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The study explores a synergistic two-phase system to treat olive mill wastewater (OMW), comprising a multilayer adsorbent filter (pretreatment) and a vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW). The pretreatment phase includes layers of commercial granular activated carbon (CGAC) and volcanic tuff (VT), while the VFCW phase consists of planted tank with Phragmites australis reeds and unplanted tanks. Initially, municipal wastewater is introduced into the VFCW to establish the required microbial community. Then, pre-treated OMW is passed through the VFCW. The removal rates of various pollutants were assessed. The planted VFCW showed superior removal efficiencies, averaging 97.82% for total chemical oxygen demand (CODT), 92.78% for dissolved oxygen demand (CODd), 99.61% for total phenolic compounds (TPC), 98.94% for total nitrogen (TN), 96.96% for ammonium, and 95.83% for nitrate. In contrast, the unplanted VFCW displayed lower removal efficiencies, averaging 91.47% for CODT, 77.82% for CODd, 98.53% for TPC, 97.51% for TN, 92.04% for ammonium, and 90.82% for nitrate. These findings highlight the significant potential of VFCWs, which offer an integrated approach to OMW treatment by incorporating physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms within a single treatment system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in aquatic plants is critical in assessing the quality of aquatic environments and the risks associated with anthropogenic activities. This research involved using Phragmites australis as a bioindicator in a comprehensive assessment of the spatial variation in pollution within the Bug River catchment, employing advanced statistical methods to identify pollution sources. The study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation of PTEs in different parts of the P. australis plant and to evaluate their suitability as bioindicators of contamination. Plant samples were collected from 32 locations in the Bug River catchment, and the concentrations of metals such as Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicated that PTE accumulation was highest in the roots, underscoring their crucial role in monitoring metal concentrations. Metal concentrations differed based on land use within the catchment area, with the highest levels observed in urbanized regions, highlighting the significant impact of human activities like wastewater discharge and transport emissions. The highest concentrations were observed for Fe, Mn, and Zn, while Cd concentrations were notably elevated in agricultural areas. The analyses confirmed that P. australis serves as an effective bioindicator of heavy metal contamination and can be employed in long-term biomonitoring programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox), and ferric iron reduction coupled with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Feammox) are the nitrogen removal pathways in natural ecosystems. In this study, the differences between these three nitrogen removal pathways in a Phragmites australis covered site (LW), artificial grassland covered site (CD), poplar covered site (YD), and topsoil tillage after harvesting reed site (GD) in the Yinchuan Yellow River wetland were investigated using isotope tracing, metagenome, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) techniques. No 30N2 accumulation was detected in 15NH4 + addition incubations, indicating that Feammox was weak in all sites, which is consistent with a low abundance of the Feammox functional bacteria Acidimiprobiaceae sp. A6. The denitrification rates were 0.36 (LW), 0.5 (CD), 0.76 (YD) and 0.12 (GD) mg N/kg/day. The Anammox rates were 0.18 (LW) and 0.26 (GD) mg N/kg/day; other sites did not detect Anammox rate. Denitrification was the dominant pathway except for the CD site. The YD site had the highest abundance of denitrification genes, which was consistent with the denitrification rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal biological invasions pose a wide-reaching threat to various ecosystems, affecting both vegetation and herbivores in native communities. Although herbivores often exert strong top-down control on vegetation, the impact of invasive species on consumers that strongly regulate native species in invaded ecosystems remains unclear. Therefore, through field surveys and feeding preference experiments, this study examined the effects of the invasive Spartina alterniflora Loisel. (hereafter, Spartina) on the native moth Laelia coenosa Hübner (hereafter, Laelia), a notorious pest that has been documented to cause significant damage to native Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (hereafter, Phragmites) marshes in coastal wetlands of China. Field surveys showed that Laelia larvae were more abundant and had higher grazing rates in Phragmites than in Spartina marshes in summer, but these patterns reversed in autumn. Feeding experiments consistently showed that the dietary preference of Laelia larvae switched from Phragmites in summer to Spartina in autumn, likely because Spartina has a longer growing season and relatively higher nutritional quality than Phragmites in autumn. Thus, by providing shelters (i.e., dietary sources and habitats) during unfavorable seasons, Spartina invasions may facilitate this insect pest Laelia and potentially amplify its damage to native wetland vegetation. Our work reveals a novel, indirect mechanism of coastal invasion impacts and highlights the importance of incorporating seasonal variation in plant-herbivore interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary The invasive species S. alterniflora and P. australis are fast growing coastal wetland plants sequestering large amounts of carbon in the soil and protect coastlines against erosion and storm surges. In this global analysis, we found that Spartina and Phragmites increase methane but not nitrous oxide emissions, with Phragmites having a lesser effect. The impact of the invasive species on emissions differed greatly among different types of native plant groups, providing valuable information to managers and policymakers during coastal wetland planning and restoration efforts. Further, our estimated net emissions per wetland plant group facilitate regional and national blue carbon estimates. Globally, Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis are among the most pervasive invasive plants in coastal wetland ecosystems. Both species sequester large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and biogenic carbon in soils but also support production and emission of methane (CH4). In this study, we investigated the magnitude of their net greenhouse gas (GHG) release from invaded and non‐invaded habitats. We conducted a meta‐analysis of GHG fluxes associated with these two species and related soil carbon content and plant biomass in invaded coastal wetlands. Our results show that both invasive species increase CH4 fluxes compared to uninvaded coastal wetlands, but they do not significantly affect CO2 and N2O fluxes. The magnitude of emissions from Spartina and Phragmites differs among native habitats. GHG fluxes, soil carbon and plant biomass of Spartina‐invaded habitats were highest compared to uninvaded mudflats and succulent forb‐dominated wetlands, while being lower compared to uninvaded mangroves (except for CH4). This meta‐analysis highlights the important role of individual plant traits as drivers of change by invasive species on plant‐mediated carbon cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species composition and biomass are key indicators of vegetation performance. While Phragmites australis is extensively studied worldwide, data on its communities and biomass in natural habitats are limited in the European part of the Russian Federation. This study examines P. australis-dominated communities and their biomass in wetlands along the Middle Volga River. P. australis was either the dominant or co-dominant species in seven community types. Their seasonal maximum aboveground biomass correlated with plant projective cover, being highest in Schoenoplecteto lacustris-Phragmitetum australis (mean 1.7 kg m−2), with nearly 100% cover, and lowest (0.5 kg m−2) in Spirodelo-Phragmitetum australis, with 50% cover. Compared with communities dominated by Glyceria maxima, Schoenoplectus lacustris, and Typha latifolia, those of P. australis had the highest seasonal maximum aboveground biomass in running waters (mean 1.32 kg m−2) but the lowest in standing waters of the Kuibyshev Reservoir (mean 0.70 kg m−2), likely reflecting nutrient availability. A similar pattern was observed for the dominant species alone. The mean belowground biomass of P. australis was 1.9 kg m−2, with a belowground/aboveground ratio of 1.5. Similar values were found for S. lacustris and T. latifolia. The community types and biomass values align with those found in other European regions with warm temperate climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess nitrogen in agricultural drainage poses a serious threat to the water quality safety of the Yellow River basin. Utilizing aquatic plants to modify the rhizosphere microbial community structure and facilitate nitrogen transformation is a crucial strategy for mitigating regional water eutrophication. We here compare key processes of nitrogen transformation occurring in the rhizosphere of sediments of a ditch artificially planted with a mix of species (Phragmites australis, Typha orientalis, Nymphaea tetragon) with the rhizosphere of a ditch occupied by naturally occurring aquatic vegetation, dominated either by P. australis or T. orientalis. Our results revealed a species effect, with an increased denitrification rate (DR) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate (DNRAR) in the cultivated ditch for P. australis, compared to the naturally occurring T. orientalis vegetation. The nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) increased