Reconstruction of Middle Pleistocene palaeoenvironments based on pollen and stable isotope investigations at Val-de-Lans,Isère,France

In the Vercors uplands, south-west of Grenoble, the Val-de-Lans syncline is filled with thick lacustrine and glacio-lacustrine Pleistocene deposits. Artifacts discovered on its surface indicate an age older than the last glaciation. Pollen analytical investigations of five sediment sequences, including lake marls, has enabled the reconstruction of the interglacial vegetation cycle (La Côte Interglacial) which, taking into account the rôle played by Abies and a Pterocarya expansion towards the end of the interglacial, may be correlated with the Holsteinian Interglacial. At the site Lolette, this interglacial is followed by two short stadials which alternate with interstadials characterised by Picea forests. Oxygen isotope studies, including ¹⁸O investigations, provide additional evidence for climate changes during the interglacial.     

The Kärlich interglacial,Middle Rhine region,Germany: vegetation history and stratigraphic position

Pollen analytical investigations have been carried out on the sediments of five profiles from a former lake exposed at the Kärlich clay-pit, Middle Rhine region, of Germany, with the aim of clarifying the stratigraphic position of the Kärlich Interglacial (Middle Pleistocene) within the European Pleistocene. The pollen sequence starts with a QM (Quercetum mixtum) phase followed by a Carpinus phase. After the interglacial period there are oscillations (Mühlheim I and II Stadials, and the Kettig Interstadial) and the sequence ends with a cold steppe phase. Parallel with these developments, conditions in the lake changed from meso- to eutrophic and back again to meso-oligotrophic. The lake was finally filled in by silty and organic sediments and then covered by loessic material, with evidence for oscillations between limnic and telmatic phases. Numerous macrofossil remains in the interglacial sediments allowed reconstruction of plant communities mainly from the lake itself, but also from the surrounding forests. The pollen analytical results indicate a warm stage that belongs to the Cromerian Complex. That is corroborated by a good conformity with the upper part of the Cromerian interglacial (Rhume Interglacial) from Bilshausen, Lower Saxony, Germany, which is considered to belong to the youngest part of the Cromerian Complex. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laser dates of the Brockentuff (396±20 ka), a basaltic tephra deposited during the early QM phase of the same warm stage, enable the interglacial sequence to be correlated with oxygen isotope stage 11. On account of biostratigraphic arguments and old-palaeolithic artefacts within the interglacial sediments, the Kärlich Interglacial is considered to have its stratigraphical position between the Cromerian IV (based on the Dutch stratigraphy) and the Holsteinian sensu stricto.     

The importance of drawdown and sediment removal for the restoration of the eutrophied shallow Lake Kraenepoel (Belgium)

Lake Kraenepoel (Belgium) is a shallow lake (22 ha), divided in two basins since 1957 by a shallow dike. The lake was used for fish farming until World War II and was drawn down about every 5 years to harvest fish. Despite its dense historical carp population, it had clear water and a rich Littorelletea vegetation. During the course of the 20th century, the lake became eutrophic and the Littorelletea vegetation degraded. The northern basin, which was still drawn down about every decade after 1957, retained its clear water and had a dense submerged macrophyte vegetation. The southern basin, which was never drawn down after 1957 and which received direct surface water inputs, had become a turbid shallow lake with phytoplankton blooms in summer. In 2000, efforts were taken to restore the lake: the entire lake was drawn down, the fish community was biomanipulated, nutrient-rich surface water inputs were diverted from the southern basin and sediments were removed (only in the northern basin). Fish biomanipulation and sediment removal were successful in the northern basin, as nutrient levels declined and the Littorelletea vegetation recovered. In the southern basin, sediment analyses indicated that drawdown resulted in sediments with a lower water and organic matter content and water column turbidity decreased after the drawdown. But pH in the southern basin declined to <4, probably because sulphides in the sediment were oxidized during drawdown and sediment desiccation. In contrast, desiccated sediments were removed from the northern basin and pH did not decline below 6 after restoration. In spite of the still high dissolved nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton biomass declined significantly in the southern basin, probably due to acidification. However, no Littorelletea species colonised the lake bottom in the southern basin. Thus, lake drawdown may be a useful management technique to promote clear water conditions in shallow lakes. However, acidification due to sulphide oxidation may be an undesirable outcome and should be considered in drawdown and sediment desiccation manipulations.     

