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Impact of Water Level Fluctuation on Sediment and Phosphorous Dynamics in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia

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Abstract

Water level variation substantially affects the trophic levels in a lake. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the impact of water level fluctuation on sediment and phosphorous (P) dynamics in Tonle Sap Lake (TSL), Cambodia. Water samples were collected from eight cross sections in a lake at 3-month intervals for 3 years, during the low-water period (March and June) and high-water period (September and December) from December 2016 to June 2019. Water quality parameters—temperature, conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, oxidation reduction potential, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and blue green algae—were measured using an EXO(R) sensor. The sedimentation and resuspension rates of the sediment were measured using a sediment trap. Sediments were collected during the low-water period of March 2017. The sediment resuspension condition was simulated via centrifugation (150 rpm, end-to-end mechanical shaker, room temperature 25 °C for 24 h) to assess phosphorous dynamics. The P content in the bed sediment was fractionated to obtain loosely bound, metal oxide bound, apatite bound, and organic bound P. Sediment resuspension was greater during the low-water period (< 1 m) than that during the high-water period (> 4.8 m). The sites exhibited significant variation (p < 0.05) in terms of dissolved oxygen, pH, oxidation–reduction potential, Chl-a, and depth during low- and high-water periods. In general, the Chl-a concentration throughout the sampling campaigns ranged between 1.7 and 9.0 μg/L, suggesting the existence of a mesotrophic state in the TSL. The zero equilibrium P concentration of sediment in TSL was greater when the sediment was under the resuspension condition (18.9 ± 3.0 μg/L) than under the static condition (7.7 ± 1.1 μg/L). In TSL, during resuspension (low-water) conditions, sediments act as a source and release P (apatite bound, loosely bound, metal oxide bound, and soluble reactive P). However, in static (high-water) conditions, sediments act as a sink by adsorbing P from the overlying water.

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Acknowledgements

This is one of the outcomes from the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS - JST/JICA: grant-number JPMJSA1503) Project in Cambodia – Establishment of Environmental Conservation Platform of Tonle Sap Lake.

We sincerely appreciate the anonymous reviewer, whose thorough and constructive comments helped us restructure and polish the manuscript.

We also acknowledge the Mekong River Commission for the data and the project members involved in sampling, particularly Dr. Oeurng Chantha (Institute of Technology of Cambodia) and his team and Mr. Thea Sive (Satreps - JICA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan

    Rajendra Khanal, Sovannara Uk, Dilini Kodikara & Chihiro Yoshimura

  2. Research and Innovation Center, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, P.O. Box 86, Russian Federation Boulevard, Phnom Penh, 12156, Cambodia

    Sokly Siev

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  1. Rajendra Khanal
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Correspondence to Rajendra Khanal.

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Highlights

• Water level fluctuation in Tonle Sap Lake (TSL) caused by reversal flow affects sediment and phosphorous dynamics

• Average sediment resuspension rate during high-water period is lower compared to low- water period

• Loosely bound P and metal oxide bound P are influenced by water level fluctuation and sediment resuspension

• Sediments of TSL act as a source and sink of P during low- and high-water period, respectively.

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Khanal, R., Uk, S., Kodikara, D. et al. Impact of Water Level Fluctuation on Sediment and Phosphorous Dynamics in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 139 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05084-5

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