The effect of natural organic matter (NOM) on the distribution and resources of mobile phosphorus in the bottom sediments of small retention reservoirs

Abstract

The purpose of the work detailed here was to determine the impact of the distribution of natural organic matter and grain size on the resources and distribution of mobile phosphorus in the bottom sediments of small reservoirs located in catchments subject to different levels of anthropopressure. The research objects were five small reservoirs located in southeast Poland. In small retention reservoirs, it is the anthropogenic impact of the catchment and its geological structure, and to a lesser extent sediment granulation, that determine the distribution of phosphorus fractions (especially in inorganic compounds) and the share of total P they account for. In general, a higher level of contamination of sediments with organic matter (OSION increase) is shown to be associated with a higher content of the organic fraction of phosphorus and easily decomposable organic matter. Within small retention reservoirs under significant anthropogenic influence from the catchment, sandy sediments compared with silty sediments were significantly less loaded with potentially mobile phosphorus as well as with organic forms of phosphorus and (sometimes) nitrogen. The occurrence of humic-metal-phosphate complexes is determined by there being sufficient organic matter, especially humic fractions. Fractions of inorganic phosphorus compounds and organic matter have the terrigenous source of these pollutants in common. The organic sediment index can serve as an adjunctive indicator with which to assess the potential ability of the sediments in small retention reservoirs to internal supply of the water column in nutrients.