in the artificial setting with T. orientalis in comparison to natural P. australis vegetation. The richness of the bacterial community and the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, and Geobacter were significantly greater in the rhizosphere of the artificially cultivated ditch due a greater availability in nitrogen and organic carbon. In the artificially cultivated ditch, the dominant functional genes affecting DRNARs in the rhizosphere sediments of P. australis were nrfC and nrfA, whereas DRs were driven mainly by norB and napA, which were influenced by the nitrogen and carbon levels. The dominant functional genes affecting NFRs in the rhizosphere sediments of T. orientalis were nifD, nifK, and nifH. Our results provide a scientific basis for the use of aquatic plants for mitigating excess nitrogen levels in agricultural drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presented here reports the concentration of major, trace, and rare earth elements in soil, sediments, and vegetation samples collected from 13 locations around Anapa City located on the northern coast of the Black Sea in Russia. The neutron activation analysis technique has been used to fulfill this objective. Along with this, the bioconcentration and translocation factors were calculated. Overall, the content of 31 elements was detected in soil and sediments while 20 elements were determined in three types of vegetation: macroalgae (Cystoseira sp. and Ulva sp.), aquatic plants (Phragmites australis), and sea grass (Zostera sp.). The quantified concentration followed the order soil > sediment > vegetation. The phytotoxic levels for Zn, V, Mn, and Fe have been quantified as the highest. Bromine was the most abundant and accumulated in Phragmites australis. Based on the results obtained from this investigation, there is a possibility of contamination in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De-icing salt used for safe winter driving can have negative impacts on local water quality, vegetation, and soils. This study aimed to evaluate the salt tolerance of reeds (Phragmites australis) against calcium chloride (CaCl2) and the biofiltration effect of combining it with topsoil biofilters for desalination in roadside ditches. Two experiments were conducted in a controlled environmental greenhouse over a period of 150 days. For the first experiment, the salt tolerance of P. australis was examined after treating reeds with five different concentrations of de-icing salt: 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 g·L−1. In a second experiment, the effect of combining two topsoil filters (expanded clay and activated carbon), each planted with and without reeds, was investigated under a high CaCl2 concentration of 10 g·L−1. As the CaCl2 concentration increased, the electrical conductivity (EC) of soil leachate and the level of salt exchangeable cations (K+, Ca2+, Na+, and Mg2+) significantly increased whereas the acidity (pH) significantly decreased (all p ≤ 0.05). No statistical difference was observed in leaf length or width, while plant height, number of leaves, and both fresh and dry weights were significantly increased with increasing CaCl2 concentrations (p ≤ 0.05). Treatments using topsoil filters, particularly those with activated carbon and reeds, showed the greatest reduction in leachate EC and total exchange cations values. These results suggest that combining P. australis with topsoil filters can assist biofiltration effectively, demonstrating its applicability even in roadside soils subject to extreme levels of de-icing salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to assess the current water quality status across various regions within the Fayoum depression by examining water canals, drains, and potential contaminants impacting public health and the local ecosystem. Additionally, an adsorption treatability investigation was conducted on various antibiotics identified during the assessment. Fifteen sampling points were selected across the Fayoum depression, covering surface water bodies and agricultural drainage systems during both winter and summer seasons. Physico-chemical, microbiological, and antibiotic analyses were performed on collected water samples. The water quality parameters investigated included pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and concentrations of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. The findings revealed significant variations in water quality parameters among different water sources, categorizing them into three types: irrigation canals, polluted canals, and drains. High contamination levels were observed in certain water canals and drains due to untreated sewage and agricultural drainage discharge. Notably, elevated TDS levels (exceeding 1200 mg/L), microbial indicators count (with total coliforms reaching up to 2.3 × 106 CFU/100 mL), and antibiotics (with concentrations of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline exceeding 4.6 µg/L) were detected. To mitigate antibiotic contamination, a Phyto-adsorption treatability study using magnetite nanoparticles prepared with Phragmites australis plant extract demonstrated promising results, achieving complete removal of high antibiotic concentrations with an adsorption capacity of up to 67 mg/g. This study provides updated insights into water quality in the Fayoum depression and proposes a novel approach for addressing antibiotic contamination, potentially safeguarding human and environmental health.

Eutrophication resulting from anthropogenic activities has been recognized as a significant driver of changes in ecosystem functioning. Furthermore, it may exacerbate the top-down effect and thus exert an important impact on plant growth. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a 3-year manipulative field experiment to investigate the impacts of nitrogen addition and crab herbivory on the growth of Phragmites australis in the salt marsh of the Yellow River Delta. The results demonstrated that a 3-year nitrogen addition can significantly increase the total nitrogen and carbon content of P. australis leaves, thereby enhancing their nutritional value and palatability, as well as increasing the proportion of leaves consumed by crabs. Therefore, nitrogen addition together with crab herbivory had a significant negative effect on P. australis height, leaf length, and leaf breadth in the ambient crab and procedural crab cage treatment compared to the crab exclusion treatment. The structural equation modeling further substantiated these findings. Themodel revealed a direct and positive correlation between nitrogen addition and leaf nutrient content (path coefficient = 0.34). Additionally, it demonstrated a direct and positive relationship between leaf nutrient content and the proportion of leaves consumed by crabs (path coefficient = 0.22). Simultaneously, there was an observed negative correlation (path coefficient = - 0.37) between the proportion of leaves consumed by crabs and plant functional traits, represented by leaf length in the model, during 2018. Moreover, the crab exclusion treatment significantly reduced the proportion of leaves consumed by crabs and thus enhanced the P. australis individuals, leaf number, and biomass. Overall, crab herbivory had a significant detrimental top-down effect on the growth of P. australis, and nitrogen enrichmentmay exacerbate this top-down effect. The findings of our study highlight the combined adverse effects of nutrient enrichment and top-down on plant functional traits and plant growth. The findings of this study will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the underlying factors influencing vegetation degradation in coastal wetland, thereby establishing a solid theoretical framework for the conservation and management of wetland ecosystems within the context of global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraspecific trait variation, essential to Darwin's mechanism of natural selection, has been widely examined for single characters. However, intraspecific variation of adaptive strategies which represent trade‐offs among multiple functional traits has received less attention, particularly for species that are globally distributed or invasive. Grime's competitor, stress tolerator and ruderal (CSR) scheme, well validated in the context of alien species invasions, provides both the theory and quantitative methodology to investigate adaptive strategies.Here, we quantified the intraspecific CSR strategy scores of a worldwide collection of 89 Phragmites australis genotypes which were cultivated in a common garden. We assessed the relationships between intraspecific variation in CSR strategy scores, genome size and climate of origin and tested whether the invasive and native lineages differ in CSR strategies.Substantial variation in intraspecific adaptive strategy, characterized mainly in C‐ and S‐selection, was observed. As expected, C‐, S‐ and R‐scores showed clear latitudinal clines and were strongly related to either genome size or climate of origin. Furthermore, invasive lineages were more stress adapted than native lineages.We conclude that the adaptive strategy of this perennial wetland grass varies globally, and its genotypes are surprisingly more stress tolerant in the invaded range where it was first detected ~150 years ago. