Distribution and characteristics of molecular size fractions of freshwater-dissolved organic matter in watershed environments: its implication to degradation

Distributions of molecular size and fluorescence properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Lake Biwa and Lake Baikal watersheds were investigated using the cross-flow ultrafiltration technique and three-dimensional fluorescence measurements. From the fluorescence properties, protein-like substances were usually found in the 0.1 μm-GF/F fraction (the Durapore membrane retentate of the GF/F filtrate) of the lake DOM. The results indicated autochthonous production of protein-like organic-matters in the lake environment. Fulvic acid (FA)-like components were composed of two fractions with respect to fluorescence properties and molecular size. Two FA-like fluorescence peaks, which showed different fluorescence peak positions in the excitation-emission matrix (EEM), were partly fractionated by the molecular size of 5000 daltons (5 kDa). The FA-like fluorescence peak position of the <5-kDa fraction was observed at the shorter wavelength region compared with that of the fraction between 5 kDa and 0.1 μm (5 kDa20.1 μm fraction). A blue shift of the FA-like fluorescence peak position as well as a decrease in the molecular size of the DOM was observed in lake samples. The relative contribution of the <5 kDa fraction to the DOC concentration was high in lake waters (68%–79%) compared with river waters (44%–68%), suggesting characteristic changes in molecular size between riverine and lacustrine DOM. DOM of the 5 kDa–0.1 μm fraction was relatively higher in river waters than in lake waters. These findings coincided with in situ distributions of the fluorescence properties and molecular size of DOM found in both stream and lake environments. These results indicate that FA-like substances from forested watersheds are decomposed qualitatively and quantitatively in the river-lake environment by photochemical and biological processes.     

Characterization of Nanming River (southwestern China) sewerage-impacted pollution using an excitation-emission matrix and PARAFAC

Nanming River, the largest urban river in Guizhou Province, southwestern China plateau, has been severely polluted for decades. This study characterizes the organic materials and their sources in the upstream and downstream waters by dissolved organic carbon (DOC), excitation emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy, parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis and photo-microbial experiments. DOC concentrations were low (47–120 μM C) upstream and relatively high (146–462 μM C) downstream. The PARAFAC studies on the sample EEM spectra demonstrated that the upstream dissolved organic matter (DOM) was mostly composed of one component that had a fulvic acid-like substance; downstream DOM was composed of two components with mixtures of tryptophan-like and fulvic acid-like substances. From the results of the sewerage drainage samples collected along the bank of the river, it is evident that both household detergent-like and protein-like or tryptophan-like substances are predominantly present, indicating that untreated sewerage effluents are the major sources of organic matter pollution in Nanming River. The degradation experiments conducted on river, sewerage drainage and commercial detergent samples demonstrated that the detergent-like and tryptophan-like substances are both photochemically and microbiologically more decomposable than fulvic acid-like materials under sunlight and dark incubations. These results suggest that the input of the untreated sewerage effluents along the streams is the major pollution source in Nanming River, and the fluorescent DOM was efficiently affected by both photochemical and microbial processes.     

氮沉降对杉木人工幼林土壤溶液可溶性有机物质浓度及光谱学特征的影响

为探究氮沉降对亚热带杉木人工幼林土壤溶液可溶性有机物质(DOM)浓度及光谱学特征的影响,采用负压法,对0～15和15～30 cm土层土壤溶液DOM进行了2年的动态监测及光谱学特征研究.结果表明:氮沉降显著减少了各土层土壤溶液可溶性有机碳(DOC)浓度,增加了芳香化指数(AI)及腐殖化指数(HIX),但对可溶性有机氮(DON)无显著影响.土壤溶液DOM浓度存在明显的季节变动,夏秋季显著高于春冬季.傅里叶红外光谱结果表明,森林土壤溶液DOM在6个区域的相似位置存在吸收峰,其中1145～1149 cm^-1的吸收峰最强.三维荧光光谱表明,DOM主要以类蛋白质物质(Ex/Em=230 nm/300 nm)和微生物降解产物(Ex/Em=275 nm/300 nm)为主,施氮使0～15 cm土层类蛋白质物质减少.氮沉降可能主要是通过降低土壤pH、抑制土壤碳矿化和刺激植物生长等途径显著抑制土壤溶液DOC浓度,而表层被抑制的DOC成分以类蛋白质物质和羧酸盐物质为主.氮沉降短期可能有利于土壤肥力的储存,但随着氮沉降量的积累,土壤中营养物质将难以得到有效利用.     