On the history of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brasenia</Emphasis> Schreb. in the European Pleistocene

Brasenia Schreb. is a monotypic genus in the Cabombaceae, present nowadays on all continents except Europe and Antarctica. This thermophilous aquatic plant, which originated in the Tertiary, was a frequent element of aquatic plant life during the interglacial stages of the European Pleistocene. A systematic review of the palaeobotanical records of Brasenia pollen and seeds reveals its history in Europe from the Plio-Peistocene until the Eemian interglacial. Remains of Brasenia were typical for the climatic optima during each of these stages of the Pleistocene. In this paper the diversity of fossil Brasenia species is also shown. The most abundant and morphologically diverse seeds were found in sediments from eastern European sites. Brasenia species became extinct in Europe at the end of the last interglacial or at the beginning of the Weichselian glaciation. Different scenarios for their disappearance are proposed, including the specificity of the floral cycle, probable poor dispersal of seeds, or the scarcity of suitable water bodies for it to survive.     

Arsenic transport between water and sediments

Arsenic discharged into the Moira River has accumulated in the sediments of Moira Lake during the past century. The chronology of arsenic concentrations in the sediments, established using Pb-210 dating, has a subsurface concentration maximum (> 1000 g g^–1) that reflects higher inputs to the lake 15 to 45 years ago. The distribution coefficient (K_d) of arsenic in the surficial sediments was low (4000–6000 L kg^–1) and decreased below the sediment water interface. Higher concentrations of exchangeable As also were extracted deeper in the sediments. As a result, arsenic is mobile in the sediment column and the flux of arsenic via diffusion and particle resuspension from the sediments into the water is greater than current external loading from the Moira River. Less than 20% of the external input of arsenic is buried in the lake sediments. Using these flux measurements and a one dimensional model of arsenic transport in the sediment column, we constructed the history of arsenic exchange between water and sediments throughout the past century. The simulations predict that arsenic input into the water from the sediments has been > 20 % of external loading for the past 25 years and will continue to be important in the future as diffusion and resuspension regenerate arsenic from the mixed layer of the sediments into the overlying water.     

Glacial-interglacial changes in moisture balance and the impact on vegetation in the southern hemisphere tropical Andes (Bolivia/Peru)

A palynological investigation of the last glacial-interglacial cycle in the southern hemisphere tropical Andes reveals changes in the moisture balance as the main driver in vegetation change. Thirty accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dates, biostratigraphy and tephra correlation reveal that a 119 m sediment core recovered from the Huiñaimarca sub-basin of Lake Titicaca (16.0° to 17.5° S, 68.5° to 70° W; 3810 masl) contains sediments covering > 151,000 years. Correlation of aridity indicators with precessional variations in insolation is used to fine tune the structure of the age-depth curve within this period.Variations in Isoëtes concentration (above/below 10,000 grains/cm³) identify the extent of shallow water environments. Examination of another palaeolimnological indicator (Pediastrum) and consideration of the bathymetry of the Huiñaimarca sub-basin allow the reconstruction of lake-level fluctuations. These data indicate five wet/dry cycles between c. 151,000 and 14,200 cal yr BP. High stands are suggested during the transition into (c. 134,000 cal yr BP), and out of (c. 114,000 and 92,000 cal yr BP), the last interglacial, and during full glacial conditions (c. 70,000 and 45,000 cal yr BP). These cycles are superimposed on a general trend of deepening lake levels through the glacial period.This interpretation is supported by correlation with sediments from Salar de Uyuni (20°S, 68°W; 3653 masl). The youngest wet episode is concurrent with palaeolake Minchin (c. 45,000 cal yr BP), with further evidence for an additional wet period commencing c. 28,000 cal yr BP, concomitant with palaeolake Tauca. The timing of lake level fluctuations is also supported by palaeoshoreline reconstructions from the Uyuni-Poopó region. However, our data do not suggest a major peak in lake level in Huiñaimarca during the Ouki lake cycle (c. 120,000–98,000 cal yr BP) as inferred from U–Th ages obtained from palaeoshorelines around Lago Poopó. The most extreme dry event occurs during the last interglacial period and resulted in a sedimentary hiatus tentatively dated to c. 121,000–129,000 cal yr BP.The observed wet/dry cycles are shown to have a marked and rapid impact on the vegetation. The aridity of the last interglacial promoted a community dominated by Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthacae, with no modern Andean analogue. Polylepis/Acaena pollen is also shown to fluctuate markedly (0–20%), particularly during the transitions into, and out of, the last interglacial. It is probable that this pollen taxon is primarily representative of the high altitude arboreal genus Polylepis, which is a key component of highly biodiverse Andean woodlands today. Rapid fluctuations indicate the sensitivity of this ecosystem to natural environmental pressure and potential vulnerability to future human impact and climate change.The 100,000 year (eccentricity) solar cycle is shown to be the major controlling factor in moisture balance and vegetation over the last glacial-interglacial cycle. However, significant fluctuations in moisture balance are also evident on timescales considerably shorter than the full glacial-interglacial cycle. We have linked these to precessional (21,000 year) forcing. Nevertheless, precise independent dating during the full glacial cycle is required to confirm the importance of this forcing mechanism.     

