Abstract
Bioretention plant selection for nutrient removal (and even basic plant survival) is an understudied and not-well-understood component of this stormwater control measure. Twelve bioretention cells were constructed to evaluate 16 plants growing in three different media for their ability to remove nutrient pollution from urban stormwater runoff with high nutrient loads. Plants evaluated were pairs of natives and cultivars and included trees (Magnolia and Betula), shrubs (Viburnum and Itea), herbaceous perennial flowers (Helianthus and Eupatorium), a rush (Juncus), and an ornamental grass (Panicum). Eleven of the 16 species (B. nigra; B. Dura-Heat; M. virginiana; M. Sweet Thing; I. virginica; I. Henry’s Garnet; J. effusus; P. Shenandoah; H. angustifolius; H. First Light; and E. Gateway) performed well (grew and were aesthetically acceptable) in the bioretention cells and can be recommended as bioretention plants. Species and cultivar impacted the levels of remediation of the high N and P loads applied. The woody B. nigra and its cultivar stored the most N and P per specimen and per cost per unit canopy area. The herbaceous species P. virgatum and H. angustifolius sequestered the most N and P per unit area. However, if both low cost per nutrient uptake and high nutrient uptake per area are desired, then three species appear to be the optimal choices: P. virgatum; P. Shenandoah; and E. Gateway. The maximum nutrient mass any plant (B. Dura-Heat) accumulated in its dry biomass was nearly 11% of the inflow load.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded in part by grants from the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association and substrate donations by Wade Moore Equipment Company, Louisburg, North Carolina; Oldcastle, Louisburg, North Carolina; and Carolina Stalite Company, Salisbury, North Carolina. Plants were donated by Carolina Native Nursery, Burnsville, North Carolina; Classic Viburnums, Upland, Nebraska; ERNST Conservation Seeds, Meadville, Pennsylvania; Fairview Greenhouses and Garden Center, Raleigh, North Carolina; Griffith Propagation Nursery, Watkinsville, Georgia; Hawksridge Nursery, Hickory, North Carolina; Hidden Hollow Nursery, Belvidere, Tennessee; Hoffman Nursery, Bahama, North Carolina; Jelito Seed, Louisville, Kentucky; North Creek Nurseries, Landenber, Pennsylvania; and Worthington Farms, Greenville, North Carolina. Bradley Holland of North Carolina State’s Horticultural Research Laboratory and Shawn Kennedy of North Carolina State’s Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department who were instrumental in the construction and measurement of the cells, respectively.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 143 • Issue 2 • February 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 3, 2015
Accepted: May 25, 2016
Published online: Aug 10, 2016
Discussion open until: Jan 10, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2017
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