Distinct Optical Chemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Urban Pond Ecosystems

Urbanization has the potential to dramatically alter the biogeochemistry of receiving freshwater ecosystems. We examined the optical chemistry of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in forty-five urban ponds across southern Ontario, Canada to examine whether optical characteristics in these relatively new ecosystems are distinct from other freshwater systems. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations ranged from 2 to 16 mg C L^-1 across the ponds with an average value of 5.3 mg C L^-1. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) modelling showed urban pond DOM to be characterized by microbial-like and, less importantly, by terrestrial derived humic-like components. The relatively transparent, non-humic DOM in urban ponds was more similar to that found in open water, lake ecosystems than to rivers or wetlands. After irradiation equivalent to 1.7 days of natural solar radiation, DOC concentrations, on average, decreased by 38% and UV absorbance decreased by 25%. Irradiation decreased the relative abundances of terrestrial humic-like components and increased protein-like aspects of the DOM pool. These findings suggest that high internal production and/or prolonged exposure to sunlight exerts a distinct and significant influence on the chemistry of urban pond DOM, which likely reduces its chemical similarity with upstream sources. These properties of urban pond DOM may alter its biogeochemical role in these relatively novel aquatic ecosystems.     

Temporal and spatial distributions of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in two small lakes on the Southwestern China Plateau

Temporal and spatial distributions of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), chlorophyll-a and inorganic nitrogen were investigated in two small mountainous lakes (Lake Hongfeng and Baihua), on the Southwestern China Plateau, based on almost 2 years’ field observation. DOC concentrations ranged from 163 μM to 248 μM in Lake Hongfeng and from 143 μM to 308 μM in Lake Baihua, respectively, during the study period. DON concentrations ranged from 7 μM to 26 μM in Lake Hongfeng and from 14 μM to 47 μM in Lake Baihua. DOC showed vertical heterogeneity with higher concentrations in the epilimnion than in the hypolimnion during the stratification period. The DON concentration profiles appeared to be more variable than the DOC profiles. Apparent DON maxima occurred in the upper layer of water. In Lake Hongfeng, DOC concentration in the surface water was highest at the end of spring and early summer. DON concentration was 2–5 μM higher in May 2003 and in June 2004 than in adjacent months. DOC and chlorophyll-a concentrations were significantly correlated (r = 0.79, P < 0.05). The period of highest concentrations of DOC in Lake Hongfeng was also the season of concentrated rainfall. Algae activity and allochthonous input might result in an increase of DOC and DON concentrations together. In Lake Baihua, the maximum concentrations of DOC and DON in the surface water occurred simultaneously in May 2003 and February 2004. DOC concentrations were significantly correlated with DON (r = 0.90, P < 0.01), indicating the common sources. Allochthonous input, biological processes, stratification and mixing were the most important factors controlling the distributions and cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and inorganic nitrogen in these two lakes. Inference from the corresponding vertical distributions of DOM and inorganic nitrogen indicated that DOM played potential roles in the internal loading of nitrogen and metabolism in the water body in these small lakes. The carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio showed a potential significance for tracing the source and biogeochemical processes of DOM in the lakes. These results are of significance in the further understanding of biogeochemical cycling and environmental effects of DOM and nitrogen in lake ecosystems.     

Microbial activity under the ice cover of the shallow Neusiedler See (Austria, Central Europe)

