Water quality wetlands are becoming more common in Iowa. Water quality wetlands are created to remove nitrates, and they remove an estimated 20-80% of the nitrate in a given year (Crumpton et al. 2020). Associated with each water quality wetland, a tallgrass prairie buffer is planted planted around each wetland pool. The biodiversity and plant species composition of these buffers is largely unstudied. Beginning in 2024, we have set up a sampling regime to estimate the species richness and diversity, and the grass/forb ratio of plants in 18 of these buffers. The stem density of milkweed, the host plant for the monarch butterfly, is also be estimated in each of the 18 sites. Our results will help to determine the co-benefits of prairie buffers in water quality improvement projects.
Crumpton, W.G. et al. 2020. Water quality performance of wetlands receiving nonpoint-source nitrogen loads: Nitrate and total nitrogen removal efficiency and controlling factors. Journal of Environmental Quality 49:735-744