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Nutrient and hydrologic budgets of a great lakes coastal freshwater wetland during a drought year

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Abstract

A coastal wetland along Lake Erie (Ohio, U.S.A.) was studied to determine hydrologic and phosphorus budgets and spatial and temporal variation of phosphorus and related chemical parameters. The wetland was influenced by changing Lake Erie water levels, seiches, shifting shoreline sediments, and watershed inflow during a year of severe drought. The water budget for a 7-month period (March – September, 1988) had average inflow of 15 200 m3 day−1 from the watershed and 3.5 m3 day−1 from Lake Erie. The wetland increased in volume by 700 m3 day−1 despite a drought that resulted in 80% more evapotranspiration than rainfall as a barrier beach isolated the wetland from Lake Erie for 77% of the study period. Conductivity decreased by 34% as water flowed through the wetland and turbidity and total suspended solids were variable and statistically similar at inflow and outflow. Average total phosphorus concentrations in the inflow and outflow were also similar (247 and 248 µg P l−1 respectively) although total soluble phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus decreased significantly (α=0.05) from inflow to outflow (averages 94 to 45 µg P l−1 and 7.5 to 4.0 µg P l−1 respectively). Nutrient budgets from field data estimate a retention of 36% of the phosphorus, presumably in the sediments (0.8 mg P m−2 day−1). A general nutrient retention model, an estimated deposition rate from a sediment core and a simulation model predicted higher mass retention of phosphorus but similar percentage retention.

Sommaire

Un marecage qui côtoie le lac Erie (USA) a servi de site expérimental pour en déterminer les budgets d'eau et de phosphore, de même que pour la variation spatiale et temporelle du phosphore et d'autres facteurs chimiques. Le marécage a été influencé par: niveaux d'eau qui changeaient; seiches; sédiments mouvants du littoral; et afflux de la ligne de partage des eaux dans une année de grande sécheresse. Le budget d'eau dans une période de 7 mois (mars–septembre 1988) montre un afflux de 15 200 m3 jour−1 de la ligne de partage, et 3.5 m3 jour−1 du lac Erie. Le volume du marécage a augmenté par 700 m3 jour−1 malgré une sécheresse qui a produit plus d'évapotranspiration (80%) que de pluie pendant qu'une plage-obstacle a isolé le marecage du lac Erie pendant 77% de la période d'observation. La conductivité a diminué par 34% pendant que l'eau coulait, et la turbidité et les TSS ont varié, tout en démontrant des statistiques similaires à l'afflux et au déversement. Les moyennes pour les concentrations du total du phosphore à l'afflux et au déversement ont été similaires (247 and 248 µg P l−1), quoique le TSP et le SRP ont diminué (α=0.05) de l'afflux au déversement (donant des moyennes de 94 à 45 µg P l−1 et de 7.5 à 4.0 µg P l'−1). Les budgets de substances nutritives pour les données suggèrent une reténtion de 36% du phosphore, évidemment dans les sédiments (0.8 mg P m−2 jour−1). Un modèle pour la rétention des nutrients, un taux de déposition, estimé par un noyau de sédiments, et une simulation avaient prédit un plus grand taux de rétention de phosphore, mais un pourcentage similaire pour la rétention.

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Mitsch, W.J., Reeder, B.C. Nutrient and hydrologic budgets of a great lakes coastal freshwater wetland during a drought year. Wetlands Ecol Manage 1, 211–222 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00244926

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