In an attempt to assess bacterioplankton production and growth yieldunder low temperature conditions and to compare bacterioplankton withphytoplankton production in the ice-covered water column of the shallowNeusiedler See, outdoor measurements under near in situ conditions wereperformed during the winter of 1995/96. During the investigation period,mean chlorophyll (Chl) a concentration was 21.03 ± 14.95 µg Chla l^-1. Phytoplankton primary production integrated over thewater column ranged from 1.35 to production integrated over the water columnranged from 1.35 to 4.23 mg C m^-2 d^-1 (mean± SD = 2.46 ± 1.06 mg C m^-2d^-1). Bacterial abundance varied from 20 to 40×10⁵ ml^-1 for most of the investigationperiod and increased by the end of March concomitantly with the increase intemperature from 1.3 to 6.3 °C within 5 days. Mean bacterial productionwas 15.3 ± 12.8 µg C l^-1 d^-1(range: 3.0 to 41.7 µg C l^-1 d^-1) and meanbacterial growth rate 0.23 ± 0.16 d^-1 following closelythe pattern in bacterial production. DOC concentration declined linearlyfrom 20.7 mg C l^-1 to 16.45 mg C l^-1 over the 4months period of ice cover. The contribution of humic substances to thetotal DOC pool declined from 43.6% at the end of November to37.3% at the end of March. Calculated on an area basis, phytoplanktonproduction amounted to only 16% of bacterial production which makesit unlikely that phytoplankton supply substrate for bacterioplankton growthin significant quantities when the lake is ice covered. From the observeddecline in DOC over the investigation period and assuming only negligibleinput of DOC from other sources we calculated an average DOC uptake by thebacterioplankton community of 47.5 µg C l^-1d^-1 resulting in a bacterial growth efficiency of 15.9%for the ice covered conditions. Based on the growth efficiency we estimatethat pelagic primary production amounts to 2.8% of the bacterialcarbon demand. This might indicate that the bacterioplankton in NeusiedlerSee sustain their high growth rates at low temperatures (<2°C formost of the investigation period) by using probably the DOC originating fromthe previous season. This DOM stems most likely from the decay of the reedPhragmites australis and its epiphytes and, probably of minor importance,from phytoplankton leachates.     

Uptake of Allochthonous Dissolved Organic Matter from Soil and Salmon in Coastal Temperate Rainforest Streams

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important component of aquatic food webs. We compare the uptake kinetics for NH₄–N and different fractions of DOM during soil and salmon leachate additions by evaluating the uptake of organic forms of carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), and proteinaceous DOM, as measured by parallel factor (PARAFAC) modeling of DOM fluorescence. Seasonal DOM slug additions were conducted in three headwater streams draining a bog, forested wetland, and upland forest using DOM collected by leaching watershed soils. We also used DOM collected from bog soil and salmon carcasses to perform additions in the upland forest stream. DOC uptake velocity ranged from 0.010 to 0.063 mm s⁻¹ and DON uptake velocity ranged from 0.015 to 0.086 mm s⁻¹, which provides evidence for the whole-stream uptake of allochthonous DOM. These findings imply that wetlands could potentially be an important source of DOM to support stream heterotrophic production. There was no significant difference in the uptake of DOC and DON across the soil leachate additions (P > 0.05), although differential uptake of DOM fractions was observed as protein-like fluorescence was removed from the water column more efficiently than bulk DOC and DON (P < 0.05). Moreover, PARAFAC analysis of DOM fluorescence showed that protein-like fluorescence decreased downstream during all DOM additions, whereas humic-like fluorescence did not change. This differential processing in added DOM suggests slow and fast turnover pools exist for aquatic DOM. Taken together, our findings argue that DON could potentially fill a larger role in satisfying biotic N demand in oligotrophic headwater streams than previously thought. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Author contributions  J.B.F. conceived of or designed study, performed research, analyzed data, contributed new methods or models, and wrote the paper. E.H. conceived of or designed study and analyzed data. R.T.E. conceived of or designed study and analyzed data. J.B.J. contributed new methods or models and analyzed data.     

Lead complexation behaviour of root exudates of salt marsh plant Salicornia europaea L

Abstract

Root exudates are considered to have an important role in mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals. High molecular weight (HMW) substances are the main components of root exudates, however, knowledge about their interactions with heavy metals is lacking. In the present study, Pb(II) complexation of the HMW fluorescent fractions in root exudates from Salicornia europaea L. was investigated using excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. Two protein-like fluorescence peaks were identified in the EEM spectrum of root exudates. The fluorescence of both peaks was clearly quenched by Pb(II). The values of conditional stability constants, log K_a, for these two protein-like fluorescence peaks were 4.14 and 3.79. This indicates that the fluorescent substances are strong Pb(II) complexing organic ligands.     

