Abstract
The goal of this study is to examine the
suitability of three plants, Typha spp., Phragmites spp.
and Iris pseudacorus, in a free-water surface constructed
wetland created to treat eutrophic water from
Lake Albufera (Valencia, Spain), a wetland of international
importance. The growth, coverage and nutrient
content of the three plants were studied, and
chemical analyses were performed according to standard
methods. The maximum standing crops measured
for each plant were 1.9, 18.2 and 3.3 kg m-2,
respectively, and their average nutrient concentrations
were 2.1, 1.2 and 1.7 g P kg-1 and 12.1, 11.7 and
10.1 g N kg-1, respectively. A multiple harvest of Iris
pseudacorus revealed that the removal of nutrients
could be increased up to 50% for N and 100% for P
compared with a single harvest. Biomass decomposition
assays showed high values for five-day biochemical
oxygen demand (115207 mg O2 g-1, depending
on the plant and its age) and a substantial release of
phosphorus, up to 100% of that contained in the
biomass, highlighting the need to remove the litter fall.
