The effect of water turnover time on decomposition of wild rice (Zizania latifolia) and nutrient dynamics in an artificial wetland system

Abstract

The effect of different turnover time of water on the decomposition of emergent macrophyte litter (Zizania latifolia Griseb.) was investigated using a microcosm experiment. Microcosm treatment represented different turnover time of water; 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The litterbags from each treatment were retrieved every 2 weeks until the 8th week and the water simultaneously sampled with the litterbag. The dry weight and the content of major cations in the litter, and the content of available N, P, and major cations in the water were analyzed. Dry weight loss after 8 weeks indicated the lower decay rates under the condition of short turnover time of water. Major cations from the litter and the water showed that the leached amounts of K and Mg from the litter were highest in the 2nd week and dramatically decreased from the 4th week. The dynamics of available nitrogen and phosphorus in the water showed that as the water turnover time was getting longer, the amounts of available nitrogen and phosphorus remained higher. These results suggest that wetlands with longer turnover time of water could maintain the increased nitrogen and hosphorus and no outflow of the nutrients could cause eutrophication problem.