Spatial and temporal variability of particulate phosphorus fractions in seston and sediments of Lake Kinneret under changing loading scenario

Over a period of three years, the flux of particulate phosphorus to the sediment–water interface of Lake Kinneret was monitored by using seston traps deployed near the bottom of both accumulation and resuspension zones. The trap material was subjected to sequential phosphorus extraction. The obtained data set was compared to the phosphorus distribution in the surface layer of bottom sediments. Due to the sequence of drought years less allochtoneous phosphorous is reaching the lake resulting in a continuous decline of total particulate phosphorus (TPP) in the upper sediment layer. The observed decline in sedimentary TPP in spite of increased TPP sedimentation can be seen as a dilution effect due to the sedimentation of material with a relatively lower P content. The change in sedimentation can be seen as the result of increased resuspension at low lake levels. With sedimentary P in the littoral zone being unaffected by the drop in the external P load, the changes observed in the profundal zone appear to be driven by internal wave activity.