Assessment of Phytoplankton Nutrient Limitation in Productive Waters: Application of Dilution Bioassays

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 2208-2221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hunter J. Carrick ◽  
Claire L. Schelske ◽  
Frederick J. Aldridge ◽  
Michael F. Coveney
Keyword(s):  
Large Fraction ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Nutrient Reduction ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Phytoplankton Assemblages ◽  
Lake Apopka ◽  
P Limitation ◽  
Management Scheme ◽  
Total P

Excessive nutrient loads to aquatic systems can complicate otherwise predictable relationships between nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton biomass. We conducted six bioassays on surface phytoplankton assemblages collected from productive Lake Apopka, Florida, to measure the effect of nutrient reduction on phytoplankton growth and nutritional state. Lake water was mixed with one of three diluents to create a gradient of ambient nutrient concentrations; nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) limitation at each level of dilution was evaluated in a 2 × 2 factorial design. While the addition of N clearly increased the growth of phytoplankton in undiluted Lake Apopka water, the phytoplankton became more P limited with the reduction of particles (30–60% dilution). Regression of algal yields onto total P concentrations from our bottle experiments indicated that an 8 μg∙L−1 change in P leads to only a 1 μg∙L−1 change in chlorophyll yield, probably due to the high concentration of P in the lake. Because dilution influences factors in addition to ambient nutrient concentrations, results obtained with the technique must be carefully evaluated. Despite this, reduction of particles to improve water quality may, in concept, be a reasonable management scheme in lakes where a large fraction of the nutrients is particulate.

Modelling nitrogen transport across compartments over northern Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Hagemann ◽  
Ute Daewel ◽  
Volker Matthias ◽  
Tobias Stacke
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Coupled System ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Loads

<p>River discharge and the associated nutrient loads are important factors that influence the functioning of the marine ecosystem. Lateral inflows from land carrying fresh, nutrient-rich water determine coastal physical conditions and nutrient concentration and, hence, dominantly influence primary production in the system. Since this forms the basis of the trophic food web, riverine nutrient concentrations impact the variability of the whole coastal ecosystem. This process becomes even more relevant in systems like the Baltic Sea, which is almost decoupled from the open ocean and land-borne nutrients play a major role for ecosystem productivity on seasonal up to decadal time scales.</p><p> </p><p>In order to represent the effects of climate or land use change on nutrient availability, a coupled system approach is required to simulate the transport of nutrients across Earth system compartments. This comprises their transport within the atmosphere, the deposition and human application at the surface, the lateral transport over the land surface into the ocean and their dynamics and transformation in the marine ecosystem. In our study, we combine these processes in a modelling chain within the GCOAST (Geesthacht Coupled cOAstal model SysTem) framework for the northern European region. This modelling chain comprises:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Simulation of emissions, atmospheric transport and deposition with the chemistry transport model CMAQ at 36 km grid resolution using atmospheric forcing from the coastDat3 data that have been generated with the regional climate model COSMO-CLM over Europe at 0.11° resolution using ERA-Interim re-analyses as boundary conditions</li> <li>Simulation of inert processes at the land surface with the global hydrology model HydroPy (former MPI-HM), i.e. considering total nitrogen without any chemical reactions</li> <li>Riverine transport with the Hydrological Discharge (HD) model at 0.0833° spatial resolution</li> <li>Simulation of the North Sea and Baltic Sea ecosystems with 3D coupled physical-biogeochemical NPZD-model ECOSMO II at about 10 km resolution</li> </ul><p> </p><p>We will present first results and their validation from this exercise.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Nutrient Atmospheric Deposition on Utah Lake: A Comparison of Sampling and Analytical Methods

Hydrology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Seth Michael Barrus ◽  
Gustavious Paul Williams ◽  
A. Woodruff Miller ◽  
M. Brett Borup ◽  
LaVere B. Merritt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Deposition ◽  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Dissolve Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Total Load ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Utah Lake ◽  
Collection Methods

We describe modified sampling and analysis methods to quantify nutrient atmospheric deposition (AD) and estimate Utah Lake nutrient loading. We address criticisms of previous published collection methods, specifically collection table height, screened buckets, and assumptions of AD spatial patterns. We generally follow National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) recommendations but deviate to measure lake AD, which includes deposition from both local and long-range sources. The NADP guidelines are designed to eliminate local contributions to the extent possible, while lake AD loads should include local contributions. We collected side-by-side data with tables at 1 m (previous results) and 2 m (NADP guidelines) above the ground at two separate locations. We found no statistically significant difference between data collected at the different heights. Previous published work assumed AD rates would decrease rapidly from the shore. We collected data from the lake interior and show that AD rates do not significantly decline away from the shore. This demonstrates that AD loads should be estimated by using the available data and geostatistical methods even if all data are from shoreline stations. We evaluated screening collection buckets. Standard unscreened AD samples had up to 3-fold higher nutrient concentrations than screened AD collections. It is not clear which samples best represent lake AD rates, but we recommend the use of screens and placed screens on all sample buckets for the majority of the 2020 data to exclude insects and other larger objects such as leaves. We updated AD load estimates for Utah Lake. Previous published estimates computed total AD loads of 350 and 153 tons of total phosphorous (TP) and 460 and 505 tons of dissolve inorganic nitrogen (DIN) for 2017 and 2018, respectively. Using updated collection methods, we estimated 262 and 133 tons of TP and 1052 and 482 tons of DIN for 2019 and 2020, respectively. The 2020 results used screened samplers with lower AD rates, which resulted in significantly lower totals than 2019. We present these modified methods and use data and analysis to support the updated methods and assumptions to help guide other studies of nutrient AD on lakes and reservoirs. We show that AD nutrient loads can be a significant amount of the total load and should be included in load studies.