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Estuarine vegetation routinely experiences natural tidal fluctuations and is highly vulnerable to extreme events such as heavy rainfall, leading to changes in plant population structure and adaptability. Genetic and epigenetic modifications are widely considered to be mechanisms of phenotypic variation, triggered in plants responding to extreme changing environments. However, understanding on correlations among genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic variation of wild plant populations is still limited. Location: China. Methods: In this study, populations of the typical wetland clonal species Phragmites australis were selected from four estuaries along various latitudes in China. Genetic and epigenetic diversity and phenotypic variation of these populations were analysed. Results: Phenotypic variation of P. australis populations was the highest at Yellow River Estuary and the lowest at Min River Estuary. Across all estuaries, Genetic and epigenetic diversity was strongly linear‐correlated. Genetic diversity had significant correlations with variation in reproductive traits, whereas epigenetic diversity had significant correlations with variation in growth traits. Climatic factors of mean annual temperature and precipitation, as well as soil nitrogen and phosphorus, were negatively correlated with variation in genetic diversity, epigenetic diversity, and variation in reproductive traits of P. australis populations along latitudes. Variation in growth traits was negatively correlated with soil salinity, reflecting the limiting effect of salinity on plant growth. Main Conclusion: Our findings found that genetic and epigenetic variations may play different roles in phenotypic variation of P. australis populations along latitudes, the variation becomes greater when the climatic and edaphic conditions deteriorate. The findings shed new light on the adaptation and evolution of wetland plant populations along a large latitudinal scale, and may contribute to the revegetation of estuary wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the uncontrolled proliferation of invasive plants, several challenges for the environment arise. Invasive wetland grasses biomass can be collected for biofuel production, thus offering a sustainable solution for invasive plants' management and contributing to the renewable energy sector. The straw-like shoot biomass of common reed (Phragmites australis), widespread across temperate and tropical zones, has been examined to assess its potential use for energy purposes. We seek to determine the fuel-energy characteristics of common reed biomass, which are necessary for converting it into energy through combustion. A comprehensive analysis was conducted to determine the physical and chemical properties of biomass according to the ISO standards for solid biofuels. These properties included calorific values, moisture, ash and volatile matter contents, and contents of C, H, N, and major and minor elements, as well as ash melting behaviour. The measured values were also compared to standard limits for different classes of densified biofuels. Based on the results, the net calorific value (15.33 MJ/kg ar) and other parameters met the requirements for the class A quality of non-woody briquettes and pellets. The only parameters which exceeded the class A limits were ash content (7.1% d.b.) and Cl content (0.16% d.b.). The findings of this study are important for the potential utilisation of common reed biomass for bioenergy as a step towards contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been widely recognised for efficiently removing many pollutants from wastewater, making them vital for environmental bioremediation. The substrates used in constructed wetlands are crucial in determining their overall performance, notably their ability to improve nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater. This study aims to investigate the possibility of removing pollutants from wastewater using a pilot scale vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW) planted with Phragmites australis applied to various substrates, such as gravel and sand in an arid climate in Southeast Algeria. The study involved using four basins, filled with sand and gravel. Two were planted with Phragmites australis and the others were left as a control without vegetation. The efficiency of the filtration systems was evaluated based on various physicochemical and organic parameters. Results showed that the highest hydraulic retention time is in the 7 days. The removal efficiency values are 84.38% for biological oxygen demand (DBO5), 77.45% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 83.30% for total solid matter (TSS) in the planted gravel filter. The planted sand filter had even higher removal efficiency values, with 89.59%, 85.80%, and 86.63% for DBO5, COD, and TSS, respectively. Nitrate concentration increased in all filters due to the complete transformation of ammonium into nitrate. NO2 -, NH4 +, and PO4 3-removal efficiencies were also higher in the planted sand filter 74.45%, 95.43%, and 77.64%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions pose a significant threat to ecosystems, disrupting local biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The genomic underpinnings of invasiveness, however, are still largely unknown, making it difficult to predict and manage invasive species effectively. The common reed (Phragmites australis) is a dominant grass species in wetland ecosystems and has become particularly invasive when transferred from Europe to North America. Here, we present a high-quality gap-free, telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of Phragmites australis consisting of 24 pseudochromosomes and a B chromosome. Fully phased subgenomes demonstrated considerable subgenome dominance and revealed the divergence of diploid progenitors approximately 30.9 million years ago. Comparative genomics using chromosome-level scaffolds for three other lineages and a previously published draft genome assembly of an invasive lineage revealed that gene family expansions in the form of tandem duplications may have contributed to the invasiveness of the lineage. This study sheds light on the genome evolution of Arundinoideae grasses and suggests that genetic drivers, such as gene family expansions and tandem duplications, may underly the processes of biological invasion in plants. These findings provide a crucial step toward understanding and managing the genetic basis of invasiveness in plant species. We provide a complete, telomere to telomere gap-free genome assembly for common reed that includes its B chromosome. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that tandem duplications may have contributed to the invasiveness potential of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the current water quality status across various regions within the Fayoum depression by examining water canals, drains, and potential contaminants impacting public health and the local ecosystem. Additionally, an adsorption treatability investigation was conducted on various antibiotics identified during the assessment. Fifteen sampling points were selected across the Fayoum depression, covering surface water bodies and agricultural drainage systems during both winter and summer seasons. Physico-chemical, microbiological, and antibiotic analyses were performed on collected water samples. The water quality parameters investigated included pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and concentrations of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. The findings revealed significant variations in water quality parameters among different water sources, categorizing them into three types: irrigation canals, polluted canals, and drains. High contamination levels were observed in certain water canals and drains due to untreated sewage and agricultural drainage discharge. Notably, elevated TDS levels (exceeding 1200 mg/L), microbial indicators count (with total coliforms reaching up to 2.3 × 106 CFU/100 mL), and antibiotics (with concentrations of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline exceeding 4.6 µg/L) were detected. To mitigate antibiotic contamination, a Phyto-adsorption treatability study using magnetite nanoparticles prepared with Phragmites australis plant extract demonstrated promising results, achieving complete removal of high antibiotic concentrations with an adsorption capacity of up to 67 mg/g. This study provides updated insights into water quality in the Fayoum depression and proposes a novel approach for addressing antibiotic contamination, potentially safeguarding human and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable management of pig slurry (PS) in intensive farms is essential to reduce adverse environmental impacts and reduce the ecological footprint. If not managed properly, PS can release GHG/NH3 gases into the atmosphere and contaminate waters. This study evaluates the impact of an integral management system with physical and biological stages to mitigate the impact of PS. The system resulted in effective PS traceability, studying its physicochemical properties. The synergism in the whole system allowed a decrease in the most analyzed parameters during the autumn, spring, and summer. The pretreatment contributed significantly to obtaining an appreciable percentage of reduction in the constructed wetlands of SS (99–100%), COD (56–87%), TN (50–57%), and PO43− (88–100%). The emission values (g/m2/day) were 0–2.14 (CH4), 0–473.76 (CO2), 0–179.77 (H2O), 0–0.265 (N2O), and 0–0.195 (NH3), highlighting the raw, separated and manure fractions with the highest values. It is concluded that the system proves to be a practical, low-cost, and efficient technique for the treatment of PS. It significantly reduces the concentration of nutrients, and the intercepted byproducts can be valuable for application to the soil. In addition, the system effectively reduces GHG/NH3 emissions in decanted, purified, and wetland PS fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Constructed wetlands (CWs) are nature-based solutions for wastewater treatment where the root system microbiome plays a key role in terms of nutrient and pollutant removal. Nonetheless, little is known on plant-microbe interactions and bacterial population selection in CWs, which are mostly characterized in terms of engineering aspects. Methods: Here, cultivation-independent and cultivation-based analyses were applied to study the bacterial communities associated to the root