Bacterial Community Structure in Patagonian Andean Lakes Above and Below Timberline: From Community Composition to Community Function

Lakes located above the timberline are remote systems with a number of extreme environmental conditions, becoming physically harsh ecosystems, and sensors of global change. We analyze bacterial community composition and community-level physiological profiles in mountain lakes located in an altitude gradient in North Patagonian Andes below and above the timberline, together with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) characterization and consumption. Our results indicated a decrease in 71 % of DOC and 65 % in total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) concentration as well as in bacteria abundances along the altitude range (1,380 to 1,950 m a.s.l.). Dissolved organic matter (DOM) fluorescence analysis revealed a low global variability composed by two humic-like components (allochthonous substances) and a single protein-like component (autochthonous substances). Lakes below the timberline showed the presence of all the three components, while lakes above the timberline the protein-like compound constituted the main DOC component. Furthermore, bacterial community composition similarity and ordination analysis showed that altitude and resource concentration (DOC and TDP) were the main variables determining the ordination of groups. Community-level physiological profiles showed a mismatch with bacteria community composition (BCC), indicating the absence of a relationship between genetic and functional diversity in the altitude gradient. However, carbon utilization efficiencies varied according to the presence of different compounds in DOM bulk. The obtained results suggest that the different bacterial communities in these mountain lakes seem to have similar metabolic pathways in order to be able to exploit the available DOC molecules.     

A stormflow/baseflow comparison of dissolved organic matter concentrations and bioavailability in an Appalachian stream

Patterns of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) delivery were compared between times of stormflow and baseflow in Paine Run, an Appalachian stream draining a 12.4 km² forested catchment in the Shenandoah National Park (SNP), Virginia. The potential in-stream ecological impact of altered concentrations and/or chemical composition of DOM during storms also was examined, using standardized bacterial bioassays. DOC and DON concentrations in Paine Run were consistently low during baseflow and did not show a seasonal pattern. During storms however, mean DOC and DON concentrations approximately doubled, with maximum concentrations occurring on the rising limb of storm hydrographs. The rapid response of DOM concentration to changes in flow suggests a near-stream or in-stream source of DOM during storms. Stormflow (4% of the time, 36% of the annual discharge) contributed >50% of DOC, DON and NO₃ ^– flux in Paine Run during 1997. In laboratory bacterial bioassays, growth rate constants were higher on Paine Run stormflow water than on baseflow water, but the fraction of total DOM which was bioavailable was not significantly different. The fraction of the total stream DOC pool taken up by water column bacteria was estimated to increase from 0.03 ± 0.02% h^–1 during baseflow, to 0.15 ± 0.04% h^–1 during storms. This uptake rate would have a minimal effect on bulk DOM concentrations in Paine Run, but storms may still have considerable impact on the bacterial stream communities by mobilizing them into the water column and by supplying a pulse of DOM.     

Characterization of dissolved organic matter under contrasting hydrologic regimes in a subtropical watershed using PARAFAC model

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was characterized during five basin-scale investigations (either after storms or in droughts) in Jiulong River, China that is affected by the Asian Monsoon, tropical storms and anthropogenic activities. Dissolved organic carbon concentration, DOM absorption and fluorescence (excitation-emission matrix spectra, EEMs) were measured. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of EEMs identified three humic-like and two protein-like fluorescent components. DOM concentration was highest at two polluted stations in droughts while lowest in pristine headwaters (station N1). DOM concentration increased most evidently after storms in May, 2009, indicating effective flushing of DOM from land to the river close to the onset of flood season. The protein-like fraction in PARAFAC results decreased after storms in May and June, 2009, highlighting changes in DOM composition and thus its environmental role. Dam constructions likely increased the residence time of DOM in river, making the inflow of DOM during storms have more implications for the riverine (in comparison with estuarine) biogeochemical processes. The effect of storm in August, 2008 after intense DOM flushing during several preceding storms, was not evident. A severe dinoflagellate algal bloom occurred during the extreme drought in the lower watershed, which increased DOM concentration and the protein-like fraction at impacted stations. Different DOM compositions during and after algal bloom were discriminated using the two protein-like components. This study demonstrates the importance of hydrologic regimes and anthropogenic activities on freshwater DOM and its environmental role, which has implications for a number of other rivers that share similar characteristics.     

