Dynamics of phosphorus fractions and bioavailability in a large shallow tropical lake characterized by monotonal flood pulse in Southeast Asia

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how the hydrological phase in a flood pulse dominated system, Tonle Sap Lake (TSL), affects the chemical form and bioavailability of P. For this purpose, we conducted extensive field campaigns under different hydrological phases: low-water (LW), rising-water (RW), high-water (HW), and falling-water (FW) phases from December 2016 to September 2017. The TSL ecosystem distinctly exhibited seasonality of the monotonal flood pulse between the low-water and high-water periods, in terms of not only water depth (range 0.5–8.0 m) but also water quality, suspended sediment, P dynamics (concentration, speciation and bioavailability), and trophic status. On an annual basis, the lake retained 56.2% of the external P loads, representing a major sink of P. Seasonally, P dynamics in TSL are determined by internal loading, whereas the annual inflows from the Mekong River basin and lake’s tributaries are important sources of P for TSL. Total particulate phosphorus (TPP) constituted >60% of the total P in LW and decreased to <30% during HW, corresponding to the variation in total suspended solids (TSS). Soluble reactive P predominated the total dissolved P during LW (>70%) and decreased to approx. 30% during HW with decreasing TSS and TPP, suggesting the reduction of bioavailability of P in HW. Our results indicate that the flood pulse plays an important role in the chemical form and bioavailability of P in shallow lakes.