Sediment‐phosphorus dynamics can shift aquatic ecology and cause downstream legacy effects after wildfire in large river systems

Global increases in the occurrence of large, severe wildfires in forested watersheds threaten drinking water supplies and aquatic ecology. Wildfire effects on water quality, particularly nutrient levels and forms, can be significant. The longevity and downstream propagation of these effects as well as the geochemical mechanisms regulating them remain largely undocumented at larger river basin scales. Here, phosphorus (P) speciation and sorption behavior of suspended sediment were examined in two river basins impacted by a severe wildfire in southern Alberta, Canada. Fine‐grained suspended sediments (<125 μm) were sampled continuously during ice‐free conditions over a two‐year period (2009–2010), 6 and 7 years after the wildfire. Suspended sediment samples were collected from upstream reference (unburned) river reaches, multiple tributaries within the burned areas, and from reaches downstream of the burned areas, in the Crowsnest and Castle River basins. Total particulate phosphorus (TPP) and particulate phosphorus forms (nonapatite inorganic P, apatite P, organic P), and the equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC₀) of suspended sediment were assessed. Concentrations of TPP and the EPC₀ were significantly higher downstream of wildfire‐impacted areas compared to reference (unburned) upstream river reaches. Sediments from the burned tributary inputs contained higher levels of bioavailable particulate P (NAIP) – these effects were also observed downstream at larger river basin scales. The release of bioavailable P from postfire, P‐enriched fine sediment is a key mechanism causing these effects in gravel‐bed rivers at larger basin scales. Wildfire‐associated increases in NAIP and the EPC₀ persisted 6 and 7 years after wildfire. Accordingly, this work demonstrated that fine sediment in gravel‐bed rivers is a significant, long‐term source of in‐stream bioavailable P that contributes to a legacy of wildfire impacts on downstream water quality, aquatic ecology, and drinking water treatability.     

The change of sediment composition during recovery of two Finnish lakes induced by waste water purification and lake oxygenation

Total oxygen deficit occurred regularly during stagnation periods in the deepest part of Lake Kallavesi in the period 1973–1986. The sediment was black and anaerobic during the first sampling in 1987. After beginning of artificial lake oxygenation and efficient purification of waste waters of a paper board mill in 1986 the oxygen deficit decreased gradually and a light brown oxidized uppermost sediment layer appeared and began to thicken. The following changes in the sediment composition were observed during 1987–1996: loss on ignition, total nitrogen and BOD₇ concentrations decreased in the uppermost sediment layer (0–2 cm) and BOD₇ concentration increased in the next sediment layer beneath (2–10 cm). There were no significant change in phosphorus and iron concentrations.Lake oxygen, total phosphorus and suspended solids concentrations fluctuated in a noticeable degree in Lake Huruslahti depending on waste water input and artificial oxygenation during the years 1980–1993. Oxygen condition was good at times of successful waste water elimination and lake oxygenation while deterioration of either resulted oxygen deficiency as well as increase of total phosphorus and suspended solids concentration. Most of the internal load entered with suspended solids during periods of total oxygen deficiency.An explanation for the findings in Lake Huruslahti could be microbiological. Gas formation inside sediment lift organic material towards top of the sediment and into the water, but after the lake recovery the material retain in the sediment. Also in Lake Kallavesi microbiological gas formation resuspended sediment particles with phosphorus into the overlaying water prior to oxygenation. During oxygenation microbiological processes in uppermost sediment utilize the anaerobic metabolic products, organic acids and methane, and block gas formation. Organic substances remain in the top sediment decomposing gradually in the uppermost layer.     

Changing suspended sediment and particulate phosphorus loads and pathways in underdrained lowland agricultural catchments; Herefordshire and Worcestershire,U.K.

