2. Project Objectives
The project objective is to determine the water retention capacity of different growing substrates and whether the substrate has an effect on the quality of runoff, under the climate conditions of Western Australia.
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Substrate Mixes and Plant
Cynodon dactylon (Couch Grass) was selected as the model plant for the experiment, which was purchased from a local nursery. This is due to its ability to survive on low amounts of water because of its extensive root system (BioNET-EAFRINET 2016). In order to reduce the effects of other growing media on the testing substrate, the Cynodon dactylon (couch) roll was washed with water before planting onto planting pots.
For the present study, substrate preparation was based on an extensive green roof system, which has a shallower layer (6-20cm) of growing medium (IGRA 2014). Therefore, in this case, the depth of substrate was fixed at 14 cm with inorganic and organic composition. The materials used for the preparation of green roof substrate include vermiculite, perlite, sand and organic mulch. Vermiculite is a kind of materials which are aluminium-iron-magnesium-silicates, resembling mica in appearance(Dupré Minerals Ltd. 2016). These materials were brought from the local stores and used in their original form in experiments.
The physical properties of each substrate component were tested and listed in Table 1. Bulk density (at maximum water holding capacity) was measured as per FLL
How does the vegetation surface type affect the amount of runoff? Speculate why this happens.
The ravg for the experimental group was 0.1613 and the ravg for the control group was 0.2047. The results indicated that our predictions were correct; duckweed that received less light exhibited a lower rate of
“Plants can absorb water over their entire surfaces, but the greater part of the water supply comes from the soil (Larcher, 1995, p.223).”
Severe water scarcity could be imminent in the not so distant future. Flooding crop furrows has been an inexpensive irrigation method for over six thousand years. Though traditional, it is very wasteful. An excessive amount of the water evaporates into he air, or soaks into the ground while the plants receive very little. The excess water drains into rivers and underground aquifers. The water running from the furrows is polluted with fertilizers. The constant use of flooding creates erosion, waterlogging and salinization of the soil. 40 percent of the world’s food grows on irrigated soil.
Where AET is actual evapotranspiration, P is the precipitation depth, and Q is runoff depth. Combined evaporation and transpiration from plants (evapotranspiration) is balanced by inflows as precipitation and outflows as runoff. Based on a research conducted by McGuiness (1963) for a period of seventeen years (1933-1949), the Rock Creek basin received an average precipitation of 43.5 inches, in which 12 inches was surface runoff. Therefore, if the precipitation and runoff values are substituted into the equation above, actual evapotranspiration rate of the basin equals 31.5 inches. However,
Water availability of both surface and ground water has become a major problem due to high demand. On average, 320 gallons of water are used per day by each household in America, 30 percent of which is used outdoors (EPA, 2015). In Florida alone, total water withdrawals are expected to increase by almost 21 percent by the year 2030 (Water use trends in Florida, 2014). I believe the high volume of water being used is not the sole issue; it is the source of our water as well as our water management practices. Some experts estimate that as much as 50 percent of water used for outdoor irrigation is lost through evaporation (EPA, 2015). This loss of water happens when plants or grasses are watered at certain times during the day and is a direct result of Florida’s water mismanagement. Commercial and residential vegetation has been watered too often and at the wrong times for far too long and it needs to stop unless we want to see our aquifers dry up entirely.
Elodea Canadensis, also referred to as American waterweed or common elodea, is an aquatic plant that is usually found in lakes, ponds or even rivers. Elodea helps support aquatic life such as young fish and amphibians by providing shelter and can be consumed as food by ducks and beavers. Elodea, like many other plants, relies upon photosynthesis to acquire its energy and to make food. To determine the importance of light energy in the process of photosynthesis, two Elodea plants were placed inside CO2 saturated water and exposed to different light intensities: one was under full light exposure while another was covered with mesh clothing to reduce the amount of light that it received; the solutions to this plants were then neutralized and compared to a control group which had no Elodea to see the amount of CO2 that each would have left after a period of an hour. The yielded results indicated that under high intensities of light, the Elodea plant photosynthesized and respired at the same rate; and while it was covered, it photosynthesized more because of an indicative decrease in CO2 levels. Therefore light energy is an essential aspect that affects the amount of CO2 that a plant can use in the process of photosynthesis.