Spectroscopic characterization and molecular weight distribution of dissolved organic matter in sediment porewaters from Lake Erhai, Southwest China

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in sediment porewaters from Lake Erhai, Southwest China was investigated using dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, UV absorbance, fluorescence and molecular weight distribution. DOC exhibited a high concentration at the sediment–water interface with a rapid decrease to the oxic–anoxic interface at approximately 7 cm, and then increased with depth. Similar trends were also found for the UV absorption coefficients at 254 and 280 nm in the porewaters. DNA in the sediment was also measured, which confirmed the high abundance of aerobic bacteria in the upper layer of the sediment. Both humic-like (peaks A and C) and protein-like (peaks B and D) fluorescence were observed in the porewater DOM, and their fluorescence intensities exhibited a similar porewater profile as DOC concentration. A strong correlation was found between the peak fluorescence intensity ratio r(A, C) and r(D, B). Both the fluorescence index and UV absorption coefficient at 254 nm suggested a dramatic increase in aromaticity of porewater DOM across the oxic–anoxic interface. Porewater DOM exhibited a multimodal distribution of molecular weight with a relatively low polydispersity. The results of this study offer significant insight into the nature and properties of DOM in freshwater ecosystems.     

Colloidal and dissolved organic matter in lake water: Carbohydrate and amino acid composition,and ability to support bacterial growth

Bacterial utilization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) was studied in water from a humic and a clearwater oligotrophic lake. Indigenous bacteria were inoculated into either 0.2 m natural filtered lake water, or lake water enriched fivefold with colloidal DOM >100 kD but below 0.2 m. Consumption of DOM was followed from changes in concentrations of total dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved combined and free carbohydrates and amino acids (DCCHO and DFCHO, and DCAA and DFAA, respectively) and by uptake of monosaccharide and amino acid radioisotopes. DCCHO and DCAA made up 8% (humic lake) to 33–44% (clear-water lake) of the natural DOC pools, while DFCHO and DFAA contributed at most 1.7% to the DOC pools. Addition of >100 kD DOM increased the DOC concentrations by 50% (clearwater lake) to 92% (humic lake), but it only resulted in a higher bacterial production (by 63%) in the humic lake. During the incubations 13 to 37% of the DOC was assimilated by the bacteria, at estimated growth efficiencies of 4–8%. Despite the measured reduction of DOC, statistically significant changes of specific organic compounds, especially of DCCHO and DCAA, generally did not occur. Probably the presence of high molecular weight DOC interfered with the applied analytical procedures. Addition of radiotracers indicated, however, that DFAA sustained 17–58% and 29–100% of the bacterial carbon and nitrogen requirements, respectively, and that glucose met 1–3% of the bacterial carbon requirements. Thus, our experiments indicate that radiotracers, rather than measurements of concentration changes, should be used in studies of bacterial utilization of DOC in freshwaters with a high content of humic or high molecular weight organic matter.     

Characterizing the photochemical degradation of aquatic humic substances from a dystrophic lake using excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis

Three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) were used to monitor composition and reactivity changes caused by the photochemical degradation of aquatic humic substances (AHS) from a dystrophic lake in Kushiro Wetland, Japan. AHS-rich lake water was exposed to three treatments in summer and winter 2014: radiation with the full solar wavelength range, radiation with the >320-nm solar wavelength range, and no solar radiation. Irradiation caused AHS-like peaks to shift to shorter wavelengths in the EEM contour plots, implying that AHS photodegradation caused the formation of lower-molecular-weight fractions or more simply structured components. Three components were identified from PARAFAC analyses: AHS-1 (excitation/emission wavelengths of maxima: <252 and 315 nm/426 nm), AHS-2 (360 and 261 nm/489 nm), and AHS-3 (276 nm/403 nm). These components had different photosensitivities. AHS-1 was most sensitive to full solar radiation, while AHS-2 was most sensitive to >320-nm radiation. More photodegradation of these components occurred in the summer than in the winter, indicating that photodegradation depended on light intensity. AHS-3 was photoresistant. The different characteristics of the components reflected the in situ dynamics of the components. The AHS-3 fluorescence intensity was positively correlated with the dissolved organic carbon concentration but the AHS-1 and AHS-2 fluorescence intensities were not. The EEM–PARAFAC method was found to be a good tool for tracing AHS-like materials in situ and in the laboratory.     