A complete pollen record of the last 230 ka from Lynch's Crater, north-eastern Australia

Recent drilling eventually reached to the base of the sediments of Lynch's Crater on the Atherton Tableland within the humid tropics of north-eastern Australia. This paper incorporates results from the sequence extension into a complete record from the site, much of which has only been presented previously in summary form. A more certain chronology for the record is provided by recent radiocarbon dating on the topmost sediments and the application of time series analysis to the whole sequence. This suggests that the vegetation and climate are forced essentially by northern hemisphere insolation and ice volume, probably operating through sea level and sea surface temperature changes. The extended record is considered to cover the last 230,000 years and the pattern of complex rainforest expansion during wetter interglacial periods and its replacement by drier rainforest and sclerophyll vegetation during drier glacials is maintained. Superimposed on this cyclicity are trends resulting from both the evolution of the lake basin as well as external influences that include climate and, within the last 45,000 years, people.     

Factors affecting the distribution of benthic and littoral rotifers in a large marine lagoon,together with the description of a new species

Diffusion plays an important role in the exchange processes between lake sediments and the overlying water. Compounds entering the sediments usually have to penetrate through a certain mud thickness, where a reaction may then occur, while compounds being released have to diffuse through the interstitial water before escaping into the lake water.In this article mathematical functions are given which describe certain cases. They are all based on the differential diffusion equation of Fick, but for different boundary conditions different mathematical solutions of partial differential equations are needed. Four of these are presented in this paper, covering the cases of a compound diffusing into the sediments, with or without a chemical reaction occurring in the sediments, combined with either a constant or a non-constant concentration in the water.Furthermore a numerical approach is proposed in which the calculations are made by an iteration process over time and space. The results are presented as a series of concentrations as a function of time and depth in the sediment layer. It is shown in the first place that the time and the space steps must be sufficient small in agreement with the dimensions and time scale of the processes studied in order to obtain a satisfactory precision. The results can be fitted to a simplified exponential equation of the form (A · e^{–·t b} – B), which can be used for a quick assessment of special cases, depends on porosity, ratio between water and mud height; b 0.667. Furthermore this equation can be used to extrapolate from laboratory experiments with the sediments of a specific lake to results valid for the lake itself.The numerical model has also been used to describe the backward diffusion of an eventual product of a chemical reaction, which will diffuse further downward, but also upward. This is e.g. the case for the N₂O production during denitrification experiments when acetylene is applied as an inhibitor.Finally, the application of so called peepers and benthic chambers is discussed, while many of their disadvantages are explained.     

Measuring contaminant transport rates between water and sediments using limnocorrals

Radiotracers injected as soluble salts into 1.2 m³ limnocorrals in a shallow dystrophic lake were transported rapidly (2 to 12% d^–1) from the water to the bottom sediments. Removal rates of most contaminants declined after 14 days. Tracers were removed from the water much more rapidly than stable element analogs present naturally. After 3 weeks Am, Co, Ra, Hg, Sn and Fe activities on the enclosure walls were greater than 15% of the activity in the water. However, activity on the walls was a small fraction (< 6%) of the total amount of tracer injected. Particle fluxes inside the corrals were lower and much less variable than those measured outside. This difference appears to result from greater resuspension of bottom sediments in the lake than in the enclosures. Both particle-bound and soluble tracers were measured in cores of bottom sediments. Tracer sorption onto particles, diffusion into the bottom sediments, and uptake on the plastic enclosure walls were rapid and reversible. Tracer kinetics were very reproducible in replicate enclosures, providing a simple, experimental system in which limnological conditions can be manipulated. Loss rates and distributions of stable isotopes and radioisotopes can be used to develop and test a general model of element transport applicable to both short and long term analyses.     