The physical and chemical properties of the soil were analyzed. The soil of the experimental site was lateristic, fairly homogenous with good drainage and moderate acidic. The details of physical and chemical properties are shown in Table 3.2 and the summaries of methods are described in Appendix
Materials and Methods: This paper present a design of depth of shallow 2 inch greensmart blanket, green roof mathematical models, cistern, plant types selection, and calculate the f factor. The paper collect data from their design green roof and compare the data with the authors’ previous work. Traditional green roof is laid loose soil, greensmart is a two inch blanket.
Even the simplest of containers and the least decorative of plants work in these little secluded paradise gardens. Their growing popularity speaks in support of their functionality. Apart from creating a peaceful retreat for people from the life in concrete jungles, green roofs last almost twice as long as the conventional roofs. The growing medium protects the roof surface from the elements and contributes to its durability. It also acts like natural insulation and can reduce energy costs by reducing the air-conditioning needs. On a wider scale, these roofs improve air quality and reduce the effect of urban heat
Duckweed is a simple, small aquatic flowering plant that grows in colonies, which form dense coverings on water surfaces. They are one of the most vigorously growing plants on Earth. There are many types of duckweed, but throughout this experiment the Lemna trisulca type of duckweed was used. Each leaf of the duckweed plant is called a frond and a colony is called a Microcosm. The fronds are a vibrant, green color when they are living, but they are white when they are dead. Duckweed is an important plant because it grows rapidly in ideal conditions. It floats on water surfaces, making it easy to harvest. In addition, the tissue is soft so it can be processed simply. It could be used as a food source for animals in the future, as the
The results showed There was a preference in treatment on the species Trifulium spp. (χ2 = 205.20; p = 2.19x10-42; df = 2). The same result was observed for the species Raphanus spp. (X2=497.80;p=4.50x10-139;df=2) An analysis of variances was performed on the data in order to identify where was the significant variation on the respective shoot lengths of both species. Results showed that there was no significant variance in neither of the species between the shoot’s length and the treatments used. (Table 2) The same analysis was also done for the root’s length of both species. Results demonstrated that there was at least one significant difference between the three treatments and root’s length in both types of plants. It was found in clover root’s length that a comparison of the control group and Rhizobium treatment on clover root’s length were no significant different from each other (Tukey HSD: p>0.05). There was a significant difference when comparing all other types of techniques used (Tukey HSD: p<0.05). In radish root’s lengths the results showed that there was a significant difference when comparing the Urea technique against the Control group (Tukey HSD: p<0.05). There was no significant difference on the other two comparisons (Tukey HSD:
Rising global temperature as a result of Climate Change is a main contributing factor to Australian droughts. Climate Change is creating an increasing in the frequency and intensity of above average temperatures and heat-waves, consequently increasing the severity of droughts. Evaporation from soil and water reservoirs leave remaining land dry. Case Study - 1982-83 Drought
Aquatic plants are plants that, overtime, have adapted to living submerged in water, whether it be saltwater or freshwater. These plants are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes. All aquatic plants can only grow in water or soil that is always saturated with water and commonly associated with wetlands. (Cook, 1974) Some principal factors in controlling the distribution of the plants include duration of flooding, depth, nutrients and salinity. Water dwelling vascular plants can be divided into ferns or angiosperms (including both monocots and dicots). (Hutchison & Edmondson, 1957) When the aquatic plants in a water way
This booklet offers simple suggestions to help select greener options for a wide array of common materials, and provides references to resources for more detailed information. For materials not included in this document, the checklist in the appendix and the sidebars of pages 2-3 can help you to organize your analysis. The evaluation of materials is based upon three questions: • Is the material renewable and resource efficient in its manufacture, installation, use, and disposal? • Does the material support the health and well being of occupants, construction personnel, the public, and the environment? The most critical