Nutrient Loss Following Phragmites australis Removal in Controlled Soil Mesocosms

Mechanisms to remove Common reed ( Phragmites australis ) typically include a combination of herbicide applications and mechanical cutting or plowing of the soil. The objective of this study was to remove P. australis by various mechanisms and measure the subsequent short-term release of nutrients via simulated rain events. Three rain events of similar duration and intensity were conducted on a control subset and three treatments (above and belowground biomass removal, herbicide application, and basal cut) of soil mesocosms ( n = 6) that were designed to export excess water as either surface runoff or leachate through the soil profile. The dominant pathway for soluble reactive phosphorus ( p