Pre-industrial particulate emissions and carbon sequestration from biomass burning in North America

Spatial trends in pre-industrial biomass burning emissions for eastern North America were reconstructed from sediment charcoal data. Petrographic thin sections were prepared from varved lake sediments along a transect of sites extending from NW Minnesota eastward to NE Maine. Results showed an exponential decline in charcoal abundance with distance east from the prairie/forest border. This result quantifies burning along the broad climate/vegetation gradient from xeric woodland to mesic eastern deciduous forest. Post-settlement charcoal accumulation showed no such geographic pattern, varying from site-to-site, likely reflecting local variability in land use and combustion sources. Results suggest the total emissions of large (> 10 m diameter) charcoal particles decreased by a factor of three during the twentieth century.     

Methane turnover in exposed sediments of an Amazon floodplain lake

In the Amazon floodplain large areas of unvegetatedlake sediments are exposed to air during low water. Imeasured methane fluxes from exposed sediments of anAmazonian floodplain lake and assessed the regulatingfactors. Methane emission decreased from values between 10 and 40 mol CH₄ m^{minus 2} h^{minus 1}to zero when the sediments were exposed to air. Meanfluxes were about 3.7 mol CH₄m^{minus 2} h^{minus 1}. Fluxes were low compared tomeasurements taken from flooded habitats makingexposed lake sediments a negligible source ofatmospheric CH₄. This was mainly due to the lackof ebullition which governs methane flux in theflooded phase. Methane oxidation at the sedimentsurface consumed up to 75% of the methane enteringthe oxidised zone. Compared with CO₂ emissionmethane turnover was of minor importance for thecarbon budget of the sediments.     

Physico-chemical characteristics and origin of hypersaline meromictic Lake Garrow in the Canadian high Arctic

Garrow Lake (75° 23 N; 96° 50 W), located 3 km from the southern tip of Little Cornwallis Island and 6.7 m above mean sea level, is a meromictic ecto-creno-cryogenic lake with an area of 418 ha and a maximum water depth of 49 m. The thermal stratification of this lake is mesothermic (heliothermic). Some of the solar energy that penetrates through the 2 m ice cover is stored for a long period of time in the upper level of the monimolimnion, under a greenhouse effect due the water density gradient. The energy transfer (0.06 °C m ^–1) by conduction toward the bottom sediments is very constant from one year to the next and is likely to prevent the presence of permafrost under this water body.In its chemical composition, this meromictic lake is quite comparable to the world's saltiest water bodies and is the first lake, with a salinity greater than sea water to be reported for the Canadian Arctic. Its anoxic monimolimnion is nearly three times (90) as salty as normal sea water.This hypersaline water seems to have been derived from isostatic trapped marine waters within the present lacustrine basin as well as from underground during deglaciation of the area. The subsequent freezing-out of salt from the underground waters and the migration and accumulation of these waters in the bottom of Garrow Lake through a talik within the permafrost were the main contributing factors. The speed of formation and migration of the underground brine was a function of the postglacial isostatic uplift rate as well as the permafrost growth rate.     

Local vegetation dynamics and human habitation from the last interglacial to the early Holocene at Theopetra cave,central Greece: the evidence from wood charcoal analysis

