ABSTRACT
When a wetland, either natural or constructed, is given a new supply of water and phosphorus, it responds by readjusting storages, pathways, and structure. If those new supplies are variable and within the stochastic band of historic inputs, a mature ecosystem will not change in character or function. But, treatment of water for phosphorus removal in the wetland implies that additions will significantly exceed the historic stochastic band of the natural wetland, and a newly constructed wetland will require a successional period to adapt to the intended inputs. In both cases, a period of adaptation and change is to be expected. Thereafter, the wetland functions in a long-term sustained mode, which is tuned to the inputs, but displays probabilistic variation as well. In general, treatment wetlands built specifically for phosphorus removal are area-intensive compared to conventional wastewater treatment technologies.