Modelling of microbial processes that govern degradation of organic substrates in soil, with special reference to pesticides

1990 ◽  
Vol 329 (1255) ◽  
pp. 369-373 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Population ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Deterministic Models ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Biokinetic Parameters ◽  
Soil Microbial Population ◽  
Kinetics Of

We tried to develop deterministic models for kinetics of 2,4-D breakdown in the soil based on the following considerations: (i) at low concentrations degradation results from maintenance consumption by a large fraction of the soil microbial population; (ii) at high concentration in addition to the maintenance consumption there is a growth-associated carbon incorporation by a small specific microbial population. Values for the biokinetic parameters are consistent with those commonly found in the literature. Comparison between observed and simulated curves suggests that a non-negligible part of the pesticidal carbon exists as microbial by-products.

Managementul nutrientilor în regiunea Rautului inferior

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dumitru Drumea ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Nutrient Reduction ◽  
Nutrient Balances ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
The Town ◽  
Different Parts

Article is based on the research activities in the Lower Raut region in the period 2014-2018. Main goal of studies performed was preparing of nutrient balances and development of management papers for nutrient reduction. A number of samples were collected to analyze nutrient content in the components of environment for calculations of nutrient loads in the region. Nutrient balances included data on its content in superficial runoff from different parts of the Orhei municipality such as: transport, industrial and living areas. Vulnerable sites of the town were identified and relevant measures proposed to reduce impact of pollution.

scholarly journals Effects of Load Reductions on Phosphorus Concentrations in a Baltic Estuary—Long-Term Changes, Seasonal Variation, and Management Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-43
Author(s):  
Jakob Walve ◽  
Maria Sandberg ◽  
Ragnar Elmgren ◽  
Christer Lännergren ◽  
Ulf Larsson
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Spring Bloom ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
P Concentration ◽  
Source Contributions ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Autumn And Winter

AbstractNutrient concentrations in coastal waters are influenced not only by land runoff, point sources, and water exchange with the sea but are also modified by settlement to and release from sediments. This complicates evaluation of measures to reduce nutrient loads. We used a mass-balance box model to calculate long-term (1968–2015) and seasonal source contributions to phosphorus (P) concentrations and cycling in the stratified Stockholm inner archipelago (IA), Baltic Sea. A drastic reduction of sewage P loads in the early 1970s reduced sewage from the major to a minor P source. Further P load reductions in the 1990s cut the direct contribution from the sewage point sources to the annual mean surface water P concentration from 10 μg l−1 (25%) to < 4 μg l−1 (12%). The largest contributions to the surface water P concentration are now (from 1996) inflowing seawater (37%), freshwater (25%), and P recycling from sediments below 20 m depth (26%). Variations in freshwater flushing give higher P concentrations in dry years, when dilution of P inputs from sediments and sewage is small, while in wet years, these inputs are greatly diluted. Source-partitioned phosphate uptake shows that the spring bloom is fueled mainly by P of seawater and freshwater origin, while the contribution from sewage point sources is minor. Since sediment P release is mostly recycled P from the settled spring bloom, the P inputs from seawater and freshwater are now the major drivers of the IA P cycle. Recycling of P from sediments boosts surface water P concentrations in autumn and winter, affecting management target concentrations.

Nutrient pollution at the lower reaches of Mediterranean coastal rivers in Israel

2000 ◽  
Vol 42 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 147-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Herut ◽  
N. Kress ◽  
H. Hornung
Keyword(s):  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Industrial Wastes ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Contamination Level ◽  
Nutrient Load ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Discharge Data ◽  
Coastal Rivers

