Testing the Ability of Mississippi Marsh Plants to Grow in Recycled Glass Sand
About the Project
Evaluating the efficacy of recycled glass sand as a soil substrate for Gulf Coast marsh plants in restoration projects
Recycled glass can be crushed to various sizes from gravel to fine-grained sand, with the potential to be used for restoration projects along the Gulf Coast by raising elevation to protect from erosion and flooding.
Previous research has demonstrated the habitat suitability for recycled glass sand use in Gulf Coast beaches, however, it has not yet been determined if common Mississippi marsh plants can grow as effectively in recycled glass sand as it can in traditional sediment fill material used for marsh restoration projects.
Ansley Levine has set up an outdoor tidal mesocosm experiment to compare the growth of two common Mississippi marsh plants (saltmeadow hay and black needlerush) in various mixtures of glass sand and traditional marsh restoration fill material to determine the suitability of recycled glass sand for marsh restoration projects in coastal Mississippi.
Results
The tested plants exhibited suboptimal growth in pure glass sand devoid of added nutrients. Interestingly, black needlerush demonstrated similar growth rates in mixtures containing up to 50% glass sand, while saltmeadow cordgrass thrived in mixtures composed of up to 75% glass sand combined with fill soil. Notably, upland marsh and dune plant species exhibit a preference for coarser sediments, suggesting that coarse-grained glass sand may be better suited for these habitats.
Nonetheless, the study findings indicate that certain salt marsh plants can thrive in mixed substrates containing glass sand and natural sediments as opposed to pure fill soil.
Future research should look into tailoring glass sand grain size to species-specific habitat preferences and studying plant growth in glass sand in field conditions, where mixing of glass sand with natural sediments will likely help improve plant growth and establishment.
Where We Get Our Glass Sand.
Glass Half Full in New Orleans
They recycle Louisiana’s glass “waste” into sand and glass cullet for disaster relief and prevention, coastal restoration, eco-construction, new glass products, and so much more!
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