Data obtained from a small (150 ha) experimental catchment, Hereford U.K., have shown that land drains contributed >50% of the total catchment suspended sediment (SS) yield over a two year period. In one of the monitored drains, annual sediment yields were 964 and 978 kg ha^–1. Particulate phosphorus (PP) contributed >60% of total phosphorus lost through the drains and at least 73% of the total drain load came from topsoil. A major question that was not answered by the monitoring programme was whether SS and PP loads had increased since the drains had been installed between the 1960s and 1980s. To address this problem, a sediment yield record was reconstructed from the Kyre Pool catchment in Worcestershire that has a similar drainage history and soil types. Reservoir sediments were dated using the ²¹⁰Pb crs method and results suggest a fourfold increase in SS yield (300–1170 kg ha^–1 yr^–1) and PP loads (0.19–0.79 kg ha^–1 yr^–1) since the 1960s. The most recent SS and PP loads are comparable to those obtained from catchment monitoring. The high lake sediment ¹³⁷Cs inventory suggests a significant influx of eroded topsoil and ¹³⁷Cs activities in the most recent lake sediments are comparable to those of monitored land drains, supporting the hypothesis that land drainage has had a major impact on SS and PP yields and pathways.     

Flow velocity retardation and sediment retention in two constructed wetland–ponds

Hydraulic properties of two constructed wetland–ponds in agricultural watersheds in southern Finland were examined by simulations with two-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality transport models. Hydraulic efficiency was determined for the existing and hypothetical layouts of both wetlands to find out the effects of different design options. Suspended sediment retention in the wetlands was simulated with a two-dimensional model for sediment transport. Hydraulic efficiency was found to be highly improved by baffles that direct the main flow to optimally exploit the wetland acreage. Also, an elongated shape of wetland appeared beneficial; hydraulic efficiency was high regardless of the size or position of the inlet. As for suspended sediment retention, the wetland area in relation to its watershed proved to be an essential factor. According to water quality observations, the wetland which occupied 5% of its watershed area was capable of reducing the inflow of total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations during flood events by 43–72%, whereas the reduction varied between −7 and 5% in the other wetland with a corresponding ratio of 0.5%. Model simulations of the same flood events plausibly predicted the output TSS concentrations, even though with wider ranges of the reductions (26 to 74 and −13 to 43%, respectively).     

Sediment cores from shallow lakes preserve reliable,informative paleoenvironmental archives despite hurricane-force winds

Comparison of sediment cores collected in 1999 and 2013 from shallow Lake Harris, Florida, USA showed that the sediment maintained stratigraphic integrity despite multiple hurricanes passing through the area in 2004. Sediments less than 50 years old displayed small losses of organic matter (OM), total phosphorus (TP) and heat-extractable (HE-P) through time that are unrelated to hurricane impacts. Nevertheless, sediment that accumulated between the two core collection dates contained 4-fold more TP than was lost from the sediment over the 14-year period, indicating that sediments in Lake Harris are a net sink for water-column TP. Persistent, elevated ¹³⁷Cs activity in sediments deposited since the mid-1960s indicates protracted cesium input to the lake from this subtropical watershed. There is also evidence for downward transport of ¹³⁷Cs in the sediment profile between core collection dates. Prolonged export of ¹³⁷Cs from the watershed and downward mobility of the radionuclide in the sediment profile diminish the utility of ¹³⁷Cs as a dating tool in Lake Harris.     

The effect of wave-reduction engineering on sediment resuspension in a large, shallow, eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu)

Frequent resuspension of sediments is recognized as an important process in large shallow lakes, impeding the recovery of eutrophic lakes. A large-scale project, including a wave barrier (3.3 km long) and a soft enclosure, was implemented to reduce wave energy and sediment resuspension in Lake Taihu, eastern China. The effects of the wave-reduction engineering on sediment resuspension and internal nutrient loading were investigated. Results showed that sediment resuspension rates as well as suspended solids (SS) in the areas protected by the wave barrier and the soft enclosure were significantly lower than in the unprotected areas. There was a positive relationship between total phosphorus (TP) and SS; thus internal loading of phosphorus was significantly reduced by the wave-reduction structure. High nutrient levels and phytoplankton biomass persisted during the experiment period, suggesting that additional measures, such as re-establishment of the macrophyte community, must be included to help restore the water quality in such a large, shallow and eutrophic lake.     

