Riparian buffer strips are a growing conservation practice to control and mitigate non-point source pollution (NPS) in Asia. China has seen rapid population growth and economic development in the last 50 years, coupled with a rapid increase in environmental pollution. Freshwater ecosystems have been particularly affected. Lake Tai, China's 3rd largest freshwater lake by volume, has seen a severe reduction in water quality since economic reforms began in the 1970's. Thus, significant interest for establishing riparian buffer strips in agricultural watersheds and freshwater systems within China is warranted. Eight, 50m X 20m plots adjacent to a Rice-Phragmites farm were cleared within the Lake Taihu basin region, Yixing Municipal District, Jiangsu Province, China. Seven plots were planted with either a Poplar hybrid, Cypress hybrid or a combination of both at varying densities, while the control and final plot had none. Soil, tree and groundwater samples were collected from all plots and analyzed for nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Preliminary results were analyzed for NO3 concentrations within soil and total nitrogen concentrations within water. Final results will be analyzed using a Tukey's separation of means procedures.
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