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Wetland Root-Zone Nitrification-Denitrification Cascade

Interactive cross-section of a subsurface-flow constructed wetland: watch radial oxygen loss from plant roots create aerobic microzones that nitrify ammonium, and anoxic zones with organic carbon denitrify nitrate into N2 gas bubbles that escape to the atmosphere.

Ecology & Conservation Biology3DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

This simulator renders a cross-section of a horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland bed and shows the real biogeochemical mechanism behind its nitrogen removal: radial oxygen loss from plant roots. Water carrying ammonium (NH4+) flows through the gravel matrix from an inlet to an outlet; wherever it passes close enough to a root, oxygen leaking from that root nitrifies the ammonium to nitrate, and wherever nitrate then drifts into anoxic, carbon-rich gravel away from roots, denitrifying bacteria reduce it to N2 gas that bubbles out. Adjust radial oxygen loss, organic carbon availability, hydraulic loading and root density and watch the live ammonium-removal efficiency, effluent nitrate fraction and cumulative N2 gas release respond to the balance between the aerobic and anoxic zones.

⚙ Under the hood

Explore how radial oxygen loss from wetland plant roots creates aerobic microzones that nitrify ammonium to nitrate, while the surrounding anoxic, carbon-rich gravel denitrifies that nitrate into N2 gas — the coupled biogeochemical cascade behind constructed-wetland nitrogen removal.

constructed wetlandnitrificationdenitrificationradial oxygen lossnitrogen cycleecological engineering

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install