Abstract
As part of an ecosystem study of a small mesotrophic turbid impoundment in the semi-arid part of South Africa, an investigation was made of the particle size distribution, organic content and inorganic chemical composition of the sediment. Nine transects 50 m apart were made during February 1980. Sediments were sampled with an Eckman grab. The following analyses were made: size fractionation by wet sieving, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable Na, K, Ca, Mg and P04, total P, and loss on ignition.
From the results it was clear that the finer particles, in or near the original river bed, had higher cation exchange capacity, total P, exchangeable phosphorus and organic content. Littoral areas with avian habitat and extensive macrophyte vegetation, contained coarser sediments. Organic detritus apparently migrated to the deeper part of the impoundment. Sediments of lacustrine and fluvial origin were identified by means of the Passega classification.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Allen, G. P., 1971. Relationship between grain size parameter distribution and current pattern in the Gironde Estuary (France). J. Sed. Pet. 41: 74–86.
Clay, E. M. & Wilhm, J., 1979. Particle size, percent organic carbon, phosphorus, mineralogy and deposition of sediments in Ham’s and Arbuckle Lakes. Hydrobiologia 65: 33–38.
Folk, R. L. & Ward, W. L., 1957. Brazos River bar: a study on the significance of grain size parameters. J. Sed. Pret. 27: 3–26.
Frink, C., 1969. Chemical and mineralogical characteristics of eutrophic lake sediments. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 33: 369–372.
Hart, B. T., McGregor, R. J. & Perriman, W. S., 1976. Nutrient status of the sediments in Lake Mulwala. I. Total phosphorus. Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 27: 129–135.
Kemp, A., 1971. Organic carbon and nitrogen in the surface sediments of Lakes Ontario, Eric and Huron. J. Sed. Pet. 41: 537–548.
Le Roux, J. S. & Roos, Z. N. Rate of erosion inthe catchment of the Bulbergfontein Dam near Reddersburg in the Orange Free State. J. Limnol. Soc. sth. Afr. 5: 89–93.
Passega, R., 1964. Grain size representation by C. M. patterns as a geological tool. J. Sed. Pet. 34: 830–847.
Passega, R., 1977. Significance of C.M. diagrams of sediments deposited by suspensions. Sedimentology 24: 723–733.
Royse, C. F., 1968. Recognition of fluvial environments by particle size characteristics. J. Sed. Pet. 38: 1171–1178.
Rutherford, G. K., 1972. The clay mineralogy and some properties of bottom sediments of the St. Laurence River near Kingston, Ontario. Can. J. Earth Sci. 9: 1670–1676.
Scott, W. & Mainer, D., 1936. Sedimentation in Winona Lake and Tippecanoe Lake, Kasciusko, Indiana. Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. 45: 275–281.
Slater, S. J. E. & Boag, A. J., 1978. The phosphorus status of the sediments of three eutrophic lakes in Victoria. Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 29: 263–274.
Stephenson, R. A., 1970. On the use of grain size analysis in geomorphological studies. Prof. Geol. 22: 200–203.
Thomas, R. L., 1969. A note on the relationship of grain size, clay content, quartz and organic carbon in some Lake Erie and Ontario sediments. J. Sed. Pet. 39: 803–808.
Toth, S. J. & Ott, A. N., 1970. Characterization of bottom sediments: cation exchange capacity and exchangeable cation status. Environ. Sci. Technol. 4: 935–939.
Tovey, N. K. & Wong, K. Y., 1978. Preparation, selection and interpretation problems in scanning electron microscope studies of sediments. In: Whalley, W. B. (Ed.) Scanning Electron Microscopy in the Study of Sediments. Geo Abstracts, Norwich, pp. 414.
Visher, G. S., 1969. Grain size distributions and depositional processes. J. Sed. Pet. 39: 1074–1106.
Weaver, A. v. B. & Stone, A. W., 1980. Distinguishing sub–environments of sediment deposition in reservoirs using particle size distribution parameters. J. Limnol. Soc. sth. Afr. 6: 59–65.
Williams, J. D. H., Syers, J. K., Shukla, S. S., Harris, R. F. & Armstrong, D. E., 1971. Levels of inorganic and total phosphorus as related to other sediment parameters. Environ. Sci. Technol. 5: 1113–1120.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague
About this paper
Cite this paper
Keulder, P.C. (1982). Particle size distribution and chemical parameters of the sediments of a shallow turbid impoundment. In: Sly, P.G. (eds) Sediment/Freshwater Interaction. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8009-9_34
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8009-9_34
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-8011-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-8009-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive