of Subsurface-flow constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in the Czech Republic. Ecological Engineering, 7, 1–14.
Vymazal, J. (1998). Introduction. In J. Vymazal, H. Brix, P. F. Cooper, M. B. Green & R. Haberl (Eds.), Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in Europe (pp. 1–15). Leiden: Backhuys.
Vymazal, J. (1999). Nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands with horizontal sub-surface flow—Can we determine the key process? In J. Vymazal (Ed.), Nutrient cycling and retention in natural and constructed wetlands. Leiden: Backhuys.
Vymazal, J. (2001). Removal of organics in czech constructed wetlands with horizontal subsurface flow. In J. Vymazal (Ed.), Transformations of nutrient in natural and constructed wetland (pp. 305–327). Leiden: Backhuys.
Vymazal, J. (2005). Horizontal sub-surface flow and hybrid costructed wetland systems for wastewater treatment. Ecological Engineering, 25, 475–477.
Vymazal, J., Brix, H., Cooper, P. F., Haberl, R., Perfler, R., & Laber, J. (1998). Removal mechanisms and types of constructed wetlands. In J. Vymazal, H. Brix, P. F. Cooper, M. B. Green & R. Haberl (Eds.), Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in Europe (pp. 17–66). Leiden: Backhuys.
Xu, D., Xu, J., Wu, J., & Muhammad, A. (2006). Studies on the phosphorus sorption capacity of substrates used in constructed wetland systems. Chemosphere, 63, 344–352.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by Projects No. 206/03/P021 and 526/09/1545 of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, MSM 600 766 5801 and AV0Z60870520 of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zemanová, K., Picek, T., Dušek, J. et al. Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Tranformations are Related to Age of a Constructe Wetland. Water Air Soil Pollut 207, 39–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0117-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0117-6