Recent Land Cover History and Nutrient Retention in Riparian Wetlands |
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Authors: | Dianna M Hogan Mark R Walbridge |
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Institution: | (1) Eastern Geographic Science Center, US Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MSN 521, Reston, VA 20192, USA;(2) Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA |
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Abstract: | Wetland ecosystems are profoundly affected by altered nutrient and sediment loads received from anthropogenic activity in
their surrounding watersheds. Our objective was to compare a gradient of agricultural and urban land cover history during
the period from 1949 to 1997, with plant and soil nutrient concentrations in, and sediment deposition to, riparian wetlands
in a rapidly urbanizing landscape. We observed that recent agricultural land cover was associated with increases in Nitrogen
(N) and Phosphorus (P) concentrations in a native wetland plant species. Conversely, recent urban land cover appeared to alter
receiving wetland environmental conditions by increasing the relative availability of P versus N, as reflected in an invasive,
but not a native, plant species. In addition, increases in surface soil Fe content suggests recent inputs of terrestrial sediments
associated specifically with increasing urban land cover. The observed correlation between urban land cover and riparian wetland
plant tissue and surface soil nutrient concentrations and sediment deposition, suggest that urbanization specifically enhances
the suitability of riparian wetland habitats for the invasive species Japanese stiltgrass Microstegium vimenium (Trinius) A. Camus]. |
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Keywords: | Nitrogen Phosphorus Sediment Iron Land cover Land use Riparian wetland Microstegium vimenium Japanese stiltgrass Invasive plant species |
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