Czech-American Scientific Cooperation: The Amount of phenolics in wetland macrophytes in relation to nutrient content in the soil, season and depth of flooding: the consequences for carbon sequestration in wetlands
Dr. Jan Vymazal, a Professor at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, is the lead researcher of this project under the auspices of the Czech Republic's Czech-American Scientific Cooperation Program. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate and compare the content of phenolics in seven common macrophytes in the Czech Republic. Phenolics are the most widely distributed class of plant secondary metabolites and higher plants are able to produce several thousand different phenolic compounds. It has been reported that phenolics are more resistant to decomposition due to the negative impact on the microorganisms involved. Therefore, it may be hypothesized that the higher content of phenolics in plant tissue may cause slower decomposition rates and potentially higher carbon sequestration in the soil. This collaborative research with Dr. Vymazal complements the Duke University Wetland Center's ongoing work on carbon sequestration at research sites in the United States and Peru.
	Jan Vymazal is a long-time DUWC collaborator and has been a frequent Visiting Scholar in Durham. He is currently a member of the Wetland Center's Extended Research Faculty. Related Article