Abstract
Uptake of NH sup+inf4 -N by streambed biota of mountain brooks was studied in the alpine zone of the High Tatra Mountains. Experiments were performed involving in situ dosing of ammonium directly to the acidified stream and incubations of ammonium and streambed bryophytes in enclosures within a range of pH from 4.45 to 8.10.
NH sup+inf4 -N uptake length decreased with decreasing stream discharge, while comparable values of discharge-normalized uptake lengths were found during two in situ experiments.
Maximum uptake rates of NH sup+inf4 -N obtained during the incubation of bryophytes (6 to 11 mg m−2 h−1) were comparable with results of two in situ experiments (8 and 12 mg m−2 h−1). The average NH sup+inf4 -N uptake rates observed during incubations lasting 3 to 5 hours (4.3 mg m−2 h−1) were not related to the pH of stream water. Nitrification of about 50% of the NH sup+inf4 -N added was observed in non-acidified streams, but was negligible in acidified streams. Significant photoinhibition of nitrification was observed in non-acidified streams during enclosure experiments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bendschneider, K. & R. J. Robinson, 1952. A new spectrophotometric determination of nitrite in sea water. J. mar. Res. 2: 87–96.
Catalan, J., E. Ballesteros, L. Camarero, M. Felip & E. Gacia, 1992. Limnology in the Pyrenean lakes. Limnetica 8: 27–38.
Cerovský, M., 1983. Measurement of air pollution at Mt. Chopok and pollution of precipitation in Bratislava. (In Slovak). Hydrochemical problems of water pollution, Geological Survey, Bratislava: 73–80.
Dillon, P. J. & L. A. Molot, 1990. The role of ammonium and nitrate retention in the acidification of lakes and forested catchments. Biogeochemistry 11: 23–43.
Fott, J., E. Stuchlík, Z. Stuchlíková, V. Straškrabová, J. Kopáček & K. Šimek, 1992. Acidification of lakes in Tatra Mountains (Czechoslovakia) and its ecological consequences. In R. Mosello, B. M. Wathne & G. Giussani (eds), Limnology on groups of remote mountain lakes: ongoing and planned activities. Documenta Ist. Ital. Idrobiol. No 32: 69–81.
Gazda, S. & K. Lopašovský, 1983. Chemical composition of winter precipitation in Slovakia. (In Slovak). Hydrochemical problems of water pollution, Geological Survey, Bratislava: 63–71.
Grodzinska-Jurczak, M. & M. Krywult, 1992. Acidification of the Waksmundzki Stream (The Polish Tatra Mountains) affected by atmospheric pollution. Acta Hydrobiol. 34: 19–28.
Golterman, H. L. & R. S. Clymo, 1969. Methods for Chemical Analysis of Fresh Waters. IBP Handbook No 8, Blackwell Sci. Publ., Oxford, 172 pp.
Hart, B. T., P. Freeman & I. D. McKelvie, 1992. Whole-stream phosphorus release studies: variation in uptake length with initial phosphorus concentration. Hydrobiologia 235/236: 573–584.
Henriksen, A. & D. F. Brakke, 1988. Increasing contributions of nitrogen to the acidity of surface waters in Norway. Wat. Air Soil Pollut. 42: 183–201.
Howard-Williams, C., J. C. Priscu & W. F. Vincent, 1989. Nitrogen dynamics in two antarctic streams. Hydrobiologia 172: 51–61.
Kopáček, J. & L. Procházková, 1993. Semi-micro determination of ammonia in water by the rubazoic acid method. Intern. J. Envir. Anal. Chem. 53: 243–248.
Kopáček J. & E. Stuchlik, 1994. Chemical characteristics of lakes in the High Tatra Mountains, Czechoslovakia. Hydrobiologia 274: 49–56.
Mackereth, F. J. H., J. Heron & J. F. Talling, 1978. Water analysis: Some revised methods for limnologists. FBA Scientific Publication No 36: 120 pp.
Moldan, B., M. Veselý & A. Bartonňová 1987. Chemical composition of atmospheric precipitation in Czechoslovakia, 1976–1984 — 1. Monthly samples. Atmospheric Environment 21: 2383–2395.
Mosello, R., A. Marchetto, G. A. Tartari, M. Bovio & P. Castello, 1991. Chemistry of alpine lakes in Aosta valley (N. Italy) in relation to watershed characteristics and acid deposition. Ambio 20: 7–12.
Procházková, L., 1959. Bestimmung der Nitrate im Wasser. Z. anal. Chem. 167: 254–260.
Procházková, L., 1964. Spectrophotometric determination of ammonia as rubazoic acid with bispyrazolone reagent.Analyt. Chem. 36: 865–871.
Richey J. S., W. H. McDowell, G. E. Likens, 1985: Nitrogen transformations in small mountain stream. Hydrobiologia 124: 129–139.
Rudd J. W. M., C. A. Kelly, D. W. Schindler & M. A. Turner, 1988. Disruption of the nitrogen cycle in acidified lakes. Science 240: 1515–1517.
Schuurkes, J. A. A. R. & R. Mosello, 1988. The role of external ammonium inputs in freshwater acidification. Schweiz. Z. Hydrol. 50/1: 71–86.
Straškrabová V. & P. Blažzka, 1990. Změny dusíku a fosforu v plesech a potocích TANAPU a jejich vliv na biologické procesy. Sborník prednášok z konferencie k 40. výročiu Tatranského národného parku, Tatranská Lomnica: 451–456. [Changes in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in lakes and brooks of the Tatra Mts. and their effect on biological processes].
Stream Solute Workshop, 1990. Concepts and methods for assessing solute dynamics in stream ecosystems. J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc. 9: 95–119.
Stichlík, E., Z. Stuchlíková, J. Fort, L. Růžzička & J. Vrba, 1985. Effect of acid precipitation on waters of the TANAP territory. (In Czech, with English summary). Treatises concerning the Tatra National Park 26: 173–211.
Triska, F. J., V. C. Kennedy, R. J. Avanzino, G. W. Zellveger & K. E. Bencala, 1989a. Retention and transport of nutrients in a third-order stream: Channel processes. Ecology 70: 1877–1892.
Triska, F. J., V. C. Kennedy, R. J. Avanzino, G. W. Zellveger & K. E. Bencala, 1989b. Retention and transport of nutrients in a third-order stream in northwestern California: Hyporheic processes. Ecology 70: 1893–1905.
Vrba, J., 1990. Effect of periodic illumination on nitrification in the continuous cultivation. Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih. 34: 145–150.
Wathne, B. M., R. Mosello, A. Henriksen & A. Marchetto, 1989. Comparison of the chemical characteristics of mountain lakes in Norway and Italy. In M. Johannessen, R. Mosello & H. Barth (eds), Acidification processes in remote mountain lakes. Air pollution research report 20: 41–58.
Wright, R. F. & E. T. Gjessing, 1976. Changes in the chemical composition of lakes. Ambio 5: 219–223.
Wright, R. F. & M. Johannessen, 1980. Input-output budgets of major ions at gauged catchments in Norway. Proc., Int conf. ecol. impact acid precip. Norway, SNSF project: 250–251.
Zall, D. M., D. Fisher & M. Q. Garner, 1956. Photometric determination of chlorides in water. Analyt. Chem. 28: 1665–1668.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kopáček, J., Blažzka, P. Ammonium uptake in alpine streams in the High Tatra Mountains (Slovakia). Hydrobiologia 294, 157–165 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00016856
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00016856