Does plant diversity in biofilters affect stormwater runoff quality and quantity?
Prudence Hucker and Claire Farrell (The University of Melbourne)
This nursery paper reports on the outcomes of a research trial that examined the effects of increased plant diversity (number of species) on the quality and volume of runoff from biofilters. Biofilters are small plantings incorporated into streetscapes and are used to remove pollutants such as metals, nutrients and sediments from stormwater. The purpose of the trial was to investigate whether biofilters with increased plant diversity, especially those which include monocots will be most effective at reducing stormwater volume and improving quality. This research was undertaken at The University of Melbourne by Prudence Hucker as part of her Honours degree in Natural Resource Management. Her research was supervised by Dr Claire Farrell and was made possible by direct funding from NGIA through the Nursery Industry Research & Development Levy.