Evalution of the Biotic Potential of Microorganisms and Higher Plants to Enhance211 the Quality of Constructed Wetlands

摘要

A project was carried out from October 1, 1991 through September 30, 1998 to211u001eevaluate the growth of several species of wetland plants in constructed cells 211u001eusing mine spoil as a growth medium, to evaluate microbial diversity and finally, 211u001eto demonstrate the concept on an actual stripmined site. In order to gain 211u001ebackground information for evaluation of constructed wetlands, several wetlands 211u001eon both undisturbed and stripmined areas were evaluated to determine the physical 211u001eand chemical characteristrics of the substrates as well as the vegetation 211u001echaracteristics. The research phase of this projects consisted of 10 wetland 211u001ecells each 7x16 m in size with the water depth varying from 0 to 40 cm. The 211u001esubstrates were allowed to stabilize over winter and each cell was planted in the 211u001espring of 1993 with 18 plants each of cattail, maidencance, soft stem bulrush and 211u001epickerel weed. All cells were thickly vegetated by the end of the first growing 211u001eseason.