Abstract
To identify a vegetation configuration pattern with a high-efficiency purification ability for total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorous (TP), available phosphorous (AP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) based on comprehensive assessment results, a water discharge experiment was performed in the Luan River in China with the following riparian forests: I, pure broad-leaved; II, mixed broad-leaved; III, mixed coniferous and broad-leaved; IV, mixed coniferous; and V, pure coniferous. From the riparian buffer zone to the river channel, the evaluation showed that pattern I had the highest purification ability at 1 m and 2 m; at a width of 4 m, pattern III had the highest purification ability; at a distance of 7 m, pattern V showed the highest purification ability; at 10 m, pattern IV showed the highest purification ability, pattern II the lowest. It is advisable to give priority to plant coniferous species from 0 m to 4 m from the river bank, while it is advisable to give priority to plant broad-leaved species from 4 m to 10 m from the river bank. We therefore recommend these vegetation configuration patterns in the development and management of runoff purification systems.
Highlights
As water source pollution is a global challenge, improving the quality of surface runoff water is a focus of ecological restoration[1,2]
Sharpley reported that the removal effectiveness of P from surface water is as high as 80% in a riparian zone dominated by pure forest[16], and Schoonover suggested that the removal effectiveness of N from surface water can reach 78% and that for P is as high as 97% in riparian zones dominated by forest and herbaceous cover[17]
The variability in the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorous (TP) and available phosphorous (AP) from runoff water under different vegetation patterns are shown in Fig. 3, and the findings indicated a decreasing trend in the five different riparian vegetation buffer zones from the upper parts of the riparian vegetation buffer zone to the river channel
Summary
As water source pollution is a global challenge, improving the quality of surface runoff water is a focus of ecological restoration[1,2]. Planting buffer riparian vegetation is an effective strategy to intercept non-point-source pollution and improve river water quality This measure plays an important role in reducing sediment and nutrient deposition in the river ecosystem protection zone, and it can effectively control the river pollution load[2,5,6]. The ecological service value of riparian vegetation buffer zones has been underestimated, and improving river water quality is an enormous challenge in China due to improper land use and agricultural pollution[14,15] Forests differ in their ability to purify water, and the chemistry of ground water changes significantly as it passes through a riparian vegetation buffer zone. Chemical parameters are measured to evaluate water quality and contamination with pollutants, aiding in the development of effective management strategies[4]
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