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10:49
Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading
Published on: March 6, 2014
Relationships between benthic sediments and water column phosphorus in Illinois streams
Marshall D McDaniel1, Mark B David, Todd V Royer
1Dep. of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, W-503 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA. mdm391@psu.edu
Journal of Environmental Quality
|February 10, 2009
Summary
Stream sediments influence phosphorus (P) concentrations, especially during low flow. While sediments reflect stream P levels, they are unlikely to alter annual P loads significantly.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecology
- Water Quality
Background:
- Sediments play a role in regulating stream water phosphorus (P) concentrations.
- Understanding this role is crucial for establishing effective nutrient standards.
- Abiotic and biotic processes within sediments influence dissolved P levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of sediments in determining stream water dissolved P concentrations.
- To evaluate abiotic and biotic processes affecting sediment-sediment water P exchange.
- To assess the implications for nutrient standards and water quality management.
Main Methods:
- Collected sediment and stream water samples from 105 Illinois streams during low discharge.
- Analyzed samples for equilibrium P concentration at zero release or retention (EPC(0)), P sorption, stream water P, and sediment particle size.
- Conducted temporal sampling in four streams to examine P retention and biotic processing.
Main Results:
- Median dissolved reactive P (DRP) was 0.081 mg L(-1) and total P was 0.168 mg L(-1).
- Sediment EPC(0) correlated with stream water DRP (r(s) = 0.75).
- Sediment silt+clay content influenced sorbed P and the reactive P pool, though this pool was often small.
Conclusions:
- Illinois stream sediments reflect and are partially influenced by stream water P concentrations via abiotic and biotic processes.
- Biotic P retention accounted for 32% of short-term P removal.
- Sediments are unlikely to alter annual stream P loads but can affect concentrations during low discharge periods.
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