systems of Phragmites australis and Typha domingensis co-occurring in the same cell of a CW receiving primary treated wastewaters. Results and discussion: Two endophytic bacteria collections (n = 156) were established aiming to find novel strains for microbial-assisted phytodepuration, however basing on their taxonomy the possible use of these strains was limited by their low degrading potential and/or for risks related to the One-Health concept. A sharp differentiation arose between the P. australis and T. domingensis collections, mainly represented by lactic acid bacteria (98%) and Enterobacteriaceae (69%), respectively. Hence, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to disentangle the microbiome composition in the root system fractions collected at increasing distance from the root surface. Both the fraction type and the plant species were recognized as drivers of the bacterial community structure. Moreover, differential abundance analysis revealed that, in all fractions, several bacteria families were significantly and differentially enriched in P. australis or in T. domingensis. CWs have been also reported as interesting options for the removal of emerging contaminants (e.g, antibiotic resistance genes, ARGs). In this study, ARGs were mostly present in the rhizosphere of both plant species, compared to the other analyzed fractions. Notably, qPCR data showed that ARGs (i.e., ermB, blaTEM, tetA) and intl1 gene (integrase gene of the class 1 integrons) were significantly higher in Phragmites than Typha rhizospheres, suggesting that macrophyte species growing in CWs can display a different ability to remove ARGs from wastewater. Overall, the results suggest the importance to consider the plant-microbiome interactions, besides engineering aspects, to select the most suitable species when designing phytodepuration systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study examined the relationships between riparian plant communities and their soil properties along the midstream of the Heihe River in northwestern China's arid region. Significant variations in species composition were observed across the upper, middle, and lower reaches of this midstream (adonis2 and anosim, p < 0.001). The lower reaches exhibited higher species diversity (Shannon index up to 2.12) compared to the other reaches. Gramineous plants, particularly Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. and Equisetum ramosissimum Desf., dominated all reaches, with relative abundances exceeding 50% in the upper reach sites. The soil ionic concentration showed distinct spatial heterogeneity, peaking at site 9 (upper reaches) and lowest at site 3 (lower reaches). Species diversity indices negatively correlated with SO42−, Mg2+, and Ca2+ concentrations, while salt-tolerant species like Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. and Phragmites australis Trin. positively correlated with Na+ and Cl− levels. Soil nutrients had weaker but notable effects on the distribution of Onopordum acanthium L. and Artemisia argyi H. Lév. and Vaniot. These findings suggest that riparian plant community distribution along the Heihe River is influenced by complex interactions between hydrological processes, salt dynamics, and soil physicochemical properties, such as anion and cation concentrations and electrical conductivity (EC). Our research provides valuable insights for understanding and managing riparian ecosystems in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial ornamental grasses are often recommended for rain gardens, but few data support their use. We conducted two experiments to evaluate the ability of ornamental grass cultivars to grow while subjected to cyclical flooding, submergence, and drought typical of rain gardens. Our objectives were to determine the effects of cyclical flood and drought (Expt. 1) and submergence depth and duration (Expt. 2) on grass growth and survival. Seven cultivars were evaluated during greenhouse trials, including Pixie Fountain tufted hairgrass [Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv.], Northwind switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), Red October big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), Purpurascens Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis Andersson), Blue HeavenVR little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash], Blonde Ambition blue grama grass [Bouteloua gracilis (Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths], and Karl Foerster feather reed grass [Calamagrostis ×acutiflora (Schrad.) DC]. During Expt. 1, grasses underwent four cycles of flooding duration (2 days or 7 days) followed by drought (drying to volumetric soil water contents of 0.14 or 0.07 cm³·cm-3). During Expt. 2, grasses were cyclically submerged at 15 or 30 cm above the soil surface for 2, 4, or 7 days, followed by floodwater removal and drainage for 2 days before being resubmerged. Cyclical submergence continued until the 7-day submergence treatments completed four cycles. Both experiments were replicated in a full factorial randomized complete block design. Controls were included in both experiments. Plants were measured to determine plant height, shoot count, visual damage rating, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. Floodwater chemistry and soil reducing conditions were measured during Expt. 2. Chinese silvergrass and switchgrass survived cyclical soil flooding/drought and submergence for 7 days at a depth of 30 cm while maintaining acceptable foliar damage. All grasses survived cyclical flood and drought when the soil volumetric water content was maintained at 14%, suggesting they can withstand periodic soil flooding as long as the water is not too deep. As water depth and duration increased from 4 days to 7 days, little bluestem, blue grama grass, and feather reed grass experienced significant foliar damage. Tufted hair grass and big bluestem experienced significant foliar damage when submerged for 2 days. Our results showed that perennial ornamental grasses can tolerate cyclical flood and drought and periodic submergence, but that plant conditions and survival vary, which can inform strategic plant placement within rain gardens, bioretention basins, and other stormwater management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin, the second most abundant natural polymer, is a by-product of the biorefinery and pulp and paper industries. This study was undertaken to evaluate the properties and estimate the prospects of using lignin as a by-product of the pretreatment of common reed straw (Phragmites australis) with deep eutectic solvents (DESs) of various compositions: choline chloride/oxalic acid (ChCl/OA), choline chloride/lactic acid (ChCl/LA), and choline chloride/monoethanol amine (ChCl/EA). The lignin samples, hereinafter referred to as Lig-OA, Lig-LA, and Lig-EA, were obtained as by-products after optimizing the conditions of reed straw pretreatment with DESs in order to improve the efficiency of subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. The lignin was studied using gel penetration chromatography, UV-vis, ATR-FTIR, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy; its antioxidant activity was assessed, and the UV-shielding properties of lignin/polyvinyl alcohol composite films were estimated. The DES composition had a significant impact on the structure and properties of the extracted lignin. The lignin's ability to scavenge ABTS+• and DPPH• radicals, as well as the efficiency of UV radiation shielding, decreased as follows: Lig-OA > Lig-LA > Lig-EA. The PVA/Lig-OA and PVA/Lig-LA films with a lignin content of 4% of the weight of PVA block UV radiation in the UVA range by 96% and 87%, respectively, and completely block UV radiation in the UVB range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escape from native range enemies can give invasive species a competitive edge according to the enemy‐release hypothesis. While more commonly associated with predators and herbivores, release from belowground microbial antagonists has been recently demonstrated to benefit invasive plants. Biogeographic variation in dominance and comparisons of soil communities suggest that invasive European Phragmites australis may have also benefitted from belowground enemy release in North America (NA). Here we examine the effects of native range (Europe) versus introduced range (NA) soil communities on European and North American P. australis using a reciprocal inoculation seedling growth experiment. Contrary to the enemy‐release hypothesis, we found that North American P. australis was sensitive to soil community origin in that the seedlings grown in European soil communities had higher total biomass than seedlings grown in North American soil communities. This pattern was not observed in the European P. australis seedlings which had similar biomass when grown with North American or European soil communities. Notably, North American P. australis had higher biomass than European P. australis regardless of which soil community it was grown in, suggesting a growth–defense tradeoff. Though the relative abundance of mutualists and pathogens composition did not differ between the two ranges, an indicator analysis revealed that mutualistic fungi and bacteria were key components of European soil communities but not in North American communities. Interestingly, North American soil communities had lower β diversity than European communities suggesting higher levels of community conservation among North American populations. This research represents the first evidence of growth–defense trade‐offs in North American P. australis and offers a novel mechanism in understanding the invasion of P. australis in NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial effluents pose a serious environmental problem, because they contain toxic contaminants mainly heavy metals that are the most dangerous to humans, animals, plants, and the environment in