Acclimation to and mitigation of anthropogenic nutrients by wetland plants

Abstract

Wetlands are some of the most important ecosystems on the planet, and are often referred to as "kidneys of the landscape" because of their remarkable ability to filter contaminants, especially those introduced by human activity. Some of the most important cleaning tools in wetlands are the plants that inhabit them. In this series of studies, wetland plant response to human impact in the Lake George watershed of the Adirondack Mountains was investigated. Measured differences in plant morphology and tissue chemistry indicated the importance of using such measures to assess short-term responses to human impact within wetland ecosystems. Additionally, a case-study depicting ecosystem establishment pre- and post- planting in a constructed stormwater treatment wetland was described. Results from these studies prompted specific phytoremediation experiments using the small duckweed, Lemna minor. Throughout these studies, it was determined that L. minor can acclimate morphologically and physiologically to human-related nutrient availability, which subsequently affects nutrient uptake potential. Attempts were made to induce this same natural acclimation response under laboratory conditions.