Wong, Man Shan Michelle. / Thesis submitted in: November 2006. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-167). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.I / Abstract --- p.III / Table of contents --- p.VI / List of Tables --- p.X / List of Figures --- p.XI / List of Plates --- p.XIV / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Wetlands --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Importance of wetlands --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Wetland plants --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4 --- Adaptations of wetland plants to flooding --- p.7 / Chapter 1.5 --- Effects of hydrology on wetland plants --- p.13 / Chapter 1.6 --- Other factors affecting plant growth in wetlands --- p.16 / Chapter 1.7 --- Wetlands in the world --- p.19 / Chapter 1.8 --- Wetlands in Hong Kong --- p.19 / Chapter 1.8.1 --- Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site --- p.19 / Chapter 1.8.2 --- Wetland conservation in Hong Kong --- p.21 / Chapter 1.9 --- "Successful cases and constraints on wetland restoration, creation and conservation" --- p.22 / Chapter 1.9.1 --- The Ramsar Convention and wetland conservation --- p.22 / Chapter 1.9.2 --- Constraints in wetland restoration and creation --- p.32 / Chapter 1.9.3 --- Cases of wetland restoration and creation --- p.32 / Chapter 1.9.3.1 --- Restoring the habitat of endangered bird in southern California --- p.33 / Chapter 1.9.3.2 --- Creating tidal wetlands in San Diego Bay --- p.33 / Chapter 1.9.4 --- Constraints on wetland restoration and creation in Hong Kong --- p.33 / Chapter 1.9.4.1 --- Small scaled projects --- p.33 / Chapter 1.9.4.2 --- Lack of long-term management --- p.34 / Chapter 1.9.4.3 --- Lack of clear goals and objectives --- p.34 / Chapter 1.10 --- "Objectives, significance and outline of the present study" --- p.35 / Chapter 1.10.1 --- Research objectives --- p.35 / Chapter 1.10.2 --- Significance of the research --- p.35 / Chapter 1.10.3 --- Outlines of the thesis --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Growth performance of selected species of freshwater emergents under different levels of submergence in a natural wetland / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Site description --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Planting --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Sampling --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Water --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- Soil --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.3 --- Plants --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Analysis --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- Water --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- Soil --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.4.3 --- Plants --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Statistical analysis --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Water quality in the trial plots at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Soil properties in plots under different levels of submergence at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve --- p.53 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Growth of freshwater emergents under different submergence levels --- p.59 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Aboveground biomass --- p.59 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Plant nutrient concentrations --- p.66 / Chapter 2.3.3.3 --- Plant nutrient yields --- p.67 / Chapter 2.4 --- Conclusions --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Growth performance of selected species of freshwater emergents under different levels of submergence in a created wetland / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.78 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Site description --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Planting --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Sampling --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Water --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Soil --- p.84 / Chapter 3.2.3.3 --- Plants --- p.84 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Analysis --- p.85 / Chapter 3.2.4.1 --- Water --- p.85 / Chapter 3.2.4.2 --- Soil --- p.86 / Chapter 3.2.4.3 --- Plants --- p.86 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Statistical analysis --- p.87 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.87 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Water quality in the freshwater marshes at the Hong Kong Wetland Park --- p.87 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Soil properties in the freshwater marshes under different levels of submergence at the Hong Kong Wetland Park --- p.92 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Growth of freshwater emergents under different submergence levels --- p.100 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Aboveground biomass --- p.100 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Plant nutrient concentrations --- p.105 / Chapter 3.3.3.3 --- Plant nutrient yields --- p.109 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusions --- p.112 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Growth performance of selected species of freshwater emergents under different levels of submergence and soil types in a greenhouse pot experiment / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.114 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.115 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Experimental setup --- p.115 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Harvesting --- p.117 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Tissue analysis --- p.117 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Statistical analysis --- p.117 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.118 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Aboveground biomass --- p.118 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Plant nutrient concentrations --- p.128 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Plant nutrient yields --- p.134 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusions --- p.140 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- General Conclusions / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary and implications of major findings --- p.142 / Chapter 5.2 --- Limitations of the study --- p.144 / Chapter 5.3 --- Further investigations --- p.145 / References --- p.148