Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Ervin, Gary N.

Committee Member

Wallace, Lisa

Committee Member

Moore, Matt T.

Date of Degree

8-12-2016

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

Studies have shown wetlands act as filters for nutrient rich waters, in part due to macrophyte properties. Differences have been found in nitrogen removal rates among plant species in studies of monocultures grown in mesocosms mimicking wastewater treatment constructed wetlands, but little research has been done on assemblages in natural or restored wetlands. This study aims to identify differences in water quality among plant assemblages in natural and restored wetlands. Thirty natural and restored wetlands in the Mississippi portion of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley were sampled four times. Water quality was measured and plant assemblages identified. Significant differences in pH, conductivity, and turbidity were found among four different plant growth forms, but nutrient concentrations were not significantly different among growth forms. Because nutrient concentrations were low, data collected may not have adequately captured potential differences in nutrient concentrations among plant assemblages.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19971

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