general. Phytoremediation using macrophytes is an adopted technique for the environment decontamination due to its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The present study aims to highlight the capabilities of macrophytes to remove heavy metals from wastewater of Biskra region (Algeria). The methodology consists of filling out the filters planted with Arundo donax and Phragmites australis with raw industrial wastewater, then recovering decontaminated water after 15 days to assess removal of lead, copper, zinc, and iron. Both plants had shown a good efficiency for the removal of metals loaded in wastewater eliminating about 94 to 98% of initial concentration. In addition, calculated bioaccumulation factor (BAF) had confirmed the accumulation of heavy metals in different parts of experimental plants; recorded values of BAF > 1 allowed the consideration of Arundo donax and Phragmites australis as good hyper-accumulator plants. Obtained results confirm the efficiency of phytoremediation technology using macrophytes for the wastewater treatment in particular and the environment decontamination in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change are reaching unprecedented levels, heightening the risk of species loss and ecosystem service degradation. Wetlands, highly threatened ecosystems, serve vital ecological functions by capturing carbon, filtering water, and harbouring diverse wildlife. Coastal wetlands encounter many challenges, such as increased drought periods and escalating salinity levels, severely impacting plant biodiversity. Assessing how plants respond to various environmental stress factors is imperative for devising successful conservation strategies. In the present study, we examined three representative grass species found in various habitats within the Albufera Natural Park, close to the city of Valencia on the Spanish Mediterranean coast: Imperata cylindrica, Phragmites australis, and Saccharum ravennae. High salinity and water stress conditions were induced by subjecting the plants to irrigation with solutions containing 200, 400, 600, and 800 mM NaCl or withholding irrigation altogether to mimic coastal flooding and drought scenarios. The treatments were maintained until noticeable wilting of the plants occurred, at which point a range of stress biomarkers were determined, including photosynthetic pigments, ions, osmolytes, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant metabolites, as well as antioxidant enzyme activities. Saccharum ravennae displayed the highest sensitivity to salt stress, whereas I. cylindrica appeared to be the most tolerant. The primary salinity tolerance mechanism observed in I. cylindrica and P. australis was a blockage of ion transport from the root zone to the aerial part, together with the salt-induced accumulation of proline and soluble sugars to high concentrations in the former. No significant effects of the water deficit treatment on the growth or biochemical parameters were observed for any of the analysed species. These findings offer valuable information for the effective management and conservation of coastal wetlands facing the challenges posed by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differences inmass loss of leaf litter are primarily thought to be driven by microbial activity, especially by fungi. However, the existence of such differences across large spatial scales has not been well explored in field studies and the underlying mechanisms of difference are still unclear, especially for the role of different fungal guilds in driving different mass losses. We conducted a 1-year decomposition study within each of four coastalwetlands inChina to test the difference inmass loss across a large spatial scale (ranging from 26° N to 41° N in latitude). In each wetland, six sites including three composed of P. australis and three composed of another dominant plant species typically in coastal ecosystems were selected. We used P. australis leaf litter as the standard decomposition material, placing it into litter bags with mesh sizes 1mm and 4 mm, respectively. Final litter mass loss was examined approximately after 3, 9 and 12months. The differentmass loss was quantified using additionalmass loss at P. australis sites compared to that at another species sites. We found that themass loss of leaf litter of P. australis showed a clear difference across multiple coastal wetlands only at later stages of decomposition, which was independent of mesofauna (mesh size) contribution to decomposition. Furthermore, the observed difference in mass loss was primarily attributed to the dissimilarities in initial soil fungal community, particularly the symbiotrophic fungi, rather than the soil bacterial community. Our results provide empirical evidence of a large-scale difference in mass loss in litter decomposition and have linked the observed difference to different soil fungal guilds. These results indicate that symbiotrophic fungi might play a direct or indirect role in driving difference inmass loss, which contributes to a better understanding and invites in-depth further investigation on the underlying microbe-driven mechanisms of the difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to explore plant species composition and distribution along the floodplain of lake Chilwa, which experiences heavy cyclic flooding and drying events--thereby understanding its impact on species composition and distribution, as well as the ecosystem's resilience. Six belt line transects (150 m x 6 m each) with 18 plots (30 m x 6 m each) were used for systematic sampling to identify plant species and estimate their abundance. Indicator species and classical clustering analyses identified plant communities within distinct hydroperiod zones. Shannon's diversity (H) and Simpson's diversity (1-D) indices measured the diversity of each community. The study found 129 species, predominantly herbs (50.4%), grass (31%), and sedge (12.4%), with Poaceae being the most diverse family. Three plant communities were identified, with community found in permanent waterlogged zone showing higher Shannon's diversity (H) and Simpson's diversity indices and its soil had balanced nutrients content. Compared to similar geographical floodplains, unique species composition was observed, notably the low abundance of Cyperus papyrus and phragmites australis species.These findings suggest that the cyclic flooding and drying of lake Chilwa change vegetation composition, leading to unique species assemblages and heterogeneous habitats, potentially enhancing long-term resilience and biodiversity of the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalter, R. and Lonard, R.I., 2024. Biological flora of coastal salt marshes: Iva frutescens L. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(4), 809–815. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Iva frutescens L., also known as marsh elder, has a broad distributional range, from the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, to Florida in the United States and from Florida on the Gulf of Mexico to the central Texas coast. Iva frutescens typically occurs in the upper tidal ecotone of salt marshes with more terrestrial upland vegetation. Marsh elder is a hardy shrub that is relatively intolerant to flooding but has a relative tolerance to low soil salinity. Iva frutescens recovers quickly after cutting and fire and may be important in blocking the invasion of Phragmites australis into reconstructed salt marshes. Borrichia frutescens and I. frutescens are associated with the phenomenon of associational resistance. Gall-midge densities in marsh elder stems are reduced when I. frutescens occurs with a second gall-forming host, B. frutescens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a genome assembly from an individual Phragmites australis (the common reed; Streptophyta; Magnoliopsida; Poales; Poaceae). The genome sequence has a total length of 848.70 megabases. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 24 chromosomal pseudomolecules, supporting the specimen being an allotetraploid (2n = 4x = 48). The three mitochondrial assemblies had lengths of 304.58, 92.24, and 76.54 kilobases and the plastid genome assembly had a length of 137.67 kilobases. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 47,513 protein-coding genes.

Bedload sediment transport plays an important role in the evolution of rivers, marshes and deltas. In these aquatic environments, vegetation is widespread, and plant species have unique morphology. However, the impact of real plant morphology on flow and sediment transport has not been quantified. This study used model plants with real plant morphology, based on the aquatic species Phragmites australis, Acorus calamus and Typha latifolia. The frontal area of these species increases away from the bed, which leads to higher near‐bed velocity than would be predicted from depth‐average frontal area. A plant morphology coefficient was defined to quantify the impact of vertically‐varied plant frontal area. Laboratory experiments confirmed that the plant morphology coefficient improved the prediction of near‐bed velocity, near‐bed turbulent kinetic energy and bedload transport rate in canopies with realistic morphology. Plant morphology can alter transport rates by up to an order of magnitude, relative to the assumption of uniform morphology. Plain Language Summary: Aquatic vegetation is a crucial component of river, marsh and delta ecosystems. It has a significant impact on landscape evolution by altering sediment transport. Each vegetation species has a unique shape, but the impact of plant shape on sediment transport has not been previously investigated. This study explained how plant shape impacts sediment transport. Results show that differences in plant shape can change velocity and turbulence close to the channel bed, and thus alter sediment transport rate by an order of magnitude. Plants with greater vertical variation in shape, and