Elimination effects of riparian vegetation buffer zones on surface water nitrogen and phosphorus in Shenyang suburbs

To fully understand the elimination effects of riparian vegetation butter zones on surface runoff pollutants, the elimination effects of different riparian vegetation buffer zones on nitrogen and phosphorus in simulated polluted-surface runoff were investigated in Hunhe and Puhe Rivers in the suburbs of Shenyang City. The results showed that artificial forest-grassland had the best remedial effects on total nitrogen, NO₃^--N and NH₄⁺-N, with 47%, 36% and 31% of average removal efficiency, respectively. The tree plantation was more effective vegetation buffer zones on phosphorus elimination with 74% of average removal efficiency. However, the elimination effects of tree plantation on nitrogen and artificial grassland on phosphorus were unsatisfactory. Meanwhile, with the increment of riparian length, the elimination effects on surface runoff pollutants enhanced. The results suggested that different riparian vegetation buffer zones had different elimination effects on nitrogen and phosphate pollutants in surface runoff. Therefore, it was important to take the environmental and surface characteristics into consideration in ecological recovery and reconstruction of riparian vegetation buffer zones.