Changes in sediment phosphate composition of seasonal ponds during filling

Most ponds from the Doñana National Park are shallow temporary freshwater bodies on eolian sands. The total phosphate concentration and the fractional P-composition of the sediments from two small ponds were studied before and inmediately after they were filled (autumn, 1996). Total phosphorus concentration was measured in 2 different size fractions: 2–0.1 mm (coarse) and <0.1 mm (fine). In both ponds, the total phosphorus concentration of the fine sediment increased by 20% at the beginning of the filling period, whereas 5 weeks later it did not increase further. The percentage of organic matter of the fine sediment was relatively high (between 13–18%) and did not change significantly during filling. The concentration of sediment total iron and Fe(OOH) increased significantly in both ponds during filling. The sequential P fractionation of the fine sediment included, besides the determination of two inorganic fractions (Ca-bound P and Fe-bound P), an organic-P fraction extracted with acid, another extracted with alkali, two organic-P fractios from the Ca-EDTA/dithionite and the Na₂-EDTA extracts which contained high concentrations of humic substances. The pond sediments were rich in organic P compounds as the sum of all organic-P fractions ranged between 267 and 320 g g^-1 (68% and 79% of the sum of all fractions). Significant changes (P<0.01) in the fractional P-composition of sediments were found after filling. Acid soluble organic phosphate increased about 30% in both ponds. Iron-bound phosphate increased significantly (about 40%) only in the pond where a higher concentration of Fe(OOH) was measured after filling. An adsorption experiment was carried out for each sediment to simulate P input during filling. Both the iron-bound phosphate and Ca-bound P increased significantly (P<0.01) suggesting that these two fractions were involved in the P-adsorption during the laboratory experiment.     

Longitudinal patterns of phosphorus and phosphorus binding in sediment of a lowland lake–river system

In the Warnow River and its tributaries in North Germany, measurements were made to characterise the longitudinal patterns of nutrients in the riverbed and lake sediments. The sediment composition was analysed based on dry weight, organic matter, mean grain size and concentration of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, aluminium and sulfur. Sediment phosphate was investigated in more detail by means of a sequential chemical extration. The phosphate was differently bound to the sediment particles in the upstream region than in the impounded section of the Warnow River and ist tributaries. Accumulation of fine sediment with high P-concentrations was recorded in the lake sediments and in the impounded section of the river. These impounded sections were the most important P-pool in the whole catchment area and played an important role in P-retention in the river system. Organic matter concentration, P-accumulation and P-binding in the sediment of the impounded section is corresponding with those of lake sediments. During the summer, anoxic P-release from the sediment in the impounded section was measured and calculated. The reductant-soluble fraction of the P-fractionation underestimated the release under anoxic condition. Adsorbed phosphorus and organic phosphate play an important role in P-release in the impounded part of the river.     

Mixis strategies and resting eeg production of rotifers living in temporally-varying habitats

The organic phosphate pool of some Camargue sediments (South of France) was studied, after removal of inorganic phosphate, with Ca-NTA/dithionite (Fe bound phosphate) and Na-EDTA (Ca bound phosphate). The organic phosphate was divided into an acid soluble organic phosphate fraction (ASOP) and a residual organic phosphate fraction (ROP). The extraction of organic matter with 2.0 M NaOH (90 °C) from ROP yielded considerable quantities of Org-P. In this extract the presence of phytate (inositol hexa phosphate) could be demonstrated using phytase to hydrolyse the phytate. Phytate was shown to account for a considerable part of organic phosphate in sediments of freshwater marsh sediments as well as in the sediment of the brackish/salt water lake ‘Etang de Vaccares’. In laboratory experiments phytate was found to precipitate with all poly-valent cations tested. Furthermore, phytate was found to be strongly adsorbed onto Fe(OOH), which may explain its accumulation and its stability in sediments. Considerable quantities of ASOP were found; the chemical stucture of this pool remains unknown.     