specifically less plant volume near the channel bed, produced greater sediment transport. A parameter was defined to quantify the impact of plant shape on flow and sediment transport. By incorporating this parameter, our new model improves the prediction of sediment transport in vegetated regions. This study provides a method for describing the impact of plant shape on flow and sediment transport, which is important to the management and restoration of rivers, marshes and deltas. Key Points: Plant morphology influences the near‐bed velocity, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and bedload transport rate inside emergent canopiesA new model accounts for plant morphology in the prediction of near‐bed velocity and TKE and bedload transportFor each canopy solid volume fraction, plants with greater vertical variation in frontal area produce greater bedload transport [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many marsh birds, like bitterns or rails, are endangered species inhabiting only natural habitats and dependent exclusively on different types of emergent vegetation. In a changing environment, some of these habitat specialists are becoming more flexible, shifting their preferences by colonizing man-made habitats. We studied habitat selection by Little Bitterns (Ixobrychus minutus minutus) breeding in a fishpond landscape in south-eastern Poland. Applying a large-scale research approach, we examined several habitat features in order to predict the presence of the Little Bittern from a direct comparison of areas with and without breeding birds. Partial least squares (PLS) regression identified two components of several variables that explained 53% of the variation in the presence of the Little Bittern in a fishpond habitat. The occurrence of the Little Bittern was limited to high-quality patches of emergent vegetation, the height, width and area of which were all significantly greater in the area with breeding birds than in unoccupied patches. Patches with a highly variable edge line in the form of fringes or indentations were less favoured. An optimal water level throughout the breeding season was crucial for nest-site selection and ensured access to food. The heterogeneity of the pond dykes and pond canals positively predicted the presence of the Little Bittern by creating potential nesting or foraging sites. Interestingly, the proportion of bulrushes (Typha spp.) in the emergent vegetation patches had a negative effect on the presence of the Little Bittern. The main threat to this habitat‐sensitive species was the cutting of perennial emergent vegetation, in particular the Common Reed (Phragmites australis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) significantly contribute to atmospheric chemistry at both regional and global scales. The composition and intensity of BVOC emissions vary significantly among different plant species. Previous studies have focused on BVOC emissions from tree species, but the results of research on BVOC emissions from wetland plants are still limited. Therefore, in this study, BVOCs emitted by three aquatic plants (Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, and Iris pseudacorus) were sampled and analyzed using a dynamic headspace technique combined with GC-MS at daily scales. The diurnal observation data showed that the total BVOC emission rates of the three plants peaked with the increase in environmental factors (temperature, PAR, and water temperature). P. australis was the only of the three plants that emitted isoprene with a high rate of 48.34 μg·g−1Dw·h−1. Moreover, the peak emission rates of total BVOC (78.45 μg·g−1Dw·h−1) in P. australis were higher than most tree species. The emissions rates of volatile organic compounds, including monoterpenes, oxygenated volatile organic compounds, alkanes, and other volatile organic compounds, were statistically correlated across all species. The emission rates of isoprene from P. australis had significant associations with intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) (0.58, p < 0.05) and transpiration rate (Tr) (−0.63, p < 0.01). The emission rates of monoterpenes from P. australis were found to have a significantly positive correlation with the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) (0.58, p < 0.05) while T. angustifolia (−0.59, p < 0.05) and I. pseudacorus (−0.47, p < 0.05) showed the opposite trend. Such findings hold significance for the refinement of localized emission inventories and the development of comprehensive emission process models in future research, as BVOC emissions from wetland plants were reported here for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of the family Microdochiaceae (Xylariales, Sordariomycetes) have been reported from worldwide, and collected from different plant hosts. The proposed new genus and two new species, viz., Macroidriella gen. nov., M. bambusae sp. nov. and Microdochium australe sp. nov., are based on multi-locus phylogenies from a combined dataset of ITS rDNA, LSU, RPB2 and TUB2 with morphological characteristics. Microdochium sinense has been collected from diseased leaves of Phragmites australis and this is the first report of the fungus on this host plant. Simultaneously, we annotated 10,372 to 11,863 genes, identified 4,909 single-copy orthologous genes, and conducted phylogenomic analysis based on genomic data. A gene family analysis was performed and it will expand the understanding of the evolutionary history and biodiversity of the Microdochiaceae. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is still a need to investigate the relationships between glycophytes and halophytes and the many biotic and abiotic factors in their natural environments. Therefore, we study the effects of the type of environment on the ecophysiological responses and condition of the glycophyte Elder Sambucus nigra L., the macrophyte Common Reed Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., the facultative halophyte Weeping Alkaligrass Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl, and the obligate halophyte Common Glasswort Salicornia europaea L. in a saline-disturbed anthropogenic region of central Poland. We analyzed the effects of salinity, acidity, and soil organic matter on shoot length, lipoperoxidation, and proline in roots and green parts, and evaluated plant responses to environmental disturbance, which allowed for the comparison of adaptation strategies. The studies were carried out in (1) "sodium production" (near sodium factories), (2) "anthropogenic environments" (waste dumps, agroecosystems, calcium deposits, post-production tanks), (3) "wetland environments" (near river channels and riparian areas), and (4) "control" (natural, unpolluted environments). Green parts of plants are better suited to indicate environmental stress than roots. Their higher structural MDA membrane damage is related to the transport of toxic ions to the shoots by a rapid transpiration stream in the xylem. We found high salinity to be the main factor inducing growth and found it to be correlated with the high pH effect on proline increase in glycophytes (Elder, Reed) and Weeping Alkaligrass, in contrast to Common Glasswort. We suggest that proline accumulation allows osmotic adjustment in the green parts of reeds and alkaligrasses, but may have another function (in Elder). Common Glasswort accumulates large amounts of Na+, which is energetically more effective than proline accumulation for osmotic adjustment. Organic matter affects plant growth and proline levels, but soil salinity and pH alter nutrient availability. Plant distribution along the salinity gradient indicates that Elder is the most salt-sensitive species compared to Reed, Alkaligrass, and Glasswort. Salinity and the lack of control of thick reeds, which compete with other plant groups, affect the distribution of halophytes in saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the carbon–nitrogen coupling pattern in wetlands is crucial for understanding the driving mechanism of wetland carbon sequestration. However, the impacts of plants and environmental factors on the coupling of carbon–nitrogen in wetland sediments are still unclear. Sediment samples from plant (Typha angustifolia and Phragmites australis)-covered habitats and bare land were collected in two constructed wetlands in northern China. The contents of different forms of carbon and nitrogen in sediments and plants, and the sediment microbial community were detected. It was found that the sediment carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios did not differ significantly in the bare sites of different wetlands, but did in the plant-covered sites, which highlighted the different role of plants in shifting the carbon–nitrogen coupling in different constructed wetlands. The effects of plants on the sediment carbon–nitrogen coupling differed in two constructed wetlands, so the structural equation model was used and found that sediment microorganisms directly affected sediment C/N ratios, while water and sediment physicochemical properties indirectly affected sediment C/N ratios by altering sediment microbial functions. Multiple linear regression models showed that water pH, sediment moisture content, water dissolved oxygen, and water depth had a greater influence on the carbon metabolism potential of the sediment microbial community, while sediment moisture content had the greatest impact on the sediment microbial nitrogen metabolism potential. The study indicates that variations in environmental conditions could alter the influence of plants on the carbon and nitrogen cycles of wetland sediments. Water environmental factors mainly affect microbial carbon metabolism functions, while soil physicochemical factors, especially water content, affect microbial carbon and nitrogen metabolism functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When there is vegetation on the beach or main channel bed, it will have a significant impact on