Abstract
Sulphate (SO4 2-)reduction rates are generally low in freshwater wetlands and are regulated by the scarce availability of the ion. Increased concentrations of this electron acceptor due to sulphur (S) pollution of groundwater and surface water may, however, lead to high SO4 2- reduction rates now regulated by the availability of appropriate electron donors. Due to variations in this availability,the response to S pollution (e.g. from surface water or groundwater) is expected to differ between soils. This hypothesis was tested inlaboratory mesocosm experiments by comparing two wetland soil types with distinctly different humus profiles: a Hydromoder and a Rhizomull type. In the first type, expected to have a higher availability of degradable soil organic matter (SOM), SO4 2-availability appeared to be rate limiting for SO4 2- reduction. In the Rhizomullsoils, in contrast, the electron acceptor did not limit SO4 2- reduction rates at higher concentrations. These differences in response could not, however, be attributed to differences in the various SOM fractions or in SOM densities. Eutrophication and free sulphide accumulation, two major biogeochemical problems caused by SO4 2- pollution, occurred in both types. The absolute extent of phosphorus mobilisation was determined by the concentration of this element in the soil (C/Pratio), while the level of sulphide accumulation was governed by the concentration of dissolved iron in the pore water. It was therefore concluded that neither the humus profile nor the concentrations of different SOM fractions in the soils are reliable indicators for the sensitivity of wetland types to S pollution.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Appelo CAJ &Postma D (1993) Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution. AA Balkema, Rotterdam
Beltman B,Rouwenhorst TG,Van Kerkhoven MB,Van der Krift T &Verhoeven JTA (2000) Internal eutrophication in peat soils through competition between chloride and sulphate with phosphate for binding sites. Biogeochemistry 50: 183–194
Bobbink R,Hornung M &Roelofs JGM (1998) The effects of airborne nitrogen pollutants on species diversity in natural and semi-natural European vegetation. J. Ecol. 86: 717–738
Boström B,Jansson M &Forsberg C (1982) Phosphorus release from lake sediments. Arch. Hydrobiol. 18: 5–59
Boström B,Andersen JM,Fleischer S &Jansson M (1988) Exchange of phosphorus across the sediment-water interface. Hydrobiologia 170: 229–244
Brinson MM (1977) Decomposition and nutrient exchange of litter in an alluvial swamp forest. Ecology 58: 601–609
Brock ThCM,Boon JJ &Paffen BGP (1985) The effects of the season and water chemistry in the decomposition of Nymphaea alba L.: Weight loss and pyrolysis mass spectrometry of the particulate matter. Aquat. Bot. 22: 197–229
Caraco NF,Cole JJ &Likens GE (1989) Evidence for sulphate-controlled phosphorus release from sediments of aquatic systems. Nature 341: 316–318
Einsele W (1936) Ñber die Beziehungen des Eisenkreislaufs zum Phosphatkreislauf im eutrophen See. Arch. Hydrobiol. 29: 664–686
Ellenberg H (1988) Vegetation ecology of Central Europe. 4th ed., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Goering HK &Van Soest PJ (1972) Forage Fiber Analyses; Agriculture Handbook 379. US Agricultural Research Service, Washington
Green RN,Trowbridge RL &Klinka K (1993) Towards a taxonomic classification of humus forms. Forest Science Monograph 29, Bethesda
Kemmers RH (1996) Using humus forms to monitor processes. Landschap 13: 1157–167 (in Dutch, with Engl. abstract)
Kok CJ &Van de Laar BJ (1991) Influence of pH and buffering capacity on the decomposition of Nymphaea alba L. detritus in laboratory experiments: a possible explanation for the inhibition of decomposition at low alkalinity. Verh. Internat. Verein Limnol. 24: 2689–2692
Jørgensen BB (1982) Mineralization of organic matter in the sea bed-the role of sulphate reduction. Nature 296: 643–645
