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The importance of transport processes and spatial gradients on in situ estimates of lake metabolism

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Abstract

We measured spatial gradients of dissolved oxygen in a eutrophic reservoir from repeated transects over a 5-day period. The equation typically used to compute lake metabolism was extended to the full advection–diffusion–reaction equation, which includes transport terms. These transport terms were computed and found to be of similar magnitude to the rate of change of dissolved oxygen. We demonstrate that neglecting transport terms in this reservoir could lead to over-estimates in net ecosystem production calculations in the surface layer of up to 100%. We advocate the calculation of nondimensional Peclet and Damkohler numbers in future studies to assist in determining the importance of transport terms on lake metabolism estimates.

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Acknowledgments

The assistance of Greg Attwater in the collection of the field data is gratefully acknowledged, as well as helpful comments from Clelia Marti and Ryan Alexander. This work was funded by the Public Utilities Board of Singapore project ‘Establishment of a Real Time Control, Alarm and Management System for Marina Bay’. This forms Centre for Water Research reference 2379.

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  1. Jason P. Antenucci

    Present address: Hatch Associates, 144 Stirling St, Perth, WA, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Water Research, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia

    Jason P. Antenucci & J. Imberger

  2. Catchment and Waterways Department, Public Utilities Board, Singapore, Singapore

    Kok Meng Tan & Hans S. Eikaas

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  1. Jason P. Antenucci
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  2. Kok Meng Tan
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  3. Hans S. Eikaas
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  4. J. Imberger
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Correspondence to Jason P. Antenucci.

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Handling editor: Boping Han

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Antenucci, J.P., Tan, K.M., Eikaas, H.S. et al. The importance of transport processes and spatial gradients on in situ estimates of lake metabolism. Hydrobiologia 700, 9–21 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1212-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1212-z

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