Electricity generation from dissolved organic matter in polluted lake water using a microbial fuel cell (MFC)

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) was explored as a pretreatment method to remove dissolved organic matter (DOM) from polluted lake water and simultaneously generate electricity. After the MFC treatment, the total organic carbon concentration in the raw lake water was reduced by 50%, the physicochemical nature of DOMs was substantially altered. Protein-like substances in lake water were utilized as a major substrate for the MFC, while humic-like substances were refractory to the biodegradation. A further investigation into the bovine serum albumin utilization in an MFC confirms that the electricity generation was closely associated with the removal of protein-like substrates. Toxicity assessment by Salmonella typhimurium Sal94 indicates that the genotoxic agents in the polluted lake water were almost completely removed after the MFC treatment. This approach of coupling microbially-catalyzed electricity generation with DOM removal may offer a potential avenue for energy-efficient bioremediation of lake water.     

Predicting concentration of total phosphorus and chlorophyll a in a lake with short hydraulic residence time

The relationship between total phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentration was determined for Skinner Lake, Indiana over an annual cycle in 1978–79. Total nitrogen:total phosphorus ratios in the epilimnion ranged from 19 to 220 suggesting a phosphorus-dependent algal yield in the epilimnion. Approximately 90% of annual TP loading reached the lake via streamflow, and 93% of this entered during snowmelt and spring-overturn periods. At that time incoming water flushed the lake 2.4 times. Atmospheric loading accounted for 1.4% of annual TP load. Internal hypolimnetic TP loading occurred during summer stratification. Mean [chl a] for the ice-free period was 15.15 mg m^–3, within the range expected for eutrophic lakes.The 1978–79 data were used in conjuction with the Vollenweider & Kerekes (1980) model to produce a model specific for the Skinner Lake system. The model predicted mean epilimnetic total phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations from mean total phosphorus concentration in inlet streams and from lake water residence time during the period of spring overturn and summer stratification. The Skinner-specific model was tested in 1982 and it closely predicted observed mean epilimnetic [TP] and [chl a] during the ice-free period. This study shows that variability in lake models which average data over an annual period can be reduced by considering lake-specific seasonal variation in hydrology and external TP loading.     

The role of Gloeotrichia echinulata in the transfer of phosphorus from sediments to water in Lake Erken

The abundance of Gloeotrichia echinulata colonies in the sediments of Lake Erken and their phosphorus content were investigated to determine the contribution of Gloeotrichia colonies to total sediment phosphorus. Moreover, the potential size of the algal inoculum and the migration to the water during summer were estimated.The surplus phosphorus content of the resting colonies in the sediment was about 45% of total phosphorus, which maximized at 8.5 µg P (mg dw)^–1 or 81 ng P colony^–1. The C:P ratio (by weight) in the early colonies appearing in the lake water was 50:1, while the ratio stabilized at 150 during the major migration period. The internal supply of surplus phosphorus was used during the pelagic growth of the colonies.The internal phosphorus loading to the epilimnion of Lake Erken due to Gloeotrichia migration could, from the measurements of the increase in particulate epilimnetic phosphorus, be estimated at 40 mg P m ^–2 or 2.5 mg P m^–2 d^–1 in late July and early August. Determination of the number of colonies in the sediment before and during the migration verified this value to be a conservative estimate of the internal phosphorus loading due to Gloeotrichia migration to the epilimnion in Lake Erken.The sediment P content calculated from the P concentration in early epilimnion colonies resulted in a value of 35 µg P (g dw)^–1 as a maximum. This corresponds to only 3% of the total phosphorus content in Lake Erken sediment.     

