Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Biogeochemical zonation of sulfur during the discharge of groundwater to lake in desert plateau (Dakebo Lake, NW China)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Environmental Geochemistry and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As one of the important elements of controlling the redox system within the hyporheic and hypolentic zone, sulfur is involved in a series of complex biogeochemical processes such as carbon cycle, water acidification, formation of iron and manganese minerals, redox processes of trace metal elements and a series of important ecological processes. Previous studies on biogeochemistry of the hyporheic and hypolentic zones mostly concentrated on nutrients of nitrogen and phosphorus, heavy metals and other pollutants. Systematic study of biogeochemical behavior of sulfur and its main controlling factors within the lake hypolentic zone is very urgent and important. In this paper, a typical desert plateau lake, Dakebo Lake in northwestern China, was taken for example within which redox zonation and biogeochemical characteristics of sulfur affected by hydrodynamic conditions were studied based on not only traditional hydrochemical analysis, but also environmental isotope evidence. In the lake hypolentic zone of the study area, due to the different hydrodynamic conditions, vertical profile of sulfur species and environmental parameters differ at the two sites of the lake (western side and center). Reduction of sulfate, deposition and oxidation of sulfide, dissolution and precipitation of sulfur-bearing minerals occurred are responded well to Eh, dissolved oxygen, pH, organic carbon and microorganism according to which the lake hypolentic zone can be divided into reduced zone containing H2S, reduced zone containing no H2S, transition zone and oxidized zone. The results of this study provide valuable insights for understanding sulfur conversion processes and sulfur biogeochemical zonation within a lake hypolentic zone in an extreme plateau arid environment and for protecting the lake–wetland ecosystem in arid and semiarid regions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benison, K. C., & Bowen, B. B. (2013). Extreme sulfur-cycling in acid brine lake environments of Western Australia. Chemical Geology, 351(5), 154–167.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Billon, G., Ouddane, B., Laureyns, J., & Boughriet, A. (2001). Chemistry of metal sulfides in anoxic sediments. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics: PCCP, 3(17), 3586–3592.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, E. D., Bush, R. T., Johnston, S. G., Sullivan, L. A., & Keene, A. F. (2011). Sulfur biogeochemical cycling and novel Fe–S mineralization pathways in a tidally re-flooded wetland. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 75(12), 3434–3451.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, E. D., Sullivan, L. A., Bush, R. T., Johnston, S. G., & Keene, A. F. (2008). A simple and inexpensive chromium-reducible sulfur method for acid-sulfate soils. Applied Geochemistry, 23(9), 2759–2766.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Canfield, D. E. (2004). The evolution of the earth surface sulfur reservoir. American Journal of Science, 304(10), 839–861.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chafiq, M., Gibert, J., & Claret, C. (1999). Interactions among sediments, organic matter, and microbial activity in the hyporheic zone of an intermittent stream. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 56(3), 487–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Couture, R. M., Fischer, R., Cappellen, P. V., & Gobeil, C. (2016). Non-steady state diagenesis of organic and inorganic sulfur in lake sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 194, 15–33.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Findlay, S. (1995). Importance of surface-subsurface exchange in stream ecosystems: The hyporheic zone. Limnology and Oceanography, 40(1), 159–164.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, C. C., & Harvey, J. W. (2000). Reactive uptake of trace metals in the hyporheic zone of a mining-contaminated stream, Pinal Creek, Arizona. Environmental Science & Technology, 34(7), 1150–1155.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi, M., & Rosenberry, D. O. (2002). Effects of ground water exchange on the hydrology and ecology of surface water. Groundwater, 40(3), 309–316.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holmer, W. P. I. I. I., Reinhard, C. T., & Lyons, T. W. (2016). A comprehensive sulfur and oxygen isotope study of sulfur cycling in a shallow, hyper-euxinic meromictic lake. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 189, 1–23.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holmer, M., & Storkholm, P. (2001). Sulphate reduction and sulphur cycling in lake sediments: A review. Freshwater Biology, 46(4), 431–451.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howarth, R. W., & Teal, J. M. (1979). Sulfate reduction in a New England salt marsh. Limnology and Oceanography, 24(6), 999–1013.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J., Robinson, C., & Couture, R. M. (2014). Effect of groundwater–lake interactions on arsenic enrichment in freshwater beach aquifers. Environmental Science and Technology, 48(17), 10174–10181.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malard, F., Tockner, K., Dole-Olivier, M. J., & Ward, J. V. (2002). A landscape perspective of surface–subsurface hydrological exchanges in river corridors. Freshwater Biology, 47(4), 621–640.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin, C., Tudorache, A., Moldovan, O. T., Povară, I., & Rajka, G. (2010). Assessing the contents of arsenic and of some heavy metals in surface flows and in the hyporheic zone of the Arieş stream catchment area, Romania. Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 5(1), 13–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellerin, A., Bui, T. H., Rough, M., Mucci, A., Canfield, D. E., & Wing, B. A. (2015). Mass-dependent sulfur isotope fractionation during reoxidative sulfur cycling: A case study from Mangrove Lake, Bermuda. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 149(12), 152–164.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shang, H., Wang, W., Dai, Z., Duan, L., Zhao, Y., & Zhang, J. (2016). An ecology-oriented exploitation mode of groundwater resources in the northern Tianshan Mountain, China. Journal of Hydrology. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.10.012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorokin, D. Y., Kuenen, J. G., & Muyzer, G. (2011). The microbial sulfur cycle at extremely haloalkaline conditions of soda lakes. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2(1), 111–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoliker, D. L., Repert, D. A., Smith, R. L., Song, B., Leblanc, D. R., McCobb, T. D., et al. (2016). Hydrologic controls on nitrogen cycling processes and functional gene abundance in sediments of a groundwater flow-through lake. Environmental Science and Technology, 50(7), 3649–3657.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Su, X., Cui, G., Yuan, W., & Wang, H. (2016). Using multiple environmental methods to estimate groundwater discharge into an arid lake (Dakebo Lake, Inner Mongolia, China). Hydrogeology Journal, 24(7), 1707–1722.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Su, X., Xu, W., & Du, S. (2014a). In situ infiltration test using a reclaimed abandoned river bed: Managed aquifer recharge in Shijiazhuang City, China. Environmental Earth Science, 71(12), 5017–5025.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su, X., Xu, W., & Du, S. (2014b). Responses of groundwater vulnerability to artificial recharge under extreme weather conditions in Shijiazhuang City, China. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua, 63(3), 224–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Triska, F. J., Kennedy, V. C., Avanzino, R. J., Zellweger, G. W., & Bencala, K. E. (1989). Retention and transport of nutrients in a third-order stream in northwestern California: Hyporheic processes. Ecology, 70(6), 1877–1892.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valiente, N., Menchen, A., Carrey, R., Otero, N., Soler, A., Sanz, D., et al. (2017). Sulfur recycling processes in a eutrophic hypersaline system: Pétrola Lake (SE, Spain). Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 17, 201–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y. (2003). Determination of acid-volatile sulfide in river sediment using static headspace gas chromatography. Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 31(1), 55–57.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wörman, A., Packman, A. I., Johansson, H., & Jonsson, K. (2002). Effect of flow-induced exchange in hyporheic zones on longitudinal transport of solutes in streams and rivers. Water Resources Research, 38(1), 2–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, G. (2013). Research on the characteristics of hydrodynamic exchange and hydrochemical evolution in hypolentic zone of Dakebo Lake in Ordos Desert Plateau area (in Chinese). MSc Thesis, Jilin University, China.