This paper presents the results of wood charcoal analysis carried out on material from Theopetra cave in central Greece. The sequence dates from prior to 130–8 ka bp and is made up of layers of both anthropogenic and geogenic origins. The study of the wood charcoal samples from these layers sets out to distinguish changes in the local vegetation through time, to correlate these with broader environmental conditions and to discuss how they may relate to differences in the frequency and intensity of human occupation of the cave from shortly before the last interglacial to the Holocene. Changes in the presence and frequency of Prunus sp., Juniperus sp. as well as taxa needing temperate, thermophilous or riverine conditions in successive layers reflect a pattern of vegetation succession that can be correlated with the pollen and marine isotope stage (MIS) records. The earliest human occupation took place in an open park-woodland environment dominated by Prunus during the late MIS 6–6/5 transition. This was followed by a succession of temperate woodlands with deciduous Quercus, Carpinus and Fraxinus, reflecting the optimal conditions of the last interglacial (MIS 5e), followed by more open vegetation during subsequent cooling events. Middle Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers visited the cave repeatedly during the last interglacial, in contrast to more sporadic human presence during the following climatic deterioration. This was characterized by Juniperus dominated steppe and open vegetation and/or riparian woods, reflecting the harsh and unstable climatic conditions of the pleniglacial. Finally, the expansion of Pistacia and re-establishment of temperate woodland points to climatic amelioration during the Holocene from which there is evidence of regular use of the cave by Mesolithic and Neolithic people. The dominant role of Prunus observed in several periods provides important complementary information to the pollen evidence from the late Pleistocene.     

Community metabolism on rocky-shore assemblages in a mesocosm: A. Fluctuations in production,respiration, chlorophyll a content and C:N ratios of grazed and non-grazed assemblages

Studies were undertaken with the aim of developing a standardized method for assessing environmental pollution in sediments by utilization of life-history data of freshwater tubificids. Similar bioassay methods have long been used for Daphnia magna, species of Ceriodaphnia and Nitocra, etc. in accordance with guidelines from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Tubifex tubifex was found to be the most likely candidate for such bioassays, since the species is readily kept in culture and reproduces more or less consistantly.The culturing method is slightly modified from Kosiorek (1974). This paper provides an example of the particular sensitivity of this kind of bioassay method in the detection of heavy metal contamination of lake sediments. Sediments from the oligotrophic Lake Runn were considered suitable for the purpose, since the lake receives waste water from a major mining industry in Sweden. Metal analyses of the sediments had revealed the agents likely to be causing the decreased biological activity measured in the lake; rough amplitudes for mercury: 800–3600 ng · g^-1 dw, copper: 800–1800 g · g^-1 dw, zinc: 3.3 – 8.1 mg · g g^-1 dw have been estimated for surficial sediments.Young tubificids exposed to Lake Runn sediments did not grow much and died off within a short period of time. No reproduction occurred. Sediments from Lake Runn, when mixed with sediments from the eutrophic Lake Hjälmaren, made reproduction of T. tubifex occur only in mixtures containing less than 50% L. Runn sediments. The growth rate, reproductive success and the very timing of consecutive reproductive events of cohort individuals were found to be highly indicative of toxic effects. When additional food sources were available, however, these effects were largely masked. Therefore, extra food rations were excluded from the original method.     

立地尺度植被重建模型MARCO POLO的应用分析——以柴达木盆地为例

立地尺度植被定量重建是对利用孢粉进行古气候和古环境研究的一个重要补充。一些新的定量重建模型相继提出,但其适用性仍需进一步验证。以柴达木盆地24个样方表土孢粉及4个湖泊表层沉积孢粉为研究对象,利用MARCO POLO模型重建立地尺度植被盖度并分析该模型的适用性。研究结果表明,由于地形开阔且风力较大,干旱区的大型湖泊沉积物中往往容易富集超代表性孢粉,使这些孢粉的区域信号增强,从而降低孢粉类型筛选的正确率。若湖泊与样方间的距离较近,湖泊表层孢粉能够更好地反映样方所在区域的孢粉特征,则有利于提高孢粉类型筛选的正确率。MARCO POLO模型中的孢粉代表性R值是将孢粉含量转化为植被盖度的关键参数。由于受到孢粉自身生产、传播、保存以及外部环境等多方面因素的影响,不同样方的R值可能差异很大。因此在运行该模型前需保证R值能够准确反映立地尺度中各孢粉类型与植被盖度的关系。仅在以柴达木盆地为代表的干旱区对该模型进行检验,今后仍需要在不同植被或气候区进行深入研究以全面了解该模型的适用条件。     

Aquatic vegetation and largemouth bass population responses to water-level variations in Lake Okeechobee,Florida (USA)

