Date of Graduation
Summer 2026
Degree
Master of Science in Biology
Department
Biology
Committee Chair
Alexander Wait
Abstract
Human advancement of industry and technology has come with significant environmental costs such as habitat destruction, reduced biodiversity, and large-scale pollution of land, air, and water. Two categories of pollutants of global concern are heavy metal contaminants and nutrient pollution. These pollutants are widespread and cause severe economic and environmental impacts. Biological remediation methods, like phytoremediation and vegetated buffer strips, offer a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional remediation methods. Finding plant species that could potentially address both categories of pollution would be beneficial. Giant river cane (Arundinaria gigantea) is a good candidate to fill this niche. Giant river cane is a species of temperate bamboo native to 22 states in the United States. This species has already been shown to provide ecological benefits such as soil and streambank stabilization, nutrient uptake from ground and surface water, and habitat provision for over 70 species of animals. However, this species’ range has been drastically reduced due to land-use changes and therefore is overlooked. In this study, I examined two separate objectives: giant river cane’s potential for lead (Pb) phytoremediation and its phenotypic variation among field sites. By examining Pb uptake and sequestration, nutrient content, and functional trait plasticity, this research will provide insights into giant river cane’s environmental tolerance and factors influencing restoration success. Giant river cane was grown in Pb contaminated soil for 60 days, and tissue types (root, rhizome, shoot, leaf) were analyzed to determine Pb concentration. For the field survey, seven canebrakes in Southern Missouri were analyzed for certain leaf-level physiological traits, vegetation structure, and leaf nutrient content to evaluate phenotypic plasticity across sites. Giant river cane reached Pb concentrations of 116.8 ± 15.8 mg kg-1 in its roots and experienced no declines in gas exchange or chlorophyll concentration. Surveyed canebrakes showed high plasticity in specific leaf area (SLA) and chlorophyll concentrations, but other traits were highly conserved. Leaf nutrient levels were comparable to other riparian vegetation. Giant river cane presents as a good candidate for environmental remediation and the information from this study can potentially increase future restoration success.
Keywords
Arundinaria gigantea, lead (Pb) phytoremediation, riparian buffer, phenotypic plasticity, ecological restoration, nutrient uptake
Subject Categories
Biology | Plant Biology | Plant Sciences
Copyright
© Jordan Murray
Recommended Citation
Murray, Jordan, "Examination of Giant River Cane (Arundinaria Gigantea) for Lead Phytoremediation, and Nutrient Uptake and Sequestration" (2026). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4206.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4206
