FAS Abstracts 2004 Meeting Page

Biological Sciences (BIO B): BIO-18

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Spatial phytoplankton composition and distribution of particles along the flow path within a large South Florida treatment wetland. J. POTTS, F. DIERBERG, and S. JACKSON. DB Environmental, Inc., 365 Gus Hipp Blvd Rockledge, FL 32955. Total suspended solids (TSS), chlorophyll a (Chl a), and phytoplankton cell concentrations within the seston were measured along a flow gradient within a 2602 ha constructed surface flow wetland. Changes in phytoplankton abundance, composition, and diversity occurred within the wetland. The Shannon-Weiner Index (H') indicated phytoplankton diversity was relatively low throughout the wetland (H'= 0.79-1.19). Chl a:TSS indicated that a higher percentage of the outflow particles consisted of phytoplankton cells. Total seston concentration was reduced at the outflow (1.3-3.3 mg/L) compared to the inflow (5.4-19.6 mg/L). It appears that treatment wetlands can preferentially remove large quantities of inorganic particles and phytoplankton, thereby making them efficient traps for reducing incoming particulate loads.