Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010KY141B

Bush honeysuckle induced aquatic hypoxia

Institute: Kentucky
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $17,754

Principal Investigators: Richard Durtsche

Project Summary: Our proposal is to study the teas of L. maackii (Bush or Amur honeysuckle) to identify the component responsible for reducing dissolved oxygen in water. In addition to drastically reducing dissolved oxygen levels, leaves from this invasive plant release almost twice the amount of tannic acids and phenolics into the water column compared with native riparian tree leaves. With aquatic decomposition rates as much as three to five times faster than native riparian tree leaves, the leaves from this exotic shrub have the potential to drastically change nutrient cycles in Kentucky's aquatic ecosystems. Chemical and energetic content of leaf matter for both L. maackii and native plants will be determined and compared statistically across periods of decomposition.