POSTER: Evaluating tape grass (Vallisneria americana) and water quality response s to varying degrrees of nutrient enrichment in small mesocosms
Research Mentor: Dr. James Douglass
Additional Authors:
Abstract:
The objectives of this experiment were to: 1. Characterize the relationship between nutrient loading and water column nutrient and chlorophyll levels in simple aquatic mesocosms. 2. To characterize the relationship between nutrient loading and Vallisneria americana growth performance in simple aquatic mesocosm. 3. To characterize the relationship between nutrient loading and Vallisneria americanas ability to suppress algal growth. The two factors in this study involved were nutrient loading and Vallisneria americana presence/absence. The levels of Vallisneria americana was five or zero shoots planted per mesocosm. Nutrient loading was achieved through different masses of Osmocote N:P:K 14:14:14 slow-release fertilizer diffusing into nylon mesh bags.The levels of nutrient loading was 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60% of the dosage found to cause hypereutrophication of mesocosms in a previous study; 0, 0.012, 0.024, 0.036, 0.144 g/L of fertilizer. The two levels of Vallisneria americana presence and the six levels of nutrient loading results in 12 unique experimental treatments. The experimental treatment was preformed, resulting in 36 total mesocosms. The treatments were partially blocked, by nesting groups of six bucket mesocosms within six larger tanks. A full set of nutrient treatments was included in each block, but each block was either entirely + Vallisneria or -Vallisneria treatments.