What is Phosphorus

Wetland buffers may play an important role in the retention of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) which are released in large quantities from agricultural, municipal and industrial sources with run-off from agricultural lands being a common source of such nutrients to wetland ecosystems. Wetlands receiving crop field drainage are shown to lower nitrogen and phosphorus in water of such ecosystems. The main objective of the study was to determine the retention efficiency of Kimondi wetland in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus. Results of the study show that it the wetland has mean retention efficiency of 90% and 95% for nitrogen during rainy and dry seasons respectively and mean retention efficiency of phosphorus of 80% and 93% during rainy and dry seasons respectively an indication that the wetland has high retention efficiency and its buffering ability has not been exceeded in both seasons.