The influence of Procambarus clarkii (Cambaridae,Decapoda) on water quality and sediment characteristics in a Spanish floodplain wetland

This study describes the effects of the American red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii Girard, on water quality and sediment characteristics in the Spanish floodplain wetland, Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park. Our short term enclosure study during a summer drawdown revealed that crayfish acted as a nutrient pump that transformed and translocated sediment bound nutrients to the water column. Water quality impoverishment was mainly due to the increase of dissolved inorganic nutrients (soluble reactive phosphorus and ammonia), and a significant increase of total suspended solids occurred likely as a result of crayfish associated bioturbation. At the same time, crayfish reduced the content of organic matter in the sediment and we observed a slight increase of total sediment phosphorus and nitrogen content as a result of crayfish benthic activity. P. clarkii effects, in terms of internal nutrient loading (229.91 mg TP m^–2 d^–1), were shown to be important on a local scale, indicating the significance of internal nutrient supply to water column primary producers particularly under low external supply (summer). Extrapolations to the whole ecosystem, however, revealed a negligible crayfish contribution (0.06%) to total internal nutrient loading (0.035 mg TP m^–2 d^–1). Hence, crayfish spatial heterogeneity patterns are important in global and local matter fluxes and nutrient cycles in wetlands.     

Surficial sediment phosphorus fractions along a biogeochemical gradient in Nyanza (Winam) Gulf, northeastern Lake Victoria and their possible role in phosphorus recycling and internal loading

Different phosphorus fractions and metal element composition of surficial sediments were measured on three occasions in 2005 and 2006 along a transect between Nyanza Gulf and offshore Lake Victoria, in order to assess the potential for sediments to contribute to the water column P concentrations in Lake Victoria. Total phosphorus (TP), apatite phosphorus (AP), inorganic phosphorus (IP) and organic phosphorus (OP) increased in sediments along the gulf towards the main lake while the non-apatite inorganic phosphorus (NAIP) increases were less defined. The longitudinal gradient of sediment TP and its fractions in Nyanza Gulf is a result of high rates of terrigenous input and resuspension and transport of the light, phosphorus rich inorganic and organic matter towards the main lake. TP in the sediment ranged from 812.7 to 1,738 mg/kg dry weight (DW) and was highest in the Rusinga Channel, the exchange zone between the gulf and the main lake. AP was the most important TP fraction, contributing between 35 and 57.3% of TP. Ca content in the sediment was strongly associated with TP and AP in the sediment (r² = 0.92 and 0.98, respectively) in the gulf and the channel, indicating the importance of apatite in controlling P availability in these zones. In the gulf and the Rusinga Channel, the less bioavailable apatite phosphorus dominated, whereas in the deeper main lake OP was the major fraction illustrating the importance of anaerobic release of P from sediments and acceleration of internal P loading in the main lake.     

The Characteristics of Extreme Erosion Events in a Small Mountainous Watershed

A large amount of soil loss is caused by a small number of extreme events that are mainly responsible for the time compression of geomorphic processes. The aim of this study was to analyze suspended sediment transport during extreme erosion events in a mountainous watershed. Field measurements were conducted in Wangjiaqiao, a small agricultural watershed (16.7 km²) in the Three Gorges Area (TGA) of China. Continuous records were used to analyze suspended sediment transport regimes and assess the sediment loads of 205 rainfall–runoff events during a period of 16 hydrological years (1989–2004). Extreme events were defined as the largest events, ranked in order of their absolute magnitude (representing the 95^th percentile). Ten extreme erosion events from 205 erosion events, representing 83.8% of the total suspended sediment load, were selected for study. The results of canonical discriminant analysis indicated that extreme erosion events are characterized by high maximum flood-suspended sediment concentrations, high runoff coefficients, and high flood peak discharge, which could possibly be explained by the transport of deposited sediment within the stream bed during previous events or bank collapses.     

长江口北支水域营养盐的季节性变化

于2010年12月—2011年9月,2012年9月—2013年6月按季度采样对长江口北支水域氮、磷营养盐的季度变化规律、形态组成以及环境因子间相互关系进行了分析。结果显示溶解性无机氮存在形态主要是硝酸盐,占90%以上,浓度变化规律为夏秋高于春冬两季;溶解性无机氮、总氮峰值分别为3.99 mg/L及1.70 mg/L,均出现在2011年夏季,该现象与当年洪期长江流域连日降雨有关。长江径流所携带营养盐是导致北支无机氮、总磷浓度变化的主要原因。对理化因子进行相关性分析表明,盐度、pH值是营养盐最主要的限制因子。     

Phosphorus in the sediment of the Loosdrecht lakes and its implications for lake restoration perspectives

