Trace elements influenced by environmental changes in Lake Biwa: (II) Chemical variations in the hypolimnion over the last half-century

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The history of the deep north basin of Lake Biwa extends over 430,000 years. Although it has probably been oxic and oligotrophic since its formation, human impacts have been changing lake conditions. In this paper, we discuss long-term changes in the chemistry of bottom water by compiling literature and through our own data over the last half-century. Long-term records show an increase in temperature, decrease in dissolved oxygen (DO), and increase in nutrients in bottom water. The stoichiometry among oxygen and nutrients indicates that changes are basically consistent with aerobic decomposition of organic matter. These changes are most likely the result of global warming and local eutrophication. Of particular note, yearly minimum DO concentrations <50 µmol kg−1 have started to occur frequently at ~90 m depth since 1999. Manganese (Mn) concentrations in bottom water are at their minimum during the turnover period and at a maximum during the late stratification period each year. Yearly minimum Mn concentration has been within a narrow range over the last 30 years (0.25 ± 0.07 µmol kg−1, n = 12). However, abnormally high Mn concentrations (up to 9.3 µmol kg−1) were observed in 2007, caused by reductive release of a substantial amount of Mn from suboxic sediments and subsequent oxidation in bottom water. The concentration of arsenic (As) has gradually increased over the last 20 years in a similar manner, with a homologous element of phosphorus (P), resulting in an observed range of 17–29 nmol kg−1 in 2010. The accumulation rate was ~0.8 nmol kg−1 year−1 for As and ~6 nmol kg−1 year−1 for P.