HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by White, J. R. Articles by Corstanje, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by White, J. R. Articles by Corstanje, R. Agricola Articles by White, J. R. Articles by Corstanje, R. Related Collections Water Quality Fire Biomass Accretion Phosphorus Biogeochemical Processes

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Wetlands and Aquatic Processes

The Short-Term Effects of Prescribed Burning on Biomass Removal and the Release of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in a Treatment Wetland

^a Wetland and Aquatic Biogeochemistry Lab., 3239 Energy, Coast and Environment Bldg., Dep. of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA 70803
^b Orlando Wetlands Park, Div. of Wastewater, 25155 Wheeler Rd., Christmas, FL 32709
^c Pedometrics Group, Natural Soil Resources Inst., School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield Univ., England MK43 0AL

^* Corresponding author (jrwhite{at}lsu.edu).

Received for publication January 12, 2008. Nutrient removal by constructed wetlands can decline over time due to the accumulation of organic matter. A prescribed burn is one of many management strategies used to remove detritus in macrophyte-dominated systems. We quantified the short-term effects on effluent water quality and the amount of aboveground detritus removed from a prescribed burn event. Surface water outflow concentrations were approximately three times higher for P and 1.5 times higher for total Kjeldhal nitrogen (TKN) following the burn event when compared to the control. The length of time over which the fire effect was significant (P < 0.05), 3 d for TKN and up to 23 d for P fractions. Over time, the concentration of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in the effluent decreased, but was compensated with increases in dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) and particulate phosphorus (PP), such that net total P remained the same. Total aboveground biomass decreased by 68.5% as a result of the burn, however, much of the live vegetation was converted to standing dead material. These results demonstrate that a prescribed burn can significantly decrease the amount of senescent organic matter in a constructed wetland. However, short-term nutrient releases following the burn could increase effluent nutrient concentrations. Therefore, management strategies should include hydraulically isolating the burned area immediately following the burn event to prevent nutrient export.

Abbreviations: DOP, dissolved organic phosphorus • OEW, Orlando Easterly Wetland • PP, particulate phosphorus • SRP, soluble reactive phosphorus • TDP, total dissolved, phosphorus • TP, total phosphorus • TKN, total Kjeldhal nitrogen