Nutrients in streams draining the different types of wetlands in Western Siberian Plain

Abstract

Two second order streams were compared to test the influence of peatbog type (minerotrophic vs. oligotrophic) on dissolved nutrient composition and dynamics during several hydrologic years. A significant spatio-temporal variation in the concentration of nutrients in the channel runoff is shown. It depends on the catchment characteristics and the hydrological period of the year. In general, the concentrations of phosphates, nitrates and nitrites are lower in the stream draining an area dominated by a minerotrophic bog that indicates nutrients removal by more intense microbiological activity. This is also confirmed by the greater amount of ammonium nitrogen present in the streamflow. In the annual runoff of both streams, the ammonium form dominates dissolved inorganic nitrogen. The minimum concentration of phosphates is observed in winter, and ammonium in the spring flood. In the territory with a predominance of minerotrophic bogs the stream runoff is enriched in calcium, magnesium and silicon indicating specific major cation-rich groundwater input.