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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #154022
Title: VEGETATION OCCURRING IN PASSIVELY REVEGETATED CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS RECEIVING AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE WATERS IN NORTHWEST OHIO

Author
item Luckeydoo, Lee

Submitted to: Botanical Society of America Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2003
Publication Date: 7/26/2003
Citation: LUCKEYDOO, L.M. VEGETATION OCCURRING IN PASSIVELY REVEGETATED CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS RECEIVING AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE WATERS IN NORTHWEST OHIO. BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA PROCEEDINGS. AVAILABLE FROM: www.2003.botanyconference.org/engine/search/detail.php?aid=14. 2003.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Constructed wetlands and sedimentation ponds are introduced into the agricultural landscape for many reasons, including wildlife habitat and water quality improvement. Three such wetlands have been constructed at Wetland Reservoir Subirrigation Project (WRSIS) sites on previously converted cropland adjacent to agricultural fields in northwest Ohio. Revegetation in these constructed wetlands relies on passive recruitment from the seed bank and immigration. Surveys of constructed wetland vascular vegetation conducted from 1998-2001, ending six years post-construction of the basins, resulted in a total species list of 77 unique species for the three combined constructed wetland sites. The greatest diversity of species occurred in the infrequently submerged and waterline (frequently submerged) zones. Wetland indicator species comprised approximately 40% of species for each location, and of the wetland indicator species, the majority, ranging 71-86% for the three studied sites, were native to the United States. Dominant species, species with high importance factor (IF) rankings, of the studied WRSIS constructed wetlands were most likely from local sources. Some of the high IF species ware considered 'weeds' in local agricultural fields and nearby drainage ditches and streams, including Polygonum persicaria and Scirpus atrovirens. Many species were supplied from erosion control efforts, for example Medicago sativa and Echinochloa crusgalli which were originally seeded into the buffer zones. Species included in IF lists and the occurrence of less than 50% wetland indicator species suggest planting or seed may expedite desired vegetation development in WRSIS or similar constructed wetland basins.