the river channel. This study was based on physical model experiments to investigate the flow conditions of the Jinhu section of the Huaihe River estuary, revealing the influence of reed vegetation on water flow resistance. A new comprehensive roughness formula was proposed, and the predictive effectiveness of the formula was verified. The theoretical results indicate that under the condition of vegetation not being submerged, the comprehensive roughness is directly proportional to the square root of vegetation density in areas with vegetation coverage, the square root of water surface vegetation coverage, and the 2/3 power of the hydraulic radius. The bottom slope does not affect it. Under the condition of vegetation inundation, the comprehensive roughness is smaller than that under the condition of no inundation. The experimental prediction results of the influence of reeds on roughness indicate that the measured roughness values and theoretical roughness calculation values are in good agreement. Under the same operating conditions, the roughness gradually decreases with an increase in flow rate. Under the full-reed working condition, the calculated roughness value and the measured roughness value have the same trend of change, both decreasing with the increase in flow rate. The experimental prediction results of the influence of reeds on the relationship between water level and flow rate show that the roughness value of 0 increases with the increase in reed grass surface coverage rate Ki, and an increase in Ki can lead to an increase in comprehensive roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetland ecosystems are increasingly threatened by escalating salinity levels, subjecting plants to salinity stress coupled with interactions in the community. Abiotic factors can disrupt the balance between competition and facilitation among plant species. Investigating the effects of different neighboring species and trait plasticity could extend the stress gradient hypothesis and enhance understanding of vegetation distribution and diversity in salt marshes. We conducted a greenhouse experiment and investigated the plastic response of wetland grass Phragmites australis to seven neighboring plants of three functional types (conspecifics, graminoids and forbs) under soil salinity (0 and 10 g/L). Plant height, base diameter, density, leaf thickness, specific leaf area and total and part biomasses were measured. Additionally, the relative interaction index (based on biomass) and the relative distance plasticity index (RDPI) were calculated. Salinity significantly reduced the biomass, height, density and diameter of P. australis. The functional types of neighboring plants also significantly affected these growth parameters. The influence of graminoids on P. australis was negative under 0 g/L, but this negative effect shifted to positive facilitation under 10 g/L. The facilitation effect of forbs was amplified under salinity, both supporting the stress gradient hypothesis. The growth traits of P. australis had a plastic response to salinity and competition, such as increasing belowground biomass to obtain more water and resources. The RDPI was higher under salt conditions than in competitive conditions. The plant–plant interaction response to stress varies with plant functional types and trait plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: This study was conducted with the aim of investigating parallel strand lumber (PSL) made from reed residue and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) obtained from poplar wood reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) using epoxy resin. Materials and methods: The independent variable was FRP reinforcement for either LVL or PSL and control sample either LVL or LSL without FRP. The mechanical properties of the manufactured boards including bending strength (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) in the width and edge of the test sample, shear strength, compression strength parallel to the grain, internal bonding and screw withdrawal strengths were investigated as dependent variables. The obtained results were analyzed using completely randomized design and SPSS software. Results: Results showed that for all studied mechanical properties, the use of FRP increased the strength the PSL and LVL panels. For LVL, the effect of strengthening the samples with FRP was significant at the level of 1% and also for the modulus of rupture of the width and edge samples showed an increase of 93% and 59%, respectively. The value of MOE for samples reinforced with FRP showed an increase of 89.6 and 132% for the width and length of the PSL samples, respectively. For LVL, the MOE value of the width and edge of the samples increased by 54 and 95.5% with reinforcement. Reinforced PSL samples have improved shear strength by 31%, while this value was only 2.5% for LVL. In case of internal bonding, reinforcement with FRP improved the internal bonding strength of the samples by 92%. Screw withdrawal strengths improved by 27% due to the strengthening of the test samples by FRP. Conclusion: According to the results, it can be stated that the use of glass fibers and epoxy resin has a significant positive effect on the mechanical strength of PSL made of reed and LVL and it is possible to use low quality raw materials such as reed and low quality poplar wood layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phragmites australis is a prevalent species in the Chongming Dongtan wetland and is capable of thriving in various tidal flat environments, including high salinity habitats. P. australis population displays inconsistent ecological performances, highlighting the need to uncover their survival strategies and mechanisms in tidal flats with diverse soil salinities. Upon comparing functional traits of P. australis at multiple tidal flats (low, middle, and high) and their responses to soil physicochemical properties, this study aimed to clarify the salt-tolerant strategy of P. australis and the corresponding mechanisms. These results showed that leaf characteristics, such as specific leaf area and leaf drymatter content, demonstrated more robust stability to soil salinity than shoot height and dry weight. Furthermore, as salt stress intensified, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxisome (POD) in P. australis leaves at low tidal flat exhibited an increased upward trend compared to those at other tidal flats. The molecular mechanism of salt tolerance in Phragmites australis across various habitats was investigated using transcriptome sequencing. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) combined with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) screened out 3 modules closely related to high salt tolerance and identified 105 core genes crucial for high salt tolerance. Further research was carried out on the few degraded populations at low tidal flat, and 25 core geneswere identified by combiningWGCNA and DEGs. A decrease in the activity of ferroptosis marker gonyautoxin-4 and an increase in the content of Fe3+ in the degenerated groupwere observed, indicating that ferroptosis might participate in degradation. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated a possible regulatory network between salt tolerance and ferroptosis. In short, this study provided new insights into the salt tolerance mechanism of P. australis population along tidal flats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed‐based restoration of wetlands is often necessary to improve important ecosystem functions (e.g., invasion resistance and habitat provisioning) and meet society's need for wetland ecosystem services such as supporting recreational activities and improving water quality. However, persistent questions remain about the composition and sowing density of seed mixes needed to restore robust native wetland plant communities. In Great Salt Lake wetlands (Utah, USA), the revegetation of native species is crucial to recovering critical habitat and preventing reinvasion of the invasive, non‐native grass Phragmites australis and other invasive species (e.g., Typha spp.). In greenhouse and field experiments, we investigated the effects of seed mix composition and sowing density on plant community reassembly. We predicted that seed mixes containing native forb species with resource‐preempting traits (e.g., rapid seedling emergence and high aboveground growth rate) and high sowing densities (>5500 pure live seed m−2), would increase native plant light acquisition and establishment, thereby limiting invasive species. To our surprise, the effect of seed mix composition on native plant performance (cover and biomass) varied among the experiments, with distinct differences between plant functional groups arising. Native forb species had the highest performance in the greenhouse, but native grasses performed better in the field. Although multiple seed mix compositions show promise for establishing high native cover and biomass, these mixes may not always suppress invasive species. Interestingly, seed mix composition most often affected plant performance independent of sowing density. However, in one greenhouse experiment, we found that only slow‐growing mixes required a high sowing density to maximize native cover, an indication that the ideal sowing density may depend on the seed mix composition. Our research also supports the idea that in addition to reducing propagules of invasive species via appropriate management strategies, the application of higher sowing densities (>5500 pure live seed m−2) may lead to more favorable outcomes when a high density of invasive plant seeds remains or stressful field conditions are present. This research contributes to knowledge of plant community reestablishment in wetlands and demonstrates how seed‐based restoration strategies can catalyze native species revegetation and, in some situations, reduce the cover of invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrological regime is considered to be the major factor that affects the distribution of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi in wetlands. We aimed to investigate the responses of AM fungal community to different hydrological gradients. Illumina Miseq sequencing technology was used to study the AM fungal community structure in roots and rhizosphere soils of Phragmites australis in different moisture areas (dry area, alternating wet and dry area, and flooded area) in Mengjin Yellow River wetland. The rhizosphere soils and roots hosted different AM fungal communities. In roots, the AM fungal colonization and Chao1 richness in dry area were significantly higher than that in alternating wet and dry area and flooded area, but the community composition did not vary clearly under different water conditions. In rhizosphere soils, the Chao1 richness of AM fungi in flooded area was significantly higher than that in alternating wet and dry area and dry area, and the AM fungal community structure obviously differed across different areas. The redundancy analyses indicated that changes in the AM fungal community in soils were associated with altered soil properties, and the abundance of the dominant genus Glomus was mostly positively correlated with alkali‐hydrolyzable nitrogen in soils. This study helps us to understand the responses of AM fungal community to hydrological gradients in wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates an experimental wetland as part of a pilot soil reclamation project in a mining area. The wetland was constructed using materials of mining origin from the area; most reactive materials of acid pH were stabilised using limestone filler. The study selected macrophytes that are tolerant to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and resistant to salinity, namely Phragmites australis, Juncus effusus, and Iris pseudacorus. These macrophytes were then placed in pots containing substrates composed of different mixtures of topsoil, peat, and mining waste (black or yellow sand). A thorough analysis of the physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the materials included studies of PTE mobilisation. This study emphasises the significance of the rhizosphere in directing the transfer of PTEs to the plant and the correlation between the substrate and the development of plant defence mechanisms, such as the formation of Fe-plates. Scanning electron microscopy was used to highlight these aspects and validate the results of the analytical determinations. These wetlands can be proposed as a phytoremediation strategy for areas affected by mining and maritime influence. They are easy to construct and remain stable, providing important ecosystem services such as the natural attenuation of acid mine drainage, support for vegetation development and fauna, and a clean ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate warming on soil microbial communities can significantly influence the global carbon cycle. Coastal wetlands, in particular, are susceptible to changes in soil microbial community structure due to climate warming and the presence of invasive plant species. However, there is limited knowledge about how native and invasive plant wetland soil microbes differ in their response to warming. In this study, we investigated the temporal dynamics of soil microbes (prokaryotes and fungi) under experimental warming in two coastal wetlands dominated by native Phragmites australis (P. australis) and invasive Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora). Our research indicated that short-term warming had minimal effects on microbial abundance, diversity, and composition. However, it did accelerate the succession of soil microbial communities, with potentially greater impacts on fungi than prokaryotes. Furthermore, in the S. alterniflora wetland, experimental warming notably increased the complexity and connectivity of the microbial networks. While in the P. australis wetland, it decreased these factors. Analysis of robustness showed that experimental warming stabilized the co-occurrence network of the microbial community in the P. australis wetland, but destabilized it in the S. alterniflora wetland. Additionally, the functional prediction analysis using the Faprotax and FunGuild databases revealed that the S. alterniflora wetland had a higher proportion of saprotrophic fungi and prokaryotic OTUs involved in carbon degradation (p < 0.05). With warming treatments, there was an increasing trend in the proportion of prokaryotic OTUs involved in carbon degradation, particularly in the S. alterniflora wetland. Therefore, it is crucial to protect native P. australis wetlands from S. alterniflora invasion to mitigate carbon emissions and preserve the health of coastal wetland ecosystems under future climate warming in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of bio-composite material is being produced from water-recovered resources such as cellulose fibres from wastewater, calcite from the drinking water softening process, and grass and reed from waterboard sites. These raw materials may be contaminated with pathogens and chemicals such as Escherichia coli, heavy metals, and resin compounds. A novel risk assessment framework is proposed here, addressing human health risks during the production of new bio-composite materials. The developed framework consists of a combination of existing risk assessment methods and is based on three main steps: hazard identification, qualitative risk mapping, and quantitative risk assessment. The HAZOP and Event Tree Analysis methodologies were used for hazard identification and risk mapping stages. Then, human health risks were quantitatively assessed using quantitative chemical risk assessment, evaluating cancer and non-cancer risk, and quantitative microbial risk assessment. The deterministic and the stochastic approaches were performed for this purpose. The contamination of raw materials may pose human health concerns, resulting in cancer risk above the threshold. Microbial risk is also above the safety threshold. Additional analysis would be significant as future research to better assess the microbial risk in biocomposite production. The framework has been effectively used for chemical and microbial risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the historical occurrence of wetland ecosystems in Greece by using recurring Phragmites australis (common reed) burnings as an indicator. Phragmites australis, a plant closely associated with wetlands, provides excellent insights into wetland distribution. We establish a substantial association between reed fires and historical wetland existence in Greece using geographical and statistical analysis, with these fires exhibiting remarkable constancy across time. Using Corine land-cover (CLC) data, we extend our analysis into land-use dynamics, demonstrating that places with the highest reed-bed-fire rates were originally wetlands, particularly those converted into permanent irrigated land and areas with complex agriculture patterns. We find spatial commonalities between reed fires and past wetland existence by analyzing fire occurrence across three main categories: reed fires, agricultural land fires, and grassland fires. Historical records of wetland conversion into agricultural land (or land reclamation works) in locations such as Yianitsa and Kopaida give context to our findings. Visualizations confirm the clustering of reed fires around these converted agricultural regions. In summary, our study offers a unique indicator based on Phragmites australis burnings that can be used to identify previous wetland-type ecosystems, with Mediterranean-wide implications. Despite data constraints, this study adds to the conversation about wetland preservation and sustainable land-use management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment wetlands (TWs) are Nature-Based Solutions which have been increasingly used worldwide for wastewater (WW) treatment as they are able to remove mineral and organic pollutants through both physical and biochemical processes. Besides the reusable effluent, the TWs produce, as their main output, plant biomass that needs to be harvested and disposed of at least once a year with significant management costs and causing the TW to be temporarily out of service. This study aims (i) to evaluate the potential of TWs' biomass for local energy production and (ii) to understand the effects of TWs' hydraulic conductivity (Ks) on the biomass biomethane yield. Specifically, this was addressed by determining the Biochemical Methane Potential of common reed (CR) (Phragmites australis) samples collected at three harvest times from the 10-year-old horizontal subsurface treatment wetland (HSTW) used as a secondary WW treatment system for the IKEA® store situated in Catania (Eastern Sicily, Italy). Furthermore, the falling-head test was conducted to assess the hydraulic conductivity (Ks) variation in the hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of the HSTW, in order to understand its influence on the CR biomethane production. The average methane content values were 130.57 Nm3CH4/tVS (±24.29), 212.70 Nm3CH4/tVS (±50.62) and 72.83 Nm3CH4/tVS (±23.19) in August, September, October 2022, respectively. Ks was correlated with both dry matter (R2 = 0.58) and fiber content (R2 = 0.74) and, consequently, affected the biomethane yield, which increased as the Ks increased (R2 = 0.30 in August; R2 = 0.57 in September). In the framework of a circular economy, the results showed the successful possibility of integrating bioenergy production into TWs. The research could contribute (i) to encouraging plant operators to reuse biomass from TWs for local energy production and (ii) to help plant operators to understand Ks effects on the biomass biomethane yield in order to increase the sustainability of the system and to reduce the maintenance costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]