Fluorescence characteristics and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter in forest and wetland soils from coastal temperate watersheds in southeast Alaska

Understanding how the concentration and chemical quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) varies in soils is critical because DOM influences an array of biological, chemical, and physical processes. We used PARAFAC modeling of excitation–emission fluorescence spectroscopy, specific UV absorbance (SUVA₂₅₄) and biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) incubations to investigate the chemical quality of DOM in soil water collected from 25 cm piezometers in four different wetland and forest soils: bog, forested wetland, fen and upland forest. There were significant differences in soil solution concentrations of dissolved organic C, N, and P, DOC:DON ratios, SUVA₂₅₄ and BDOC among the four soil types. Throughout the sampling period, average DOC concentrations in the four soil types ranged from 9–32 mg C l⁻¹ and between 23–42% of the DOC was biodegradable. Seasonal patterns in dissolved nutrient concentrations and BDOC were observed in the three wetland types suggesting strong biotic controls over DOM concentrations in wetland soils. PARAFAC modeling of excitation–emission fluorescence spectroscopy showed that protein-like fluorescence was positively correlated (r ² = 0.82; P < 0.001) with BDOC for all soil types taken together. This finding indicates that PARAFAC modeling may substantially improve the ability to predict BDOC in natural environments. Coincident measurements of DOM concentrations, BDOC and PARAFAC modeling confirmed that the four soil types contain DOM with distinct chemical properties and have unique fluorescent fingerprints. DOM inputs to streams from the four soil types therefore have the potential to alter stream biogeochemical processes differently by influencing temporal patterns in stream heterotrophic productivity.     

Chemical Characteristics and Origin of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Yukon River

Monthly (or bi-weekly) water samples were collected from the Yukon River, one of the largest rivers in North America, at a station near the US Geological Survey Stevens Village hydrological station, Alaska from May to September 2002, to examine the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its seasonal variations. DOM was further size fractionated into high molecular weight (HMW or colloidal, 1 kDa–0.45 μm) and low molecular weight (LMW, <1 kDa) fractions. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), colored dissolved organic matter (C-DOM) and total dissolved carbohydrate (TCHO) species were measured in the size fractionated DOM samples. Concentrations of DOC were as high as 2830 μmol-C l⁻¹ during the spring breakup in May and decreased significantly to 508–558 μmol-C l⁻¹ during open-water season (June–September). Within the DOC pool, up to 85% was in the colloidal fraction (1 kDa–0.45 μm) in early May. As DOC concentration decreased, this colloidal portion remained high (70–85% of the bulk DOC) throughout the sampling season. Concentrations of TCHO, including monosaccharides (MCHO) and polysaccharides (PCHO), varied from 722 μmol-C l⁻¹ in May to 129 μmol-C l⁻¹ in September, which comprised a fairly constant portion of bulk DOC (24±2%). Within the TCHO pool, the MCHO/TCHO ratio consistently increased from May to September. The C-DOM/DOM ratio and the size fractionated DOM increased from May to September, indicating that DOM draining into the Yukon River contained increased amounts of humified materials, likely related to a greater soil leaching efficiency in summer. The average composition of DOM was 76% pedogenic humic matter and 24% aquagenic CHO. Characteristics of soil-derived humic substances and low chlorophyll-a concentrations support a dominance of terrestrial DOM in Yukon River waters.     

Seasonal changes in the chemical quality and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter exported from soils to streams in coastal temperate rainforest watersheds

The composition and biodegradability of streamwater dissolved organic matter (DOM) varies with source material and degree of transformation. We combined PARAFAC modeling of fluorescence excitation–emission spectroscopy and biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) incubations to investigate seasonal changes in the lability of DOM along a soil-stream continuum in three soil types: bog, forested wetland and upland forest. The percent BDOC ranged from 7 to 38% across all sites, and was significantly greater in soil compared to streamwater in the bog and forested wetland, but not in the upland forest. The percent BDOC also varied significantly over the entire sampling period in soil and streamwater for the bog and forested wetland, as BDOC peaked during the spring runoff and was lowest during the summer months. Moreover, the chemical quality of DOM in wetland soil and streamwater was similar during the spring runoff and fall wet season, as demonstrated by the similar contribution of protein-like fluorescence (sum of tyrosine and tryptophan fluorescence) in soil water and in streams. These findings suggest that the tight coupling between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is responsible for the delivery of labile DOM from wetland soils to streams. The contribution of protein-like fluorescence was significantly correlated with BDOC (p < 0.001) over the entire sampling period indicating DOM is an important source of C and N for heterotrophic microbes. Taken together, our findings suggest that the production of protein-rich, labile DOM and subsequent loss in stream runoff might be an important loss of labile C and N from coastal temperate watersheds.