Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Floating Treatment Wetlands For Brackish Waters: Plant Selection And Nutrient Uptake Potential., Andrea Landaverde

All Theses

Brackish water bodies in coastal regions provide critical ecosystem services that support human and environmental health. Anthropogenic activities such as agricultural and industrial activities, construction, urban settlements, and tourism contribute to increased inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in brackish coastal ecosystems. Excess nutrients can lead to impaired water quality and affect marine organisms. Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are a vegetated-base technology used to remove contaminants from water column, that has been mainly studied and applied in freshwater systems. Application of FTWs in brackish systems requires further investigation, as high salinity in brackish waters could result in toxicity to …

Exploring Mycorrhizae In Riparian Restoration To Enhance Phosphorus Mitigation And Pollinator Habitat On Unceded Territory, Jessica Ann Rubin

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

When land degradation imperils freshwater quality, land managers can restore ecosystem functions. The premise of three published/accepted thesis chapters is that mycorrhizae can enhance water quality function of riparian buffers and pollinator habitat through diverse, native polyculture associations.

Where water quality is threatened through excess phosphorus (P) loads from agriculture, riparian buffers are considered Best Management Practices (BMPs). They intercept agricultural nutrients before reaching waterways. However, their seasonal cycles, saturation capacity, and often degraded conditions limit their ability to protect water quality. In particular, riparian buffers can transition from sinks to sources of P when agricultural practices chronically contribute P, …