The impact of plant morphology on flow structure: comparative analysis of two types of submerged flexible macrophyte

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe presence of aquatic vegetation in riverine and lacustrine environments alters the mean and turbulent flow structure and thus impacts the fate and transport of sediment and contaminants. Turbulent flows through Vallisneria natans (V. natans) and Potamogeton malaianus (P. malaianus) were investigated in a laboratory flume. The impact of plant morphology on mean velocity profile and turbulence distribution was analysed and discrepancies in flow alteration caused by different types of macrophyte were highlighted. Results show that a dense canopy of submerged macrophyte leads to a velocity profile featuring a counter velocity gradient in the lower part of the canopy. Negative Reynolds stress and its local maximum were observed there. Discrepancies in flow structure caused by different morphologies of both tested plants were further identified. With smaller frontal area in the lower part of the canopy, P. malaianus causes a much bigger gradient and local maximum in the velocity profile, and thus a larger local stress maximum than V. natans. The mean velocity gradient around the top of canopy, the Reynolds stress and the turbulence kinetic energy at the canopy interface are smaller than for the flow through the V. natans canopy. Larger reduction of the mean velocity within the V. natans canopy makes the suspended sediment of fine particles more easily deposited than in the P. malaianus canopy.