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| Titel |
Indicators of nitrate in wetland surface and soil-waters: interactions of vegetation and environmental factors |
| VerfasserIn |
M. P. Kennedy, K. J. Murphy |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1027-5606
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ; 8, no. 4 ; Nr. 8, no. 4, S.663-672 |
| Datensatznummer |
250005723
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/hess-8-663-2004.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| This paper describes a new bio-indicator method for assessing
wetland ecosystem health; as such, the study is particularly relevant to current
legislation such as the EU Water Framework Directive, which provides a baseline
of the current status of surface waters. Seven wetland sites were monitored
across northern Britain, with model construction data for predicting eco-hydrological
relationships collected from five sites during 1999. Two new sites and one repeat
site were monitored during 2000 to provide model test data. The main growing
season for the vegetation, and hence the sampling period, was May–August during
both years. Seasonal mean concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) in surface
and soil water samples during 1999 ranged from 0.01 to 14.07 mg N l–1,
with a mean value of 1.01 mg N l–1. During 2000, concentrations
ranged from trace level (<0.01 mg N l–1) to 9.43 mg N
l–1, with a mean of 2.73 mg N l–-1.
Surface and soil-water nitrate concentrations did not influence plant species
composition significantly across representative tall herb fen and mire communities.
Predictive relationships were found between nitrate concentrations and structural
characteristics of the wetland vegetation, and a model was developed which predicted
nitrate concentrations from measures of plant diversity, canopy structure and
density of reproductive structures. Two further models, which predicted stem
density and density of reproductive structures respectively, utilised nitrate
concentration as one of the independent predictor variables. The models were
tested where appropriate using data collected during 2000. This approach is
complementary to species-based monitoring, representing a useful and simple
tool to assess ecological status in target wetland systems and has potential
for bio-indication purposes.
Keywords: bio-indicators, surface water, water quality, wetland vegetation |
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