Skip to main content

Historical accumulation of N and P and sources of organic matter and N in sediment in an agricultural reservoir in Northern China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 22, pages 9951–9964 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Agriculture has significantly intensified in Northern China since the 1980s. This intensification has caused a series of simultaneous lake ecological environment problems in this area. However, little is known about the role of agricultural intensification in historical nutrient dynamics and lake eutrophication processes. The Yanghe reservoir, a typical artificial reservoir characterized by high-yield grain production in Northern China, has been suffering from serious eutrophication and water quality deterioration. This study evaluates the effect of agricultural intensification on nutrient retention and source in the sediments using 210Pb and 137Cs dating techniques combined with stable C and N isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and total organic carbon/total nitrogen, as well as total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and P fractions. Results suggested that agricultural intensification was keys to the accumulation of nutrients and was a source of organic matter (OM) and N in sediment for the past three decades. N and P pollution started in the 1980s and worsened from the 1990s. Good water quality status and steady sedimentary environment with low nutrient content (mean concentrations of TN and TP were 815 and 387 mg kg−1, respectively) were observed before the 1980s. Sediment OM was primarily derived from aquatic plants, whereas N was primarily derived from soil erosion and aquatic plants. However, water quality began to deteriorate while sediment nutrient content began to increase after the 1980s, with values of 1186 mg kg−1 for TN and 434 mg kg−1 for TP in 1989. Sediment OM was primarily derived from C3 (sweet potato) and aquatic plants, and the major sources of N were soil erosion, fertilizer, and sewage, which accompany the rapid development of agriculture in the watershed. Following the further growth of grain production and fertilizers, excessive external nutrient loading has resulted in dramatic water quality and ecosystem deterioration since 1990. The increasing rate of TN and TP contents was also augmented during these periods, reaching as high as 2624 and 846 mg kg−1 in surface sediment, respectively. In addition, sources of OM and N in sediment were similar to those in the 1980s, but the contribution of aquatic organic N in sediment has continued to increase (aquatic organic N that accounts for TN increased from 14.5 % before the 1980s to 48 % in 2007). This condition could be attributed to the impact of frequent “water bloom” and recession of aquatic plant due to worsening water pollution.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

References

  • Altabet MA (2006) Isotopic tracers of the marine nitrogen cycle: present and past. Marine Organic Matter: Biomarkers, Isotopes and DNA 2:251–293

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andreas L, Gerhaed HS, Bernd Z (2003) A lateglacial and holocene organic carbon isotope record of lacustrine palaeoproductivity and climatic change derived from varied lake sediments of Lake Holzmaar. Germany. Quat Sci Rev 22:569–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appleby PG (2001) Chronostratigraphic techniques in recent sediments. In: Last WM, Smol JP (Eds.), Tracking environmental change using lake sediments 1. Springer Netherlands: E-Publishing Inc, pp. 171–203

  • Bedard HA, Van Groenigen JW, Van KC (2003) Tracing 15N through landscapes: potential uses and precautions. J Hydrol 272:175–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai JB, Li WQ, Liu N (2006) Investigation and analysis of pollution sources Yanghe Reservoir. China Rural Water Hydropower 9:51–54 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang J (2009) The study of pollution features of Xiyang River. J EMCC 19:80–82 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chris RB, Melanie JL, James SLC, Christopher PK, Jeremy ML, Zong YQ, Michael IB (2011) Evidence for bias in C and N concentrations and δ13C composition of terrestrial and aquatic organic materials due to pre-analysis acid preparation methods. Chem Geol 282:67–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen RA, Fong P (2005) Experimental evidence supports the use of δ15N content of the opportunistic green macroalga enteromorpha intestinalis (chlorophyta) to determine nitrogen sources to estuaries. J Phychol 41:287–293

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costanzo SD, O’Donohue MJ, Dennison WC, Loneragan NR, Thomas MA (2001) New approach for detecting and mapping sewage impacts. Mar. Pollut Bull 42:149–156

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costanzo SD, Udy J, Long staff B, Jones A (2002) Using nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) to determine the effectiveness of sewage upgrades: changes in the extent of sewage plumes over four years in Moreton Bay, Australia. Mar Pollut Bull 51:212–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui LT, Li ZW (2005) Study on phosphorus as a criticalLim iting factor in algae bloom occurrence in Yanghe Reservoir. J Agro-Environ Sci 24:141–143 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui J, Ma YH, Zhaom YP (2006) Characteristic and countermeasures for control and prevention of multiple area-pollution in agriculture. Chin Agric Sci Bull 22:335–343 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniel MS, Mark AA, Roger F (1999) The isotope composition of diatom-bound nitrogen in Southern Ocean sediments. Paleoceanography 14(2):118–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demaison GL, Moore GT (1980) Anoxic environments and oil source bed genesis. Org Geochem 2:9–32

