Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Mesocosm-Scale Constructed Wetland Design for Wastewater Treatment
Published on: May 2, 2025
Microbial density and diversity in constructed wetland systems and the relation to pollutant removal efficiency
Yang Zhang1, Pedro N Carvalho2, Tao Lv2
1College of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China E-mail: chenzhh@scnu.edu.cn; Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C8000, Denmark.
Abstract:
Microbes are believed to be at the core of the wastewater treatment processes in constructed wetlands (CWs). The aim of this study was to assess the microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and Shannon's diversity index (SDI) in the substrate of CWs planted with Phragmites australis, Hymenocallis littoralis, Canna indica and Cyperus flabelliformis, and to relate MBC and SDI to the pollutant removal in the systems. Significant higher MBC was observed in CWs with H. littoralis and C. indica than in CWs with P. australis, and the MBC differed with season and substrate depth. The microbial community in the wetlands included four phyla: Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria, with a more diverse community structure in wetlands with C. flabelliformis. The MBC in the substrate and the SDI of the 15-20 cm depth correlated with the removal of biochemical oxygen demand, NH4-N and NO3-N. Our results indicate that substrate SDI and MBC can both be regarded as bioindicators of the pollutant removal ability in CWs.
More Related Videos
05:40Comparison of Scale in a Photosynthetic Reactor System for Algal Remediation of Wastewater
Published on: March 6, 2017
08:09Wastewater Irrigation Impacts on Soil Hydraulic Conductivity: Coupled Field Sampling and Laboratory Determination of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity
Published on: August 19, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Freshwater Microbial Ecology
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Bioremediation
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Marine Microbial Ecology
Microenvironments