Laboratory study of the effects of flexible vegetation on solute diffusion in unidirectional flow

Abstract Background Flexible vegetation is an important part of the riverine ecosystem, which can reduce flow velocity, change turbulence structure, and affect processes solute transport. Compared with rigid vegetation, has been reported in many previous studies, bending flexible increases complexity flow–vegetation–solute interactions. In this study, laboratory experiments are carried out to investigate influence on transport, methods for estimating lateral longitudinal diffusion coefficients vegetated examined their applications vegetation. Results The experimental observations find that significantly Manning coefficient increasing density decreases inflow discharge. Under all cases, vertical peak concentration moves towards bottom bed along flow, values longitudinally from injection point. D y increase density, while L opposite. Both To estimate effective submerged height considering incorporated proposed (Lou et al. Environ Sci Eur 32:15, 2020). modified approach well predict relative errors range 5%–12%. Conclusions study be used flows through both vegetations using height.