In 1984 the external phosphorus load of the shallow eutrophic Loosdrecht lakes was reduced from 3.3 to 1.0 mg m^–2 d^–1. The effect of phosphorus release from the sediment on lake restoration was investigated. Diffusive release under aerobic conditions (20 °C) decreased from 1 mg m^–2 d^–1 in 1984 to 0.3 mg m^–2 d^–1 in 1990. The generation of inorganic phosphorus due to mineralization during summer equals 3 mg m^–2 d^–1, which is much higher than the measured rate of diffusive release. Despite that, the phosphorus release is hardly stimulated by anaerobic conditions, which indicates that only a small amount of phosphorus is adsorbed by ferric iron in the top sediment layer. This apparent discrepancy is probably caused by the uptake of inorganic phosphorus uptake during resuspension and the loss of inorganic phosphorus with downward seepage.The estimated removal of phosphorus due to downward seepage of 0.8 mg m^–2 d^–1 agrees well with the average phosphorus retention in the lake. This indicates that sediment burial and diagenesis are unimportant mechanisms for withdrawing phosphorus from the nutrient cycle.Between 1982 and 1991 the total phosphorus content of the upper 2 cm of the sediment decreased from 0.94 to 0.60 g kg^–1 DW. At present, about 20% of total phosphorus in this layer is potentially bioavailable, but largely incorporated in easily degradable organic matter. This pool is much smaller in deeper layers. Based on the estimated and measured rates and pool sizes, the annual average phosphorus cycle in the lakes was modelled to evaluate the effects of various restoration measures. The main predictions of the model are: 1) further reduction of the external load may cause a gradual decrease of the total phosphorus concentration in the lake water; 2) dredging and iron addition, without reduction of the external load, may give a rapid improvement followed by a slow return to the present situation; and 3) reduction of the external load, combined with a cut off of downward seepage will not improve the water quality.     

Distribution Characteristics of Phosphorus in the Sediments and Overlying Water of Poyang Lake

Phosphorus (P) is a key indicator of the aquatic organism growth and eutrophication in lakes. The distribution and speciation of P and its release characteristics from sediments were investigated by analyzing sediment and water samples collected during high flow and low flow periods. Results showed that the average concentrations (ranges) of total phosphorus (TP) in the surface and deep water were 0.06 mg L^-1 (0.03–0.13 mg L^-1) and 0.15 mg L^-1 (0.06–0.33 mg L^-1), respectively, while the average concentration (range) of TP in sediments was 709.17 mg kg^-1 (544.76–932.11 mg kg^-1). The concentrations of TP and different forms of P varied spatially in the surface sediments, displaying a decreasing trend from south to north. P also varied topographically from estuarine areas to lake areas. The vertical distribution of TP and different forms of P were observed to decrease as depth increased. The P concentrations during the low flow period were higher than those during the high flow period. Inorganic phosphorus (IP) was the dominant form of P, accounting for 61%–82% of TP. The concentration of bioavailable phosphorus in sediments was relatively large, indicating a high risk of release to overlying water. The simulation experiment of P release from sediments showed that the release was relatively fast in the first 0-5 min and then decreased to a plateau after 1 hr. Approximately 84–89% of the maximum amount of P was released during the first hour.     

Variability in the water chemistry of shallow ponds in southeast England, with special reference to the seasonality of nutrients and implications for modelling trophic status

The variability in water chemistry of samples taken on a monthly basis (October 1990–December 1991) from 31 shallow, artificial ponds in southeast England was examined. The survey revealed great within-year variation in the concentrations of nutrients. Total phosphorus (TP) concentrations displayed no overall marked seasonal pattern, although many sites experienced summer peaks with a simultaneous increase in soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations, indicating that sediment P release occurred. SRP and nitrate (NO₃–N) concentrations displayed a marked seasonal pattern similar to that observed in deep, stratifying lakes, with 55% and 94% of the sites surveyed, respectively, experiencing a decline in concentrations in the spring, maintaining low levels throughout summer and the highest levels occurring in winter. Dissolved silica (SiO₂–(Si) also displayed a marked seasonal distribution with a spring decline in concentrations associated with diatom growth, followed by an increase in the summer.The study demonstrated that intra-annual variability in nutrient concentrations is high and tends to be greatest in the most enriched waters. Thus, a high sampling frequency is required to provide representative annual mean data. Furthermore, annual means rather than winter–spring means provide more appropriate estimates of TP and SRP in these waters, owing to the importance of internal cycling of nutrients in summer. The findings are especially relevant to sampling strategy design and the averaging of seasonal water chemistry data for use in predictive models of lake trophic status.     

