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Persistent internal phosphorus loading during summer in shallow eutrophic lakes

  • SHALLOW LAKE ECOSYSTEMS
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Abstract

Nutrient availability, in particular of phosphorus (P), is a key factor for the structure and functioning of shallow lakes, and not least the sediment plays an important role by acting as both a nutrient source and sink. We used 21 years of monthly mass balance and lake water data from six shallow (mean depth = 1.2–2.7 m) and fast flushed (mean hydraulic retention time = 0.6–2.6 months) eutrophic Danish lakes (mean summer P concentrations ranging from 0.09 to 0.61 mg/l) to investigate long-term trends in yearly and seasonal patterns of P retention. To one of the lakes, the external P input was reduced by 70% in the early 1990s, whereas none of the other lakes have experienced major changes in external P loading for more than 20 years. All lakes showed a distinct seasonal pattern with high P concentrations and typically negative P retention during summer (up to −300% of the external loading from May to August). During winter, P retention was overall positive (up to 50% of the external loading from December to April). Internal P loading from the sediment delayed lake recovery by approximately 10 years in the lake with the most recently reduced external loading, but in all the lakes net release of P from the sediment occurred during summer. P release in the six lakes has not abated during the past decade, indicating that the sediment of eutrophic and turbid shallow lakes remains a net source of P during summer. The seasonal variations in P retention became more pronounced with increasing P levels, and retention decreased with increasing temperature, but increased if clear water conditions were established.

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Acknowledgments

The project was supported by the EU projects REFRESH (Adaptive strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Climate Change on European Freshwater Ecosystems) and WISER (Water Bodies in Europe: Integrative Systems to assess Ecological status and Recovery) funded under the 7th EU Framework Programme, and by CLEAR (a Villum Kann Rasmussen Centre of Excellence project). The Danish regional environmental authorities are acknowledged for their careful lake monitoring and data collection.

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Correspondence to Martin Søndergaard.

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Guest editors: Zhengwen Liu, Bo-Ping Han & Ramesh D. Gulati / Conservation, management and restoration of shallow lake ecosystems facing multiple stressors

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Søndergaard, M., Bjerring, R. & Jeppesen, E. Persistent internal phosphorus loading during summer in shallow eutrophic lakes. Hydrobiologia 710, 95–107 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1091-3

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