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Exploring Planting and Filter Media in Stormwater Bioremediating Landscapes: a Review

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Abstract

Filter media recommendations in stormwater bioremediation contain large ratios of sand. Ratios exceeding 75% by volume are supported by research into infiltration rates, physical filtration, reduced clogging, and leaching of nutrients from organics, satisfying engineering specifications. Perhaps, high sand ratios are causing hostile soil ecosystems for a majority of common ornamental landscape plants which are not adapted to such sandy soils. Most sands have lower cation exchange capacities and lower adhesion holding plant available moisture than clay fractions. Clay, however, is not an ideal component in stormwater management due to small physical size and tendency to clog filters causing failure of engineered functions. A number of studies have addressed this issue by seeking plants that are suited to high sand content (thus adapted to low fertility and low plant available moisture). While these studies may provide plants suitable to such gardens, they may not address the need for gardens to appeal esthetically to the general public and remain familiar to the maintenance crews which must service these systems. By highlighting possible shortfalls of high sand content soil blends, this review exposes a need for research in plant performance as well as soil micro- and macro-faunal communities within bioremediation by addressing the whole ecosystem. The filter and planting media used in stormwater management gardens should improve floral and faunal health while maintaining engineered specifications and esthetic requirements. With improved ecosystem health and activity, these gardens could last longer, perform better, and cost less to maintain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cuyahoga Community College, 4250 Richmond Road, Highland Heights, OH, 44122, USA

    James T. Funai

  2. Mendel University, Zemědělská 1665/1, 613 00, Brno-sever-Černá Pole, Czech Republic

    Petr Kupec

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  1. James T. Funai
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  2. Petr Kupec
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Correspondence to James T. Funai.

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Funai, J.T., Kupec, P. Exploring Planting and Filter Media in Stormwater Bioremediating Landscapes: a Review. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 340 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3524-0

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