Selection of waterlogging-tolerant and water purification herbaceous plants for the construction of a sponge city in Shenzhen, China

In recent years, seeking solutions to urban waterlogging and water pollution has always been one of the topics of concern. The problem of urban water accumulation occurs frequently in most areas of China in July and August. The contradiction between supply and demand of urban ecological water is prominent. In order to solve the problem of urban water accumulation caused by rainfall concentration, and to achieve the overall goal of building a water-saving green ecological city, the Shenzhen City should be built into a sponge city. Under this background, the physiological response of different forages to waterlogging stress and the removal of pollutants in rainwater were studied. In this study, ten herbaceous plants commonly used in Shenzhen were used as experimental materials. After 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 days of waterlogging stress treatment, six physiological indexes, such as MDA, SP, and Pro contents and SOD, POD, and CAT activities, were comprehensively evaluated. Combined with the morphological changes of the plants after waterlogging, seven plants with strong waterlogging tolerance were determined, which were O. bodinieri, H. coronarium, I. tectorum, D. ensifolia, R. brittoniana, C. indica, and A. zerumbet. Then, according to their comprehensive evaluation of the removal capacity of pollutants in the rainwater, it is suggested to select O. bodinieri, H. coronarium, I. tectorum and D. ensifolia in areas with serious waterlogging. In areas with serious water pollution, R. brittoniana, A. zerumbet, D. ensifolia and H. coronarium are recommended. However, H. coronarium and D. ensifolia not only have a strong adaptability in the waterlogged environment, but also have a strong ability to remove pollutants in the rainwater, so they are suggested to be alternative herbaceous plants for sponge city in Shenzhen, China.