Retention Efficiency of Vegetative Filter Strips for Nitrogen in Danjiangkou Reservoir Area, Central China

To investigate the retention efficiency and mechanism of nitrogen of Vegetative filter strips (VFSs) in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area, simulated runoff discharging experiments were carried out in a new-established Bermuda VFS. The results showed that the Bermuda VFS reduced 73.1-86.1 % of surface runoff through infiltration. The outflow rate of runoff increased first and then became stable with time. The concentration reduction rates (CRRs) and load reduction rates (LRRs) of NH₃-N increased initially and then decreased with the increase of inflow concentration. The average CRRs and LRRs of NH₃-N in three treatments ranged 66.1-90.3 % and 90.0-96.7 %, respectively. The concentration reduction of NH₃-N was primarily achieved by soil adsorption. The optimal inflow concentration of NH₃-N for the optimum CRR was between 0.65 and 3.52 mg/dm3. The CRRs and LRRs of NO₃-N fluctuated between 6.8-14.0 % and 72.0-77.9 % in three treatments. The concentration reduction of NO₃-N was primarily achieved by plant uptake and soil microbe assimilation. The optimal inflow concentration of NO₃-N for optimum CRR exceeded 6.78 mg/dm³. The CRRs and LRRs of TN increased with the increase of inflow concentrations. The average CRRs in the low, moderate and high treatments reached 9.7, 14.8 and 27.4 %, respectively, and the average LRRs reached 72.1, 74.3 and 81.2 %, respectively. The optimal inflow concentration of TN for optimum CRR exceeded 10.21 mg/dm³. The study showed that Bermuda grass can retain nitrogen in runoff efficiently and should be promoted around the Danjiangkou reservoir.