The distribution of phosphorus between soluble and particulate phases for seven Scottish East Coast rivers

Phosphorus (P) fractions were quantified in water samples collected on four occasions from sites at the lower tidal limit of seven Scottish East Coast rivers. Individual catchment characteristics ranged from those dominated by semi-natural land use to those where agriculture predominated. Together the rivers displayed attributes ranging from nearly pristine to those impacted by point and diffuse sources of pollutants. Sampling times were chosen to coincide with periods of low river flows where conditions should result in low concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) but favourable for phytoplankton growth. Total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were < 0.004 mg l^–1, 0.005–0.048 mg l^–1 and 0.28–2.2 mg l^–1 for pristine, agricultural and point source impacted rivers respectively. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) represented from < 5% to > 90% of TP and dissolved P dominated all samples. The total phosphorus content (TPC) of SMP ranged from 0.1 to 1.1% and was significantly related to SRP. Organic matter was a significant component of SPM and organically bound phosphorus was the dominant form of particulate P. The C/P ratio of organic matter was wide, between 500–1200 for the more pristine systems which narrowed to < 400 for heavily impacted rivers. Exchangeable P increased during the summer but was generally a minor component of TP and therefore likely to be a significant source of SRP only in pristine rivers. Phytoplankton constituted between 5 and 46% of organic matter and concentrations of chlorophyll-a were significantly correlated with both TP and SRP.     

Case studies of variations in suspended matter transport in small catchments

Changes of water and suspended sediment composition during three single flood events were investigated in two small catchments in the Mosel region. In addition to suspended sediment characteristics (turbidity, loss on ignition, density, chlorophyll content), several different nutrients and heavy metals were determined in the dissolved and particulate phase. The flood events investigated were characterized by a single peaked hydrograph. In contrast suspended sediment concentrations and the other parameters showed more complex behaviour. The transport of suspended sediment was not only controlled by discharge magnitude. In the course of a flood event different suspended sediment sources are activated. Using the chemograph and the timing of samples collected during the hydrograph these suspended sediment sources can be identified. In addition to the remobilization of sediment and channel erosion, inputs of suspended solids from a sewage plant, road discharge, topsoil and interflow could be identified.     

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.     

Bio-availability of phosphorus in sediments of the western Dutch Wadden Sea

The purpose of this study was to make a prognosis of the effects of extended purification of terrestrial waste water, reaching the Wadden Sea by the River Rhine and Lake IJssel, on the phosphate concentration in the western Wadden Sea.The quantities of different phosphorus fractions in intertidal and subtidal sediments of the Marsdiep tidal basin (western Dutch Wadden Sea) were measured. Different methods are applied to determine the amount of phosphorus that can be released from these sediments. The direct bioavailability is determined by inoculating sediment suspensions with a natural mixture of precultured micro-organisms from the sampling area. A second approach is the measurement of the phosphate release under different redox conditions. Sequential extraction of sediment samples with different solvents is also applied. Under the present conditions and compared to the nutrient loads from fresh water (Lake IJssel) and from the North Sea, the phosphorus stored in the sediments of the western Dutch Wadden Sea plays a minor role in the total supply to micro-algae and bacteria. The bulk of the biologically available phosphorus in the sediments originates from the metal-associated fraction. Releasable phosphate may contribute to the local annual primary production to an extent of ca 45 to ca 150 g C m^–2 a^–1. The total amount of phosphorus in the sediment (mainly calcite associated) is twice to 6 times the biologically available amount.     

