The influence of nutrient loading, climate and water depth on nitrogen and phosphorus loss in shallow lakes: a pan-European mesocosm experiment

Coppens J., Hejzlar J., Sorf M., Jeppesen E., Erdogan A., Scharfenberger U., ...More

HYDROBIOLOGIA, vol.778, no.1, pp.13-32, 2016 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 778 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2016
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10750-015-2505-9
  • Journal Name: HYDROBIOLOGIA
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.13-32
  • Keywords: Nutrient retention, Nutrient budget, Shallow lake, Organic matter, Temperature, MASS-BALANCE, DENITRIFICATION RATES, EUTROPHICATION, RETENTION, SEDIMENT, PATTERNS, REMOVAL, INPUTS, MACROPHYTES, LIMITATION
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Losses of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) have important influences on in-lake concentrations and nutrient loading to downstream ecosystems. We performed a series of mesocosm experiments along a latitudinal gradient from Sweden to Greece to investigate the factors influencing N and P loss under different climatic conditions. In six countries, a standardised mesocosm experiment with two water depths and two nutrient levels was conducted concurrently between May and November 2011. Our results showed external nutrient loading to be of key importance for N and P loss in all countries. Almost all dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were lost or taken up in biomass in all mesocosms. We found no consistent effect of temperature on DIN and SRP loss but a significant, though weak, negative effect of temperature on total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loss in the deeper mesocosms, probably related to higher organic N and P accumulation in the water in the warmer countries. In shallow mesocosms, a positive trend in TN and TP loss with increasing temperature was observed, most likely related to macrophyte growth.