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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff

Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff

Published on: May 15, 2017

Urban trees reduce nutrient leaching to groundwater.

Daniel A Nidzgorski¹, Sarah E Hobbie¹

¹Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA.

Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America

|October 19, 2016

Summary

Urban trees significantly reduce phosphorus (P) leaching into groundwater, offering a cost-effective natural solution for improving water quality. This study highlights trees

Keywords:

groundwater nitrogen nutrient leaching nutrient pollution phosphorus plant traits urban ecosystems urban trees

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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff

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Published on: May 15, 2017

Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility

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Published on: August 8, 2014

A Simple Planting Technique for Re-establishing Trees Where Frequent Inundation Occurs

A Simple Planting Technique for Re-establishing Trees Where Frequent Inundation Occurs

Published on: January 26, 2018

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Urban Ecology
Hydrology

Background:

Excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in urban waterways cause harmful algal blooms, degrading water quality and aquatic ecosystems.
Nutrient runoff from urban landscapes is a major environmental concern, with vegetation playing a potential role in mitigation.
Groundwater leaching is a significant nutrient export pathway often overlooked compared to stormwater runoff.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the capacity of urban trees to reduce nutrient leaching into groundwater.
To compare nutrient leaching under urban trees versus turfgrass.
To estimate the potential P reduction by urban trees at a subwatershed scale.

Main Methods:

Lysimeters were used to collect soil water from beneath 33 trees of 14 species and 7 turfgrass areas over three years.
Soil water, soil nutrient pools, tree tissue nutrients, and canopy characteristics were measured.
The BROOK90 hydrologic model was employed to estimate water fluxes.

Main Results:

Trees exhibited similar or lower nitrogen (N) leaching than turfgrass in 2012, but higher N leaching in 2013.
Trees consistently reduced phosphorus (P) leaching compared to turfgrass in both years.
Deciduous trees showed lower P leaching than evergreen trees.

Conclusions:

Urban trees effectively reduce phosphorus leaching to groundwater, contributing to improved water quality.
The estimated P reduction by urban trees in a subwatershed represents a substantial environmental benefit.
Utilizing urban trees for P removal is significantly more cost-effective than conventional stormwater infrastructure.