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elizabeth HD, Karenl K, Scottd W (2007) Identifying sources of nitrogen to Hanalei Bay, Kauai, utilizing the nitrogen isotope signature of macroalgae. Environ Sci Technol 41:5217–5223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell G, Pedersen TF, Calvert SE, Nielsen B (1995) Glacial–interglacial changes in nutrient utilization in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Nature 377:514–517

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrand E, Eyrolle F, Radakovitch O, Provansal M, Dufour S, Vella C, Raccasi G, Gurriaran R (2012) Historical levels of heavy metals and artificial radionuclides reconstructed from overbank sediment records in lower Rhone River (SouthEast France). Geochim Cosmochim Acta 82:163–182

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fontugne MR, Jouanneau JM (1987) Modulation of the particulate organic carbon flux to the ocean by a macrotidal estuary: evidence from measurements of carbon isotopes in organic matter from the Gironde system. Estuary Coast Shelf Sci 24(3):377–387

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimm EC (1987) CONISS: a fortran 77 program for stratigraphically constrained cluster analysis by the method of incremental sum of squares. Comput Geosci 13:13–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo JH, Liu XJ, Zhang Y et al (2010) Significant a cidification in major Chinese croplands. Science 327:1008–1010

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes JM (1993) Factor controlling 13C Contents of sedimentary organic compounds:principles and evidence. Mar Geol 113:111–125

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herczeg AL, Smith AK, Dighton JC (2001) A 120 year record of changes in nitrogen and carbon cycling in Lake Alexandrina, South Australia: C: N, δ15N, and δ13C in sediments. Appl Geochem 16:73–84

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ilker S, Güngör Y, Erdeniz O, Bade P, Mustafa E, Aysun UG (2012) Estimation of sediment accumulation rates using naturally occuring 210Pb models in Gülbahçe Bay, Aegean Sea, Turkey. J Environ Radioact 107:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ji WG, Cui JM, Xu B, Yang QP (2008) Study on land structure and the rational exploitation of land resource in the Yanghe Basin. J Anhui Agric Sci 6(20):8740–8742 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang HH, Liu SM (2013) Distribution and burial flux of phosphorus in sediments of the Bohai Sea. Acta Sci Circumst 33(1):125–132 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin XC, Xu QJ, Huang CZ (2005) Current status and future tendency of lake eutrophication in China. Sci China C Life Sci 48:948–949

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ju XT, Guang XX, Chen XP, Zhang SL, Zhang LJ, Liu XJ, Cui ZL, Yin B, Christie P, Zhu ZL, Zhang FS (2009) Reducing environmental risk by improving N management in intensive Chinese agricultural systems. PNAS 106(9):3041–3046

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurgen M, Birgit G, Niko L et al (2011) Influence of diagenesis on sedimentary δ15N in the Arabian Sea over the last 130 kyr. Mar Geol 284:127–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall C (1998) Tracing nitrogen sources and cycling in catchments:in isotope tracers in catchment hydrology. Elsevier: Amsterdam 16: 519–576

  • Li FB (2003) Disscussion on present eutrophication situation and countermeasures of the Yanghe reservior. Water Supply and Drainage 29(8):16–18 (in Chinese)

  • Li WQ, Cai JB, Pang Y (2007) Eutrophication assessment of Yanghe reservoir and its control measures. Water Resour Prot 23:16–19 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li HY, Wang G, Ji HB, Jiang YB (2011) Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of particulate organic matter in water source of Beijing. Acta Sci Circumst 31(12):2663–2671 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu KK, Kao SJ, Wen LS, Chen KL (2007) Carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of particulate organic matter and biogeochemical processes in the eutrophic Danshuei Estuary in northern Taiwan. Sci Total Environ 382:103–120

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZY, Pan SM, Yin Y, Ma RF, Gao JH, Xia F, Yang X (2013) Reconstruction of the historical deposition environment from 210Pb and 137Cs records at two tidal flats in China. Ecol Eng 61:303–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Louchouam P, Lucotte M, Farella N (1999) History and geographical variation of source and transport of terrigenous organic matter with a large-scale coastal environment. Org Geochem 130:675–699

