Synergistic effect of vermiculite and submerged plants on lake sediments

The synergistic effect of vermiculite and the submerged macrophytes Vallisneria spiralis and Hydrilla verticillata on lake sediment was studied using diffusive gradients in thin films(DGT)technology.The dynamics of phosphorus(P)fractions in sediment,the labile-P and labile-S in the water-sediment continuum,and the microbial community in the rhizosphere were studied.Vermiculite effectively promoted reproduction of microorganisms in the sediments Microbial abundance in treatments containing V.spiralis with sediments containing 10%added vermiculite,and H.verticillata containing 50%added vermiculite being 1.7 and 3.5 times higher than the controls which contained no added vermiculite.Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria populations,which are both beneficial for the sediment microenvironment,were higher in treatment groups containing vermiculite.The bioavailable-P in treatment groups containing added vermiculite was lower at the sediment-water interface,with a correlating decrease of TP by between 63%and 91%in the overlying water.This suggests that vermiculite can affect the release of labile P and facilitate the assimilation of nutrients by macrophyte roots.Additionally,vermiculite can improve the Oxidation-Reduction potential and further reduce sulfide toxicity to plants.These results provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the application of vermiculite combined with submerged plants for the remediation of eutrophic lakes.

Effects of vermiculite on the growth process of submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis and sediment microecological environment

Ecological restoration is one of the hot technologies for the reconstruction of eutrophic lake ecosystems in which the restoration and propagation of submerged plants is the key and difficult step. In this paper, the effect of vermiculite on the growth process of Vallisneria spiralis and sediment microenvironment were investigated, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the application of vermiculite in aquatic ecological restoration. Results of growth indexes demonstrated that 5% and 10% vermiculite treatment groups statistically promote the growth of Vallisneria spiralis compared to the control. Meanwhile, the results of ecophysiological indexes showed that photosynthetic pigment, soluble sugar content, superoxide dismutase(SOD), and catalase(CAT) activity of 5% and 10% group were increased compared with the control while the malondialdehyde(MDA) content exhibited the opposite result(p < 0.05), which illustrated that vermiculite can improve the resistance of plants and delay the aging process of Vallisneria spiralis. In addition, result of PCA(Principal Component Analysis) demonstrated 5% and 10% group has improved the sediment physical conditions and create more ecological niche for microorganisms directly, and then promoted the growth of plants. The dissolution results showed that vermiculite can dissolve the constant and trace elements needed for plant growth. Furthermore, the addition of vermiculite increased the diversity of microorganisms in the sediments, and promoted the increase of plant growth-promoting bacteria and phosphorus-degrading bacteria. This study could provide a technique reference for the further application of vermiculite in the field of ecological restoration.