Lamers LPM,Tomassen HBM &Roelofs JGM (1998a) Sulfate-induced eutrophication and phytotoxicity in freshwater wetlands. Environ. Sci. Technol. 32: 199–205
Lamers LPM,Van Roozendaal SME &Roelofs JGM (1998b) Acidification of freshwater wetlands: combined effects of non-airborne sulfur pollution and desiccation. Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 105: 95–106
Lamers, LPM (2001) Tackling Some Biogeochemical Questions in Peatlands. PhD thesis University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen
McKinley VL &Vestal JR (1982) Effects of acid on plant litter decomposition in an arctic lake. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 43: 1188–1195
Ohle W (1954) Sulfat als ‘Katalysator’ des limnischen Stoffkreislaufes. Vom Wasser 21: 13–32
Patrick WH &Khalid RA (1974) Phosphate release and sorption by soils and sediments: effect of aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Science 186: 53–55
Paul EA &Clark FE (1989) Soil microbiology and biochemistry. Academic Press Inc., San Diego
Pegtel D (1983) Ecological aspects of a nutrient-deficient wet grassland (Cirsio-Molinietum). Verh. Ges. Ökol. X: 217–228
Potvin C,Lechowicz MJ &Tardif S (1990) The statistical analysis of ecophysiological response curves obtained from experiments involving repeated measures. Ecology 71: 1389–1400
Redfield AC (1958). Biological control of chemical factors in the environment. Am. Sci. 46: 205–221
Roelofs JGM (1986) The effect of airborne sulphur and nitrogen deposition on aquatic and terrestrial heathland vegetation. Experientia 42: 372–377
Roelofs JGM (1991) Inlet of alkaline river water into peaty lowlands: effects on water quality and on Stratiotes aloides stands. Aquat. Bot. 39: 267–293
SAS (1989) SAS/STAT Users Guide, Version 6. SAS Institute Inc., Cary
Scheffer F &Schachtschabel P (1992) Lehrbuch der Bodenkunde. Enke, Stuttgart
Schuurkes JAAR,Kempers AJ &Kok CJ (1988) Aspects of biochemical sulphur conversions in sediments of a shallow soft water lake. J. Freshwater Ecol. 4: 369–381
Smolders AJP &Roelofs JGM (1993) Sulphate mediated iron limitation and eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems. Aquat. Bot. 46: 247–253
Smolders AJP &Roelofs JGM (1996) The roles of internal iron hydroxide precipitation, sulphide toxicity and oxidizing ability in the survival of Statiotes aloides roots at different iron concentrations in sediment pore water. New Phytol. 133: 253–260
Smolders AJP,Nijboer RC &Roelofs JGM (1995) Prevention of sulphide accumulation and phosphate mobilization by the addition of iron(II)chloride to a reduced sediment: an enclosure experiment. Freshwater Biol. 34: 559–568
Sperber JI (1958) Release of phosphate from soil minerals by hydrogen sulphide. Nature 181: 934
Swift MJ,Heal OW &Anderson JM (1979) Decomposition in Terrestrial Ecosystems. University of California Press, Berkeley & Los Angeles
Van Dam H (1988) Acidification of three moorland pools in The Netherlands by acid precipitation and extreme drought periods over seven decades. Freshwater Biol. 20: 157–176
Van Delft SPJ (1995) Humus-and Soil Profiles in Wet Grasslands. SC-DLO, Wageningen (In Dutch)
Van Delft SPJ,Marinissen JCY &Didden WAM (1999) Humus profile degradation as influenced by decreasing earthworm activity. Pedobiologia 43: 561–567
Vermeer JG (1986) The effect of nutrient addition and lowering of the water table on shoot biomass and species composition of a wet grassland community (Cirsio-Molinietum Siss. et de Vries, 1942). Act. Oecol. 7: 145–155
Walker TW (1965) The significance of phosphorus in pedogenesis. In: Hallsworth EA &Crawford DV (Eds) Experimental Pedeology (pp 295–315). Butterworth, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lamers, L.P., Dolle, G.E.T., Van Den Berg, S.T. et al. Differential responses of freshwater wetland soils to sulphate pollution. Biogeochemistry 55, 87–101 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010629319168
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010629319168