    Google Scholar 

  • Macko SA, Ostrom NE (1994) Pollution studies using stable isotopes, in stable isotopes in ecology and environmental science. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, pp 45–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Mast MA, Manthorne DJ, Roth DA (2010) Historical deposition of mercury and selected trace elements to high-elevation National Parks in the Western U.S.inferred from lake-sediment cores. Atmos Environ 44:2577–2586

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matamet FRM, Bonotto DM (2013) Evaluation of the chromium contamination at Ribeirão dos Bagres, Franca (SP), Brazil, by the 210Pb method. Appl Radiat Isot 82:359–369

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers PA (1994) Preservation of elemental and isotopic source identification of sedimentary organic matter. Chem Geol 144:289–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers PA (1997) Organic geochenmical proxies of paleoceanographic, paleolinnologic, and paleoclimatic process. Org Geochem 27(5):213–250

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers PA (2003) Applications of organic geochemistry to paleolimnological reconstructions:a summary of examplems from the Laurentian Greal Lakes. Org Geochem 34(2):261–289

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers PA, Ishivatari R (1993) Lacrustine organic geochemistry: an overview of indicators of organic matter sources and diagenesis in lake sediments. Org Geochem 20:867–900

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morelli G, Gasparon M, Fierro D, Hu WP, Zawadzki A (2012) Historical trends in trace metal and sediment accumulation in intertidal sediments of Moreton Bay, southeast Queensland. Australia Chem Geol 300(301):152–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nittrouer CA, Sternberg RW, Carpenter R, Bennett T (1979) The use of Pb-210 geochronology as a sedimentological tool: application to the Washington continental shelf. Mar Geol 31:297–316

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’ Leary MH (1988) Carbon isotopes in photosynthesis. Bioscience 38:328–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouyang ZY, Wang XK, Miao H (2000) China’s eco-environmental sensitivity and its spatial heterogeneity. Acta Ecol Sinca 20:9–12 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasternack GB, Brush GS (2001) Seasonal variations in sedimentation and organic content in five plant associations on a Chesapeake Bay tidal freshwater delta. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 53:93–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pei H, Wang Y (2003) Eutrophication research of West Lake Hangzhou, China: modeling under uncertainty. Water Res 37(2):416–428

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qian JL, Wang SM, Xue B (1997) A method of Quantitative estimate terrigenous organic carbon in lakes research. Sci Bull 42(15):1655–1657 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruban V, Lopez-Sanchez JF, Pardon P, Rauret G, Muntau H, Quevauviller P (2001) Harmonized protocol and certified reference material for the determination of extractable contents of phosphprus in freshwater sediments-A synthesis of recent works. Fresenius J Chem 370:224–228

  • Ruban V, Brigault S, Demare D, Philippe AM (1999) An investigation of the origin and mobility of phosphrous in freshwater sediments from Bort-Les-Orgues reservior, France. Environ Monist 1:403–407

  • Sert I, Yener G, Ozel E et al (2012) Estimation of sediment accumulation rates using naturally occuring 210Pb models in Gülbahçe Bay, Aegean Sea, Turkey. J Environ Radioact 107:1–12

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein R (1991) Accumulation of organic carbon in marine sediments. Springer Verlag: 2–17

  • Talbot MR, Johannessen T (1992) A high resolution palaeoclimatic record for the last 27,500 years in tropical West Africa from the carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of lacustrine organic matter. Earth Planet Sci Lett 110:23–37

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner RE, Milan CS, Rabalais NN (2004) A retrospective analysis of trace metals, C, N and diatom remnants in sediments from the Mississippi River delta shelf. Mar Pollut Bull 49:548–556

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Udawatta RP, Motavalli PP, Garrett HE (2004) Phosphorus loss and runoff characteristics in three adjacent agricultural watersheds with claypan soils. J Environ Qual 33(5):1709–1719

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uncles RJ, Stephens JA, Harris C (1998) Seasonal variability of subtidal and intertidal sediment distributions in a muddy, macrotidal estuary: the Humber-Ouse, UK. In: Black KS, Paterson, DM, Cramp A (Eds.), Sedimentary processes in the intertidal zone. Geological Society of London, Special Publication, pp. 211–220

  • U.S (2000) Environmental Protection Agency. Best management practices to reduce Non-Point pollution in the town of plainfield. Connecticut Boston: 157–163

