A research team at Iowa State University is investigating whether engineered wetlands designed to improve water quality can also support biodiversity in ways similar to natural wetlands.
Led by Professor Charlie Loewen and supported by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, the project focuses on Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program wetlands, which are strategically placed to intercept nitrogen-laden agricultural runoff. These constructed wetlands have proven effective at reducing nitrogen levels, but their potential to support robust ecosystems remains under study.
Loewen’s team is particularly interested in how nutrient imbalances — specifically the accumulation of phosphorus — might influence aquatic biodiversity. Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus is