This study represents the first attempt to evaluate the nutrient load introduced into the coastal waters by the rivers along the Mediterranean coast of Israel. Measurements of nutrient concentrations (phosphate, ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, silicic acid) at two or three stations along the lower river reaches (11 rivers) were carried out annually from 1990 up to 1998. Combining the nutrient concentrations with the monthly riverine discharges we assessed the nutrient load. In general, most of the coastal rivers contain high nutrient contamination level, compared to the criteria adopted by NOAA (USA) for coastal river estuaries. The high degree of contamination is attributed to extreme low natural flow combined with the discharge of domestic and industrial wastes, and with agriculture runoff. In terms of nutrient concentrations, the Kishon River is the most polluted, followed by the Soreq, Poleg and Alexander Rivers. The preliminary estimate is that the coastal rivers transport between ~2000 to 6000 tons of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and between ~250–800 tons of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) to the sea. An additional 3500 and 3000 tons of DIN and DIP, respectively, are supplied through the Kishon River. The load of the Poleg River is unknown (no discharge data) but expected to be significant based on nutrient concentration measured. The total load of the coastal rivers constitutes a major component among the other land-base point sources such as the Gush Dan outfall. Our estimate probably represents minimal values, as it does not include diffused input of agricultural runoff nor the riverine particulate and dissolved organic nutrient loads (which are unknown).

scholarly journals Flood water quality and marine sediment and nutrient loads from the Tully and Murray catchments in north Queensland, Australia

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (11) ◽  
pp. 1123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Wallace ◽  
Lachlan Stewart ◽  
Aaron Hawdon ◽  
Rex Keen ◽  
Fazlul Karim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dissolved Organic Nitrogen ◽  
Organic Nitrogen ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Large Contribution ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Nitrogen Loads ◽  
Flood Flows

Current estimates of sediment and nutrient loads from the Tully–Murray floodplain to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon are updated by taking explicit account of flood events. New estimates of flood discharge that include over-bank flows are combined with direct measurements of sediment and nutrient concentrations in flood waters to calculate the loads of sediment and nutrient delivered to the ocean during 13 floods that occurred between 2006 and 2008. Although absolute concentrations of sediment and nutrient were quite low, the large volume of water discharged during floods means that they make a large contribution (30–50%) to the marine load. By not accounting for flood flows correctly, previous estimates of the annual average discharge are 15% too low and annual loads of nitrogen and phosphorus are 47% and 32% too low respectively. However, because sediments may be source-limited, accounting for flood flows simply dilutes their concentration and the resulting annual average load is similar to that previously estimated. Flood waters also carry more dissolved organic nitrogen than dissolved inorganic nitrogen and this is the opposite of their concentrations in river water. Consequently, dissolved organic nitrogen loads to the ocean may be around twice those previously estimated from riverine data.

scholarly journals Technical Note: A comparison of two empirical approaches to estimate in-stream net nutrient uptake

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 875-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. von Schiller ◽  
S. Bernal ◽  
E. Martí
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Balance Approach ◽  
Uptake Rates ◽  
Empirical Approaches ◽  
Mass Balance Approach

Abstract. To establish the relevance of in-stream processes on nutrient export at catchment scale it is important to accurately estimate whole-reach net nutrient uptake rates that consider both uptake and release processes. Two empirical approaches have been used in the literature to estimate these rates: (a) the mass balance approach, which considers changes in ambient nutrient loads corrected by groundwater inputs between two stream locations separated by a certain distance, and (b) the spiralling approach, which is based on the patterns of longitudinal variation in ambient nutrient concentrations along a reach following the nutrient spiralling concept. In this study, we compared the estimates of in-stream net nutrient uptake rates of nitrate (NO3) and ammonium (NH4) and the associated uncertainty obtained with these two approaches at different ambient conditions using a data set of monthly samplings in two contrasting stream reaches during two hydrological years. Overall, the rates calculated with the mass balance approach tended to be higher than those calculated with the spiralling approach only at high ambient nitrogen (N) concentrations. Uncertainty associated with these estimates also differed between both approaches, especially for NH4 due to the general lack of significant longitudinal patterns in concentration. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the approaches are discussed.

Managed nutrient reduction impacts on nutrient concentrations, water clarity, primary production, and hypoxia in a north temperate estuary

2017 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
pp. 25-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candace Oviatt ◽  
Leslie Smith ◽  
Jason Krumholz ◽  
Catherine Coupland ◽  
Heather Stoffel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Water Clarity ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Nutrient Reduction ◽  
Temperate Estuary

Predicting Cyanobacteria dominance in lakes

2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (10) ◽  
pp. 1905-1908 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A Downing ◽  
Susan B Watson ◽  
Edward McCauley
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Total N ◽  
Algae Biomass ◽  
Cyanobacteria Blooms ◽  
Freshwater Resource ◽  
Toxic Blooms ◽  
Total P ◽  
Controversial Concept

A controversial precept of aquatic ecology asserts that low ratios of nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P) lead to noxious and sometimes toxic blooms of Cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria dominance is a major risk to human and ecosystem health. The stoichiometric control of Cyanobacteria therefore has become central to freshwater resource management. This controversial concept is based on observed Cyanobacteria dominance in lakes with low N:P and the results of lab and field experiments. Here we analyze data from 99 of the temperate zone's most studied lakes and show that this model is flawed. We show that the risk of water quality degradation by Cyanobacteria blooms is more strongly correlated with variation in total P, total N, or standing algae biomass than the ratio of N:P. Risks associated with Cyanobacteria are therefore less associated with N:P ratios than a simple increase in nutrient concentrations and algal biomass.

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