Circulation patterns of biogenic ions in Young Glacial areas.

Abstract

The paper focuses on the effect of ponds (geographically isolated wetlands) on water quality within internally drained areas in a river catchment. The important part of the study was the point of formation of a periodic hydrographic network of internally drained areas linked with a main river as well as the identification of the circulation pattern of ions in such a system. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which ponds pollute the main river upon physical connection with it. Research has shown that ponds participate actively in material circulation-including that of water and biogenic ions. The hydrographic network in Young Glacial areas is subject to very large seasonal changes. In the study area, the total length of the stream network in the dry season equaled 12 km, while in the wet season almost 75 km. At the same time, almost 50% of the internally drained areas in the catchment became connected with the surface runoff network. Such large seasonal changes in the hydrographic network yield large changes in stream water chemistry. In the study area, only 6 ponds were linked to the stream network during the dry season, while in the wet season, this number increased to 125. The parts of catchments featuring the largest changes in the hydrographic network as well as the largest number of ponds temporarily linked with surface runoff networks were characterized by a high content of total nitrogen and phosphorus-up to 244.2 kg N km2 per month and 26.2 kg P km2 per month.