A five-year study examined the responses of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), emergent vegetation, and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to variations in water level in a large lake in Florida, USA. SAV was assessed using a combined transect survey/spatial mapping approach, emergent vegetation was quantified with aerial photography and GIS, and bass were surveyed by electro-shocking. During the period leading up to this study (1995–1999), water levels were high in the lake, and the SAV was reduced in spatial extent and biomass, compared to its condition in the early 1990s. Spatial extent of emergent vegetation also was low, and largemouth bass surveys indicated low densities and failure to recruit young fish into the population. This was attributed to the lack of critical vegetative habitat. In spring 2000, the lake was lowered by discharging water from major outlets, and this was followed by a regional drought. Water levels dropped by 1m, and there was widespread development of Chara lawns in shoreline areas, with coincident increases in water clarity. There was some germination of vascular SAV, but Chara was the extreme dominant, such that structural complexity remained low. There was no substantive improvement in bass recruitment. During 2001, water levels declined further, and emergent plants germinated in exposed areas of the lake bottom. SAV was restricted to sites farther offshore, and continued to be dominated by Chara. There again was no bass response. In 2002, conditions changed when water levels increased to a moderate depth, flooding shoreline habitat to 0.5m. Vascular SAV increased in biomass and spatial extent, such that the community developed a high structural complexity. At the same time, emergent aquatic plants developed dense stands along the western shoreline. Largemouth bass had a strong recruitment of young fish for the first time in 5years. Recruitment continued to be successful in 2003, when spatial extent of SAV was somewhat reduced by higher water but total biomass and diversity remained high. These results demonstrate an important effect of inter-annual variation in water depth on the population dynamics of aquatic plants and fish in a subtropical lake.     

The influence of calcium on the chlorophyll–phosphorus relationship and lake Secchi depths

The basic aim of this study was to analyse the influence of calcium on the Chl–TP relationship and to apply the findings to improve dynamic (mechanistically-based) modelling of phosphorus and lake eutrophication. We have analysed long-term data from 73 lakes. The influences of calcium found in these statistical analyses have been integrated into a dynamic foodweb model, the LakeWeb-model, which also includes a mass-balance model for phosphorus. Differences in the model outcome between simulations without and with considerations to the role of calcium are discussed. We can conclude that calcium is an important factor influencing both the Chl–TP relationship and Secchi depths in mesotrophic and eutrophic lakes. Our results also indicate that lakes with long-term median Ca-concentration between 10–30mg/l function as hardwater lakes. The results also stress the importance of taking a holistic view of lakes since the bedrock, soils and land-use activities in the catchment influence the calcium concentration in lakes and therefore the phosphorus cycle, water clarity and the productivity of a given lake. The predictive power of the Chl–TP regression increases markedly if hardwater lakes are omitted from the model domain. For lake foodweb and mass-balance modelling, we show that the inclusion of the presented calcium moderator clearly improved the predictions of lake TP-concentrations in water and sediments, chlorophyll and Secchi depths in Lake Erken, a hardwater lake in Sweden.     

Linkages between organic matter mineralization and denitrification in eight riparian wetlands

Denitrification (N₂ production) and oxygen consumption rates were measured at ambient field nitrate concentrations during summer in sediments from eight wetlands (mixed hardwood swamps, cedar swamps, heath dominated shrub wetland, herbaceous peatland, and a wetland lacking live vegetation) and two streams. The study sites included wetlands in undisturbed watersheds and in watersheds with considerable agricultural and/or sewage treatment effluent input. Denitrification rates measured in intact cores of water-saturated sediment ranged from 20 to 260 mol N m^-2 h^-1 among the three undisturbed wetlands and were less variable (180 to 260 mol N M^-2 h^-1) among the four disturbed wetlands. Denitrification rates increased when nitrate concentrations in the overlying water were increased experimentally (1 up to 770 M), indicating that nitrate was an important factor controlling denitrification rates. However, rates of nitrate uptake from the overlying water were not a good predictor of denitrification rates because nitrification in the sediments also supplied nitrate for denitrification. Regardless of the dominant vegetation, pH, or degree of disturbance, denitrification rates were best correlated with sediment oxygen consumption rates (r ² = 0.912) indicating a relationship between denitrification and organic matter mineralization and/or sediment nitrification rates. Rates of denitrification in the wetland sediments were similar to those in adjacent stream sediments. Rates of denitrification in these wetlands were within the range of rates previously reported for water-saturated wetland sediments and flooded soils using whole core¹⁵N techniques that quantify coupled nitrification/denitrification, and were higher than rates reported from aerobic (non-saturated) wetland sediments using acetylene block methods.     

