Spatial Heterogeneity of Nutrients and Organic Matter in Lake Ontario

1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 2192-2203 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Neilson ◽  
R. J. J. Stevens

During spring, Lake Ontario was vertically homogeneous except for the bottom 2 m where soluble reactive silica (SRS) and temperature (TEMP) were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated and dissolved oxygen was depleted. With stratification, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total filtered phosphorus, SRS, and nitrate-plus-nitrite were depleted in the epilimnion due to phytoplankton uptake. Total unfiltered phosphorus (TP) and ammonia (NH3) exhibited higher epilimnetic concentrations, the former being attributed to tributary inputs which were maintained throughout the stratified period, even though inputs from Niagara River served to dilute the epilimnion. Increased levels of TP, SRP, and SRS were also evident within the nepheloid layer. Horizontal distributions of TP and NH3 were governed by point-source inputs throughout the study period. Distributions of the soluble nutrients were governed by phytoplankton uptake in the spring, point/nonpoint inputs and upwelling in the summer, and differential breakdown of stratification in the fall. Spring distribution of particulate organic matter (POM) was strongly related to nutrient availability and water column stability, while phytoplankton species composition determined fall POM distribution. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) POM levels, detrital content, and productivity were observed nearshore of the thermal bar.

1984 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 985-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. El-Shaarawi ◽  
M. A. Neilson

Water samples were collected on Lake Ontario during April and November, filtered (0.45 μm), and immediately analyzed onboard ship for the nutrients soluble reactive phosphorus, nitrate-plus-nitrite, and ammonia. Replicates were stored in glass bottles at 4 °C and reanalyzed within 8 d. Statistical analysis showed that soluble reactive phosphorus decreased by 11 and 13% and nitrate-plus-nitrite by 7 and 6%, whereas ammonia increased by 75% on one cruise and decreased by 37% on the other.


1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 2212-2215 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Painter ◽  
G. Kamaitis

Cladophora biomass and tissue phosphorus concentrations at seven sites in Lake Ontario have decreased from 1972 to 1983 in response to phosphorus control programs introduced in the early 1970's. Biomass and tissue phosphorus were significantly different between 1972 and 1982–83 (ANOVA, P < 0.001) but not significantly different between 1982 and 1983. The lakewide average tissue phosphorus was 0.49% in 1972 but by 1982 and 1983 had dropped to 0.26 and 0.20%, respectively, on an ash-free dry weight basis. Tissue phosphorus concentrations did not limit growth in 1972 but in 1983 had begun to limit growth. Model-predicted net production for a 6-wk sampling period in 1983 was 1.7 times greater in the western end of the lake than at a remote site in eastern Lake Ontario due to higher soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations.


1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 2059-2068 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. J. Stevens ◽  
M. A. Neilson

Total phosphorus (TP) loading to Lake Ontario has declined from 14 600 t∙yr−1 in 1969 to 8900 t∙yr−1 in 1982. Midlake spring TP has responded rapidly to these reductions, decreasing at the rate of 1.09 μg∙L−1∙yr−1 from a maximum of 30.6 μg∙L−1 in 1973 to 12.8 μg∙L−1 in 1982. Spring soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) exhibited a proportionally larger decrease than TP such that 1982 SRP was 33% of 1973 levels, compared with 42% for TP. A multiple regression equation indicated an 80% response time of spring TP within 2 yr and a 90% response time within 4 yr. Spring nitrate plus nitrite has increased since 1969 at the rate of 9.5 μg∙L−1∙yr−1 causing N:P ratios to increase from 10 to 32. Mean summer epilimnetic TP declined at the rate of only 0.3 μg∙L−1∙yr−1 from 1977 to 1982 so that mean summer TP levels now exceed spring TP by 1–2 μg∙L−1. This suggests that loading to the lake during the stratified period has not shown a similar decline and may be responsible for the lack of a trend in algal biomass indicators during this period.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3246
Author(s):  
Gabriele Weigelhofer ◽  
Tania Sosa Jirón ◽  
Tz-Ching Yeh ◽  
Gertraud Steniczka ◽  
Matthias Pucher

