Optimization of bioretention systems through application of ecological theory

Levin, Lisa A.; Mehring, Andrew S.

doi:10.1002/wat2.1072

Cited by 34 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 89 publications

(146 reference statements)

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“…The maintenance supporting the establishment of root system during the few first years may change the situation for upcoming growing seasons. This approach followed the idea of engineered and man-made biodiversity discussed by Levin and Mehring [11].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Levin and Mehring [11] studied how bioretention systems restored man-made ecosystems to maintain biodiversity, provide wildlife habitats and corridors, and pollination services. This maintains the idea of viewing the biota of bioretention cells as dynamic and successional living units.…”

Section: Functions and Processes In A Bioretention Cellmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first is a traditional park design with a high maintenance requirement, and the second is a natural design adapted to local conditions. This kind of classification addresses the idea of new ecosystems that are human-built, modified, or engineered patches within the urban matrix [11]. A bioretention cell and its vegetation should provide hardy and long-lived vegetation for the urban environment.…”

Section: Construction Detailsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adapting Bioretention Construction Details to Local Practices in Finland

Tahvonen

2018

Sustainability

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Bioretention is a method of storm water management that includes several processes following the natural hydrological cycle. Bioretention, or variations of it, include rain gardens and bioswales, infiltrates, filtrates, evapotranspirates, and help to store and manage storm water run-off. A bioretention cell retains water, removes pollutants, and provides water elements for urban green areas. Although bioretention is a promising method for multifunctional storm water management, its construction details should not be copied from other climatic areas. A direct application may dismiss local conditions, materials, and construction practices. This study aimed to adapt construction details for bioretention to Finnish local practices and conditions and to formulate bioretention constructions that balance water, soil, and vegetation. First, construction details were reviewed, then local adaptations were applied, and finally, the application and two variations of growing media in two construction depths were tested in a test field in Southern Finland. Sandy growing media allowed the efficient retention of water during the first year, but failed to provide vital growth. The use of topsoil and compost in the growing media improved growth, but held high electrical conductivity after infiltration. All the experimental cells in the test field showed activity during the melting periods, both during winter and spring. If bioretention plays a multifunctional role in urban design and engineered ecology, the design parameters should not only focus on storm water quantity, but also on quality management and vegetation growth.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Functions and Processes In A Bioretention Cellmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Construction Detailsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adapting Bioretention Construction Details to Local Practices in Finland

Tahvonen

2018

Sustainability

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“…These animals could also affect nutrient cycling by providing an anaerobic environment in their guts capable of denitrification of soil nitrate and through providing a conduit to the surface through macropores . Additionally, the interaction between plants and animals in biofilters and the consequences in function have not been examined …”

Section: Ecology Of Biofiltration Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of stormwater biofiltration systems in Southeast Australia and Southern California

Ambrose

Winfrey

2015

WIREs Water

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Stormwater biofilters (also called rain gardens, bioretention systems, and bioswales) are used to manage stormwater runoff in urbanized environments. Some benefits of biofilters include flood prevention, stormwater runoff water quality improvement, and wildlife habitat. This technology has been implemented on a larger scale in southeast Australia, but cities and counties in southern California just beginning to construct biofilter systems to manage stormwater runoff. Biofilters tend to be larger in southern California than in southeast Australia. Differences in rainfall patterns likely affect biofilter function. Southern California has much longer periods between rain events than southeast Australia, providing challenges to establishing and maintaining vegetation in biofilters. The use of biofilters for restoring predevelopment flow regimes has been studied in a peri-urban watershed in southeast Australia, but flow regime restoration is not likely in highly urbanized locations in both Australia and southern California. However, stormwater runoff treatment and harvesting in decentralized biofilters could substantially reduce storm flows and improve water quality in receiving waters while improving urban water supply and extending the life of existing stormwater management infrastructure.

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“…By applying the ecological principles that guide soil community structure to our understanding of rain gardens (Levin & Mehring ), we may gain an improved understanding of how rain garden community structure and corresponding flora and fauna induce change over time. This would better enable the forecasting of system longevity and long‐term function.…”

Section: Functional Effects Of Faunamentioning

confidence: 99%

REVIEW: Potential roles of soil fauna in improving the efficiency of rain gardens used as natural stormwater treatment systems

Mehring

Levin

2015

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1. Natural treatment systems such as rain gardens aim to overcome the negative effects of urbanization on water quality, availability, and freshwater and marine ecosystem integrity by mimicking the natural water cycle in urban planning and design. While soils in these systems are inhabited by a diverse array of invertebrates, the soil macrofauna is ignored in the vast majority of studies on new or existing rain gardens. 2. Here, we review the functional roles of invertebrates commonly found within soils of rain gardens. Soil fauna have the potential to substantially alter plant growth, water infiltration rates, and the retention and removal of pathogens, nutrients, heavy metals and other contaminants. Their lack of inclusion in controlled laboratory or greenhouse studies may contribute to differences in observed function in field and laboratory settings. 3. Promising future research directions include the following: (i) the use of controlled experiments to study invertebrate effects on rain garden function; (ii) determining the factors affecting variability in organismal abundance among and within sites; and (iii) the design of rain gardens to facilitate development of fauna that promote desired functions. 4. Synthesis and applications. Soil fauna may substantially alter the function of rain gardens as natural stormwater treatment systems in urban areas. Therefore, incorporating animal effects into design and testing may better enable managers and researchers to understand and optimize rain garden functioning, and forecast the longevity of rain gardens.

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Optimization of bioretention systems through application of ecological theory

Cited by 34 publications

References 89 publications

Adapting Bioretention Construction Details to Local Practices in Finland

Adapting Bioretention Construction Details to Local Practices in Finland

Comparison of stormwater biofiltration systems in Southeast Australia and Southern California

REVIEW: Potential roles of soil fauna in improving the efficiency of rain gardens used as natural stormwater treatment systems

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