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Re-flooding a Historically Drained Wetland Leads to Rapid Sediment Phosphorus Release

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Abstract

Wetland restoration provides many benefits, but re-flooding historically drained land can have unintended negative consequences, including phosphorus (P) release from sediments. To investigate the effects of re-flooding on P cycling, this study monitored a restoration in Michigan that back-flooded old drainage ditches and re-flooded former wetland soils. Immediately after re-flooding, previously exposed sediments released substantial amounts of P to the water column. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations in re-flooded areas were as high as 750 μg P l−1. At peak P concentrations, there were about 20 times more SRP and 14 times more total P in the surface water than in the much smaller flooded area that existed before re-flooding. Prolific growth of filamentous algae and duckweed was observed in subsequent summers. Sedimental analyses suggest that most of the P released originated from iron-bound fractions. The highest SRP concentrations occurred during the first year when surface water dissolved oxygen was low (<5.5 mg l−1). Similarly low oxygen in the second year after flooding was not associated with such high P concentrations. After 1 year postflooding, SRP concentrations remained below 50 μg P l−1 (but still high enough to produce eutrophic conditions) until the end of sampling about 15 months after re-flooding. When re-flooding historically drained soils, managers should consider the potential for sediment P release to jeopardize restoration goals and therefore should incorporate longer term monitoring of water quality into restoration plans. Knowledge of sediment P amounts and forms can indicate the potential for P release to overlying water.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Jim Langerveld and the Environmental Office at the Fort Custer Training Center for providing site access and logistic support, as well as to Henning S. Jensen and colleagues at the University of Southern Denmark for valuable advice on phosphorus sequential extraction techniques. Thanks are due to David Weed, Jen Pham, Laura Podzikowski, David Kinsman, Steve Robbins, Brandon Kovnat, Rob Davis, Paige Howell, and Megan Lowenberg for support in lab and the field. Allen Burton and his lab at the University of Michigan provided protocols and logistic support for measuring acid-volatile sulfides in sediments. Early drafts of this article were improved by comments from Alan Steinman, Jay Lennon, R. Jan Stevenson, and two anonymous reviewers. This research was funded by NSF DEB Grants 0743402, 0423627, 0910008, and 1027253.

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  1. Lauren E. Kinsman-Costello

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, PO Box 5190, Kent, Ohio, 44242-0001, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. W.K. Kellogg Biological Station and Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, 3700 East Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, Michigan, 49060, USA

    Lauren E. Kinsman-Costello & Stephen K. Hamilton

  2. Department of Biology, Canisius College, 2001 Main St., Buffalo, New York, 14208, USA

    Jonathan O’Brien

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  1. Lauren E. Kinsman-Costello
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Correspondence to Lauren E. Kinsman-Costello.

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Author Contributions

LEK-C: helped design the study, performed research, analyzed data, and wrote the manuscript; JOB: helped design the study, performed research, and provided extensive revisions to the manuscript; SKH: conceived of and helped design the study and provided extensive revisions to the manuscript.

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Kinsman-Costello, L.E., O’Brien, J. & Hamilton, S.K. Re-flooding a Historically Drained Wetland Leads to Rapid Sediment Phosphorus Release. Ecosystems 17, 641–656 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-014-9748-6

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