  • Vander Zanden MJ, Vadeboncoeur Y, Diebel MW, Jeppesen E (2005) Primary consumer stable nitrogen isotopes as indicators of nutrient source. Environ Sci Technol 39:7509–7515

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan GJ, Chen JA, Xu SQ, Wu FC, Santschi PH (2005) Sudden enhancement of sedimentation flux of 210Pbex as an indicator of lake productivity as exemplified by Lake Chenghai. Science in China Ser. D Earth Sciences 48(4):484–495

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang QL, Yuan SY, Li CA (2006) Paleoclimate significance of the total organic carbon and organic carbon isotope and magnetic susceptibility of the Jiangling Section, Jianghan Plain, Hubei Province. Geol Sci Technol Inf 25(4):59–62 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang YJ, Liu DY, Richard P et al (2013) A geochemical record of environmental changes in sediments from Sishili Bay, northern Yellow Sea, China: Anthropogenic influence on organic matter sources and composition over the last 100 years. Mar Pollut Bull 77:227–236

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wedeking KW, Hayes JM, Matzigkeit U (1983) Procedure of organic geochemical analysis. Princeton University Press, Princeton, pp 428–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu JL, Lin L, Liu JJ, Gao G (2005) Environmental significance and stable isotope signatures from sedimented organic matter in Lake Taihu. Mar Geol Quat Geol 25(2):25–30 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu SQ, Wan GJ (2001) Vertical distribution of 137Cs and 210Pb and their dating in modern sediments of Chenghai Lake, Yunnan Province. Geol Geochem 29(1):28–31 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang SL, Li H, Ysebaert T, Bouma TJ, Zhang WX, Wang YY, Li P, Li M, Ding PX (2008) Spatial and temporal variations in sediment grain size in tidal wetlands, Yangtze Delta: on the role of physical and biotic controls. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 77:657–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Chen Y, Zhang XL et al (2012) Methodology for agricultural and rural NPS pollution in a typical county of the North China Plain. Environ Pollut 168:170–176

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao SC, Xue B, Li SH, Li JF, Xia WL (2006) Sedimentation rates in Honghu, Chaohu and Taihu Lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Resourc Environ Yangtze Basin 15(5):569–573 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Young SA, Futoshi N, Kun W (2010) Recent history of sediment dynamics in Lake Toro and applicability of 210Pb dating in a highly disturbed catchment in northern Japan. Geomorphology 114:284–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zapata FE (2002) Handbook for the assessment of soil erosion and sedimentation using environmental radionuclides. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng L, Wu FC, Wan GJ, Zheng J (2009) The distribution characteristic and environmental significance of Cesium-137 CS deposit profile in Chinese lacustrine sediment. Journal Lake Sci 21(1):1–9 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Shan BQ (2008) Historical distribution and partitioning of phosphorus in sediments in an agricultural watershed in the Yangtze-Huaihe region, China. Environ Sci Technol 42:2328–2333

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang FS, Wang JQ, Zhang WF, Cui ZL, Ma WQ (2008) Nutrient use efficiencies of major cereal crops in China and measures for improvement. Actapedologica Snica 45(5):915–924 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Wang XL, Luo Y (2009) Yanghe Reservoir eutrophication analysis and prevention methods. Haihe River Water Resourc 5:26–29 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao YF (2011) The variation characteristics of rainfall in Qinhuangdao. Ground Water 33(2):137–138 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou JL, Wu Y, Kang QS, Zhang J (2007) Spatial variations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur in salt marsh sediments of the Changjiang Estuary, China. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 71:47–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu ZL, Xiong ZQ, Xing GX (2005) Impacts of population growth and economic development on the nitrogen cycle in Asia. Sci China C life Sci 48:729–737

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41173118, U1202235) and National high-level talents special support plan (For science and technology innovation talents to special support plan), for which we express our sincere appreciation.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Zhaokui Ni, Shengrui Wang, Zhaosheng Chu & Xiangcan Jin

  2. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control, Research Center of Lake Environment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Zhaokui Ni, Shengrui Wang, Zhaosheng Chu & Xiangcan Jin

Authors
  1. Zhaokui Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shengrui Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhaosheng Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiangcan Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shengrui Wang.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ni, Z., Wang, S., Chu, Z. et al. Historical accumulation of N and P and sources of organic matter and N in sediment in an agricultural reservoir in Northern China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 9951–9964 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4169-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4169-4

Keywords

  • Sediment
  • Pollution history
  • Agriculture
  • Eutrophication
  • Northern China