Changes in the Water, Soil, and Vegetation of a Wetland after a Decade of Receiving a Sewage Effluent
The impact of discharging an oxidation pond effluent into a wetland in the Waitangi Forest (Northland) was assessed by comparing the water, soil, and vegetation of this wetland (the sewage wetland) with that of an adjacent wetland not receiving effluent (the reference wetland). The hydroperiod of the two wetlands differs markedly with the sewage wetland now permanently flooded whereas the reference wetland is subject to summer drawdown. Marked differences were found in gross chemical indicators such as pH and redox potential between the soils of the 2 wetlands.