Variability of the sediment phosphate composition of a temporary pond (Doñana National Park,SW Spain)

This study reports on the spatial and temporal variability of the phosphate composition in the sediment of a temporary pond over a period of 3 years using the EDTA-method for P-fractionation. Sediment samples were collected at three different sites (open-water, littoral and flood plain) to compare the effect of the length of the wet/dry phase on the sediment phosphate composition, with special emphasis on the potential bioavailability of the P-fractions.Fine sediments (<0.1 mm) were rich in organic matter (9–25%) and contained high mean concentrations of Tot-P (182–655 mg kg^–1 d.w.), especially in the flood plain sediment. The sediment P composition was dominated by P-organic fractions at all sites (64–94%). The average C/N ratios were 8.8, 6.0 and 5.9 for sediments of the flood plain, littoral and open-water sites, respectively. The flood plain sediment was significantly poorer in iron-bound P (FeOOHP), but richer in the P-organic fractions extracted by EDTA than the sediment of the open-water site (P<0.01). The percentage of organic matter increased significantly in the sediment of the open-water site at the end of each dry season (P<0.05), while it decreased in the sediment of the flood plain site (P<0.01). In all sediments, the fraction of Fe(OOH)P decreased at the end of each dry season and some of these changes were significant (P<0.05). The decrease in the fraction of Fe(OOH)P was not related to changes in the sediment redox potential. Although the flood plain site was dry longer than the open-water site during the study period, the differences between the sediment composition of both sites were probably due to the effect of plant growth on the dry sediments of the flood plain site rather than to a direct effect of desiccation.     

Particle size-related phosphate binding and P-release at the sediment–water interface in a shallow German lake

Phosphate binding and P-release in the sediment of the eutrophic shallow Lake Bützow are described based on sediment profiles, particle size fractions and incubation experiments. Total phosphorus was about 15% higher in the upper 0.5 cm layer than in the 0.5–1 cm layer. Phosphorus binding varied with sediment depth. Hot P_NaOH and P_HCl were the dominant fractions in all sediment horizons down to 10 cm depth, with values ranging from 20 to 30%. The P_H2O, P_BD, o-P_NaOH and nr-P_NaOH decreased with depth. The P_BD contributed 21% to Tot-P in the horizon 0–0.5 cm and decreased by half in 1–2 cm. The greatest proportion of particles (35%) was found in the 100–200 m fraction. This size fraction also accumulated most of the phosphate. Moreover, P-forms were differently distributed in the various particle sizes of the sediment. Sediment particles <40 m can be resuspended by a wind velocity of 2 m s^–1, whereby 17% of the Tot-P from the topmost sediment were transported into the water column. The proportions of released labile phosphate, organic phosphate and hydrolysable phosphate were higher, with values of 24, 33 and 26%, respectively. Dissolved P was released under oxic and anoxic incubation, but anoxic release was higher. Comparison of the results shows that the P-release under anoxic conditions was equal to the P-release by resuspension, but under anoxic conditions the release of bioavailable P was higher.     

Fractional phosphate composition in sediments from a tropical river (Catatumbo River, Venezuela)

The distribution of phosphate species in the Catatumbo River, Venezuela, was studied using a sequential extraction scheme. Extraction was performed using 1.0 M NH₄Cl, 0.1 M Na₂S₂O₄–NaHCO₃, 1.0 M NaOH and 0.5 M HCl. Total phosphate was in the range between 121 and 581 g g^–1 D.W. About 64% of the total phosphate is inorganic and present the following composition: 1% NH₄Cl-P, 10% BD-P, 20% NaOH-P, 33% HCl-P; while org-P is 36%. The main form of P in sediment from the Catatumbo River is calcium bound-P, like apatite. The metal concentrations present in sediment are in the following order: Fe> Al > Ca > Mg > Mn. Relationships between P and Fe, Al and Ca were found. Cluster analysis showed that speciation is not dependent on the inorganic matrix of the sediments. Analysing the influence of NaOH concentration and duration of the extraction invalidated the use of NaOH as extracting agent in P-speciation.