Abstract
Riverbend Bog is a wetland in Henderson County, NC, that hosts a federally endangered, rare population of mountain sweet pitcher plants (Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii). The Nature Conservancy recently implemented a restoration project to protect the pitcher plants from stormwater runoff that contains nutrients and invasive plant seeds. Stormflow and nutrient data, such as phosphorus, nitrate, and ammonium were collected and analyzed in this study to determine the relative success of the project. Sampling began in early Fall 2019 prior to completion of the restoration and continued through Fall 2020. The most significant findings were observed in early 2020, when stormflow was sampled from the farm across the street from the wetland. The retention cells filled with stormwater and re-routed runoff through the site without impacting the pitcher plants. Although further testing is needed as the retention cells mature, the preliminary results of this study suggest the restoration will help maintain the pitcher plant population by reducing risk from nutrient pollution or threats from invasive plants.
How to Cite
Radulovic, E., (2021) “Analysis of a Recently Restored Appalachian Wetland”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 34(1).
2
Views
2
Downloads