Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Bioretention In A Mixed-Use Agricultural Landscape: Lessons Learned From The Application Of Low-Phosphorus Compost And Panicum Virgatum, Jason M. Kokkinos

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Bioretention cells are a stormwater treatment technology that uses soil and vegetation to remove pollutants from runoff and improve downstream water quality. While bioretention has been shown to be effective at removing certain stormwater pollutants such as sediment and heavy metals, removal of nutrients has been more variable. Design components of bioretention such as vegetation and soil media amendments can influence pollutant removal performance. In my experiment, I isolate the effects of low-phosphorus compost and a Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) monoculture on bioretention performance. In fall 2016, three bioretention cells were installed at the University of Vermont Miller Research Complex, a …