Agriculture delivers significant amounts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to streams, thereby changing the composition and biodegradability of the aquatic DOM. This study focuses on the interactive effects of DOM quality and biofilm composition on the degradation of DOM in a laboratory flume experiment. Half of the flumes were exposed to light to stimulate algal growth, the other half was shaded. Leachates of deciduous leaves, maize leaves, and cow dung were added to the flumes in a single pulse and changes of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) and nutrient concentrations, DOM composition (absorbance and fluorescence data), chlorophyll-a concentrations, bacterial abundances, and enzymatic activities were recorded over a week. DOM was taken up with rates of 50, 109, and 136 µg DOC L−1 h−1 for dung, leaf, and maize leachates, respectively, in the light flumes and 37, 80, and 170 µg DOC L−1 h−1 in the dark flumes. DOC uptake correlated strongly with initial SRP (soluble reactive phosphorus) and DOC concentrations, but barely with DOM components and indices. Algae mostly stimulated the microbial DOC uptake, but the effects differed among differently aged biofilms. We developed a conceptual model of intrinsic (DOM quality) and external (environmental) controlling factors on DOM degradation, with the microbial community acting as biotic filter.


2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozeas S. Costa Jr.

Spatial, temporal and anthropogenic controls on nutrient distribution were evaluated for nearshore and offshore reefs at Porto Seguro Bay, Southern Bahia. Water samples were analysed for total oxidised nitrogen (TON), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), reactive silica (DSi), and chlorophyll a (Chl). The results indicate that rainfall promotes a significant (F=19.873, p<0.001) increase in the load of nutrients to nearshore (average 12% increase) and offshore reefs (average 31% increase). Nutrient concentrations at the urbanized reef (TON=1.93-3.21µM; SRP=0.57-0.89µM; DSi=8.48-11.15µM) are on average 25% higher than at non-urban reefs and over 200% higher than the offshore reef. The urbanized reef also presented the highest rates of increase in nutrient input between dry and rainy seasons (TON=+0.36µM; SRP=+0.08µM; DSi=+0.70µM). Differences in nutrient concentration between nearshore and offshore reefs are more pronounced during dry season, when the bulk of land-based nutrient contribution is confined to the nearshore reefs. SRP values in the study area ranked among the highest in the world for coral reef areas and phytoplankton growth appears to be nitrogen-limited.


Author(s):  
Alexander Gatch ◽  
Dimitry Gorsky ◽  
Zy Biesinger ◽  
Eric Bruestle ◽  
Kelley Lee ◽  
...  

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 1947
Author(s):  
Ling Su ◽  
Chen Zhong ◽  
Lei Gan ◽  
Xiaolin He ◽  
Jinlei Yu ◽  
...  

The application of lanthanum modified bentonite (Phoslock®) and polyaluminium chloride (PAC) is popular in the restoration of European temperate lakes; however, the effects of the application on the concentrations of phosphorus (P) in both the water and the sediments have been poorly evaluated to date. We studied the effects of the application of Phoslock® + PAC on the concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), particulate phosphorus (PP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total suspended solids (TSS) and chlorophyll a (Chla) in the water, and different P forms in the sediments, in an isolated part of Lake Yanglan. The results showed that the concentrations of TP, PP, SRP, TSS and Chla decreased significantly after the addition of Phoslock® + PAC. Moreover, the concentrations of labile-P, reductant-soluble-P and organic-P in the sediments were also significantly decreased after the Phoslock® + PAC application. However, the concentrations of both the stable apatite-P and residual-P in the sediments after application of Phoslock® + PAC were much higher than the pre-addition values, while the concentrations of metal-oxide-P did not differ significantly between the pre- and post- application conditions. Our findings imply that the combined application of Phoslock® and PAC can be used in the restoration of subtropical shallow lakes, to reduce the concentrations of P in the water and suppress the release of P from the sediments.


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