Phytoplankton community response to reservoir aging, 1968–92

The effects of reservoir aging on the phytoplankton community of amidwestern U.S. reservoir constructed in 1965 (Pawnee Reservoir) werestudied by comparing algal biovolume and species composition from April 1992through November 1992 to surveys conducted in 1968–73 and 1990. Meansummer total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen, Secchi disk depth, totalsuspended solids, chlorophyll a, and phytoplankton species composition datacharacterized Pawnee Reservoir during 1968–69 as a high nutrient,relatively clear water environment. Phytoplankton biomass was relativelylow, consisting mainly of cyanophytes and non-flagellated chlorophytes.During 1970–73, water clarity was poor, total suspended solids werehigh, and total phosphorus was lower, but was still greater than 100 µgl^–1. The 1970–73 phytoplankton biomass was high and wasdominated by cyanophytes. Mean summer total phosphorus remained >100µg l^–1, water clarity remained poor, but phytoplanktonbiomass decreased significantly during 1990–92. The dramatic drop inchlorophyll a and low mean volatile suspended solids indicated thatinorganic suspended sediments, rather than phytoplankton, accounted for themajority of the turbidity in 1990-92. In addition to lower phytoplanktonbiomass, community composition shifted away from buoyancy-regulatingcyanophytes toward flagellated chlorophytes. These data suggest that asreservoirs located in agricultural watersheds age, (1) inorganic suspendedsediments have a significant effect on the light environment as well asphytoplankton biomass and species composition, (2) the control ofphytoplankton biomass and species composition shifts away from nutrients tolight and suspended sediments, and (3) there is a 1–2 year lag in theresponse of phytoplankton biomass to maximum nutrient loading during thetrophic upsurge period. Thus, sedimentation has been shown to be a primarydeterminant of plankton and benthic macroinvertebrate community compositionas Pawnee Reservoir aged.     

Eight years of internal phosphorus loading and changes in the sediment phosphorus profile of Lake Søbygaard,Denmark

During each of the first 8 years following an 80–90% reduction in external phosphorus loading of shallow, hypertrophic Lake Søbygaard, Denmark in 1982, phosphorus retention was found to be negative. Phosphorus release mainly occurred from April to October, net retention being close to zero during winter. Net internal phosphorus loading was 8 g P m^–2 y^–1 in 1983 and slowly decreased to 2 g P m^–2 y^–1 in 1990, mainly because of decreasing sediment phosphorus release during late summer and autumn. The high net release of phosphorus from Lake Søbygaard sediment is attributable to a very high phosphorus concentration and to a high transport rate in the sediment caused by bioturbation and gas ebullition. Sediment phosphorus concentration mainly decreased at a depth of 5 to 20 cm, involving sediment layers down to 23 cm. Maximum sediment phosphorus concentration, which was 11.3 mg P g^–1 dw at a depth of 14–16 cm in 1985, decreased to 8.6 mg P g^–1 dw at a depth of 16–18 cm in 1991. Phosphorus fractionation revealed that phosphorus release was accompanied by a decrease in NH₄Cl-P + NaOH-P and organic phosphorus fractions. HCl-P increased at all sediment depths. The Fe:P ratio in the superficial layer stabilized at approximately 10. Net phosphorus release can be expected to continue for another decade at the present release rate, before an Fe:P ratio of 10 will be reached in the sediment layers from which phosphorus is now being released.     

Geochemical composition,phosphorus speciation and mass transport of fine-grained sediment in two Lake Erie tributaries

The concentration of major elements (Si, Al, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Ti, Mn and P), particulate phosphorus forms (NH₄Cl-RP, BD-RP, NaOH-RP, HCl-RP and NaOH₍₈₅₎-RP) and carbon content were determined in six size fractions (<8, 8–12, 12–19, 19–31, 31–42 and 42–<60 µm) of sediment collected at gauging stations located in two Lake Erie tributaries (Big Creek and Big Otter Creek). Concentrations of major elements and phosphorus forms were remarkably similar in sediment size fractions from both rivers. Nonapatite inorganic P (NAIP) and organic P (OP) concentrations increased with decreasing grain size while apatite inorganic P (AIP) content decreased with decreasing grain size. Results of phosphorus fractionation studies were combined with historical (particle size) and hydrometric data to simulate the export of particle P on tributary sediment < 63 µm. AIP represents 67 and 70% of the calculated particulate P mass while NAIP accounts for 26 and 23% of sediment-bound P transported in Big Otter Creek and Big Creek, respectively. The < 8 µm size fraction of tributary sediment is the most significant for the potential release of bioavailable P into the water column.