The restoration of Lake Apopka in relation to alternative stable states: an alternative view to that of Bachmann et al. (1999)

Bachmann et al. (1999) postulated that wind energy initiated, and has maintained, high turbidity in hypertrophic (mean chlorophyll a = 92 g l^–1) Lake Apopka, Florida (mean depth = 1.6 m; area = 12500 ha). They asserted that the turbid condition was initiated by a hurricane in late 1947 that destroyed submersed plant beds and that high turbidity has since been maintained by wind-driven resuspension of fluid sediments. In their view, there has been sufficient light for re-establishment of submersed plants over about 38% of the lake bottom, but plant growth has been precluded by the fluid character of the sediments. They concluded that the restoration program of the St. Johns River Water Management District, which includes reduction of the phosphorus (P) loading rate, will not restore water clarity or submersed vegetation. An alternative explanation for Lake Apopka's turbid state is that it was initiated, and has been maintained, by excessive P loading that led to algal blooms and elimination of submersed vegetation through light limitation. The transition to the turbid state was contemporaneous with drainage of 7300 ha of the floodplain wetland to create polders for farming, beginning in the early 1940s. Lake P budgets indicate that drainage of the farms caused a seven-fold increase in the P loading rate (0.08 g TP m^–2 yr^–1 to 0.55 g TP m^–2 yr^–1). Paleolimnological analysis of lake sediments also indicates an increase in the P loading rate in mid-century, concomitant with the decline in submersed vegetation and the increase in phytoplankton abundance. After the increase in P loading, wind disturbance may have accelerated the transition to the turbid state; but, before the increase in P loading, wind disturbance was insufficient to elicit the turbid state, as evidenced by the stability of the clear-water state in the face of 14 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms from 1881 to 1946. Measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) indicate that light limitation has inhibited submersed plant growth except on the shallowest 5% of the lake bottom. Further, the correlation between the diffuse attentuation coefficient (K _PAR) and chlorophyll a (CHLA) indicates that light limitation would be removed over about 82% of the lake bottom with a reduction in CHLA from 92 g l^–1 to 25 g l^–1. Recently, following a 40% reduction in the P loading rate, the mean total P (TP) concentration, mean CHLA, and total suspended solids fell by about 30% while mean Secchi depth increased by more than 20%. Submersed plant beds appeared in areas devoid of macrophytes for nearly 50 years. These improvements, during a period with no change in mean wind speeds measured at Lake Apopka, provide the strongest evidence that the turbid state has been maintained by excessive P loading and that the current restoration program, which combines P load reduction with planting and removal of planktivorous fish, will be effective.     

Geochemical and physical characteristics of river and lake [2pt] sediments at Naivasha,Kenya

Prior studies on Lake Naivasha relevant to understanding sediment dynamics include a bathymetric map, a paleolimnological study of fossil invertebrate assemblages in lake sediment, an overview of lake level fluctuations throughout the 20th century, and identification of a dynamic assemblage of macrophyte zones that has responded both to these changes in lake level and to more recent, alien species. Sediment samples collected from the rivers systems and the lake were examined physically and chemically. River sediment characteristics reflect geology and geomorphological processes in the catchment, whereas lake sediment stratigraphy has responded to past lake level changes. Such changes have caused significant changes in aquatic vegetation assemblages. Present day sediment dynamics in the lake are governed by the presence of river point sources in the north and wave-induced re-suspension, such that sediments introduced by rivers are transported in easterly and southerly directions, and are eventually deposited in the eastern, central and southern parts of the lake. Sedimentary deposition is also occurring in northern areas that once were protected by papyrus swamp vegetation but now only have a narrow fringe, highlighting the important role of swamp vegetation in filtering out suspended particulates and thereby controlling water quality in the lake. Geochemical analyses of river and lake sediments indicate that they represent fairly undisturbed background conditions. Higher-than-expected concentrations of cadmium, iron, nickel and zinc found in both river and lake sediment are likely to derive from volcanic rocks and/or lateritic soils found in the lake catchment.