  • Yuan, W., Su, X., Cui, G., & Wang, H. (2016). Microbial community structure in hypolentic zones of a brine lake in a desert plateau, China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 75(15), 1–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, L., Gong, H., Dai, Z., Xu, T., Su, X., & Li, X. (2015). An integrated assessment of the impact of precipitation and groundwater on vegetation growth in arid and semiarid areas. Environmental Earth Science, 74(6), 5009–5021.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China for financially supporting this research under the project entitled “Research into the biogeochemical behavior of sulfur within desert plateau hypolentic zones” (Grant Number: 41073054). We would like to express our sincere thanks to the editor and the anonymous reviewers for the constructive and positive advice and comments which helped improve the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Water Resources and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China

    Xiaosi Su, Geng Cui, Zhenxue Dai & Wenzhen Yuan

  2. College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130026, China

    Xiaosi Su & Zhenxue Dai

  3. China Geological Survey, Beijing, 100037, China

    Huang Wang

  4. Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, 50, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea

    Nam-Chil Woo

Authors
  1. Xiaosi Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Geng Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Huang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhenxue Dai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nam-Chil Woo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Wenzhen Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xiaosi Su or Huang Wang.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 686 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Su, X., Cui, G., Wang, H. et al. Biogeochemical zonation of sulfur during the discharge of groundwater to lake in desert plateau (Dakebo Lake, NW China). Environ Geochem Health 40, 1051–1066 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-9975-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-9975-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation