Changes In Dissolved Organic Carbon Concentration Research Articles

Rates of CO2 efflux and changes in DOC concentration resulting from the addition of POC to the fluvial system in peatlands

Fluvial systems are increasingly recognised as sites of carbon processing, particularly in peatlands, where high quantities of particulate organic carbon (POC) enter the stream network during storm events. However, the fate of this POC and potential transformations to dissolved and gaseous phases are poorly understood. Here, a series of mixing experiments are undertaken, using particulate organic matter (POM) and streamwater derived from an eroding peat catchment to simulate high quantities of material entering the fluvial system during storm event. Solutions were monitored for CO2 release and changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration. The role of microbial versus physical processes, and the influence of the initial streamwater pH and DOC concentration were also investigated. Results show that the addition of POM to the system leads to high rates of CO2 release, particularly within the first 24 h. The key control on rates of CO2 release is the initial DOC concentration of the streamwater used, with highest rates of CO2 release from solutions with the lowest initial DOC concentration. Rates of DOC production were lower, with average increases in the region of 0.8 mg/l over 24 h. There is evidence to suggest that rates of DOC increase are also influenced by initial streamwater DOC. The rapid rates of CO2 release from the fluvial system indicate that significant carbon loss to the atmosphere is possible, representing ‘hot moments’ upon the addition of POC to the fluvial system, whereas locations where POC residence times are long will be ‘hot spots’ of carbon transformation.

Drought and saltwater incursion synergistically reduce dissolved organic carbon export from coastal freshwater wetlands

The hydrologic transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) represents both a primary energetic loss from and a critical energetic link between ecosystems. Coastal freshwater wetlands serve as a primary source of DOC to estuaries; historically the magnitude and timing of DOC transfers has been driven by water movement. Extensive agricultural development throughout the coastal plain of the southeastern US has hydrologically connected much of the landscape via canals to facilitate drainage. The resulting large-scale loss of topographic relief and reduced mean elevation is interacting with increasingly frequent and severe droughts to facilitate the landward movement of seawater through the highly connected artificial drainage networks. The resulting changes in hydrologic regime and salinity are each expected to reduce DOC export from coastal freshwater wetlands, yet their individual and combined impacts are not well understood. Here we show that repeated saltwater incursion during late summer droughts substantially decreased DOC concentrations in surface water (from ~40 to ~18 mg/L) from a mature and a restored forested wetland in the coastal plain of North Carolina, USA. These declines in DOC concentration reduced annual export of DOC to the estuary by 70 % and dampened storm fluxes by 76 %. We used a long-term experiment with intact soil columns to measure the independent and combined effects of drought, salinity, and sulfate loading as potential drivers of the large changes in DOC concentration. We found that soil drying and salinization each reduced DOC similarly (20 % reduction by drought alone, 29 % by salinization) and their combined effect was additive (49 % reduction in salinization + drought treatments). Our results demonstrate that, well in advance of significant sea-level rise, drought and relatively low levels of saltwater incursion (<6 ppt) are already significantly altering the timing and magnitude of dissolved organic carbon flux between coastal forested wetlands and downstream estuaries.

Model-aided quantification of dissolved carbon and nitrogen release after windthrow disturbance in an Austrian karst system

Abstract. Karst systems are important for drinking water supply. Future climate projections indicate increasing temperature and a higher frequency of strong weather events. Both will influence the availability and quality of water provided from karst regions. Forest disturbances such as windthrow can disrupt ecosystem cycles and cause pronounced nutrient losses from the ecosystems. In this study, we consider the time period before and after the wind disturbance period (2007/08) to identify impacts on DIN (dissolved inorganic nitrogen) and DOC (dissolved organic carbon) with a process-based flow and solute transport simulation model. When calibrated and validated before the disturbance, the model disregards the forest disturbance and its consequences on DIN and DOC production and leaching. It can therefore be used as a baseline for the undisturbed system and as a tool for the quantification of additional nutrient production. Our results indicate that the forest disturbance by windthrow results in a significant increase of DIN production lasting ∼ 3.7 years and exceeding the pre-disturbance average by 2.7 kg ha−1 a−1 corresponding to an increase of 53 %. There were no significant changes in DOC concentrations. With simulated transit time distributions we show that the impact on DIN travels through the hydrological system within some months. However, a small fraction of the system outflow (&lt; 5 %) exceeds mean transit times of &gt; 1 year.

Exploring the relationship between the optical properties of water and the quality and quantity of dissolved organic carbon in aquatic ecosystems: strong correlations do not always mean strong predictive power.

Optical absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopies have the potential to play an important role in monitoring aquatic ecosystems. This paper explores the relationship between the optical absorption and fluorescence characteristics of water samples taken from 18 sites (spanning a range of aquatic environments including lowland rivers, small and large dams, and floodplain wetlands) with their dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and 28 days bioavailability Both optical absorbance in the ultraviolet region and fluorescence above excitation wavelengths of about 240 nm and emission wavelengths above about 350 were correlated with DOC concentration (r(2) > 0.8). The initial (pre-incubation) optical absorbance in the UV region (r(2) ≈ 0.7-0.8) and fluorescence attributed to both 'humic like' (r(2) = 0.84) and 'tryptophan-like' (r(2) = 0.87) fluorophores correlated with DOC bioavailability. These correlations were used to develop empirical linear models relating the initial optical properties of water with DOC quantity and quality. The robustness of these models was then tested against a second suite of water samples from 12 different sites, collected independently of those used in the model development. Although based on strong correlations, the empirical models were not particularly good at predicting the bioavailability of DOC in the model validation samples. We suggest that one of the reasons for the low predictive power of the models is that the strong correlations observed between DOC bioavailability and optical absorbance in the UV region or fluorescence and are co-incidental rather than causal. Changes in UV-absorbance or fluorescence during the incubation experiments are not consistent with changes in DOC concentration. One of the best predictors of DOC bioavailability is the initial concentration of DOC. We argue the strong correlation between DOC bioavailability and initial fluorescence intensity or UV absorption simply reflects the strong correlation between initial DOC concentration and initial fluorescence intensity or UV absorption. We argue that unless there is an underlying causal relationship between two components (the component of interest and a surrogate measure for that component) care should be taken in extrapolating correlative models beyond the data set used to create them.

Physical and bacterial controls on inorganic nutrients and dissolved organic carbon during a sea ice growth and decay experiment

We investigated how physical incorporation, brine dynamics and bacterial activity regulate the distribution of inorganic nutrients and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in artificial sea ice during a 19-day experiment that included periods of both ice growth and decay. The experiment was performed using two series of mesocosms: the first consisted of seawater and the second consisted of seawater enriched with humic-rich river water. We grew ice by freezing the water at an air temperature of −14°C for 14days after which ice decay was induced by increasing the air temperature to −1°C. Using the ice temperatures and bulk ice salinities, we derived the brine volume fractions, brine salinities and Rayleigh numbers. The temporal evolution of these physical parameters indicates that there was two main stages in the brine dynamics: bottom convection during ice growth, and brine stratification during ice decay. The major findings are: (1) the incorporation of dissolved compounds (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphate, silicate, and DOC) into the sea ice was not conservative (relative to salinity) during ice growth. Brine convection clearly influenced the incorporation of the dissolved compounds, since the non-conservative behavior of the dissolved compounds was particularly pronounced in the absence of brine convection. (2) Bacterial activity further regulated nutrient availability in the ice: ammonium and nitrite accumulated as a result of remineralization processes, although bacterial production was too low to induce major changes in DOC concentrations. (3) Different forms of DOC have different properties and hence incorporation efficiencies. In particular, the terrestrially-derived DOC from the river water was less efficiently incorporated into sea ice than the DOC in the seawater. Therefore the main factors regulating the distribution of the dissolved compounds within sea ice are clearly a complex interaction of brine dynamics, biological activity and in the case of dissolved organic matter, the physico-chemical properties of the dissolved constituents themselves.

Trends in Levels of Allochthonous Dissolved Organic Carbon in Natural Water: A Review of Potential Mechanisms under a Changing Climate

Over the past several decades, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in inland natural water systems has been a popular research topic to a variety of scientific disciplines. Part of the attention has been due to observed changes in DOC concentrations in many of the water systems of the Northern Hemisphere. Shifts in DOC levels, and changes in its composition, are of concern due to its significance in aquatic ecosystem functioning and its potential and realized negative effects on waters that might be treated for drinking purposes. While it may not be possible to establish sound cause and effect relationships using a limited number of drivers, through long-term DOC monitoring studies and a variety of laboratory/field experiments, several explanations for increasing DOC trends have been proposed, including two key mechanisms: decreased atmospheric acid deposition and the increasing impact of climate change agents. The purpose of this review is three-fold: to outline frequently discussed conceptual mechanisms used to explain DOC increases (especially under a changing climate), to discuss the structure of DOC and the impact of higher levels of DOC on drinking water resources, and to provide renewed/sustained interest in DOC research that can encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. Understanding the cycling of carbon from terrestrial ecosystems into natural waters is necessary in the face of a variable and changing climate, as climate change-related mechanisms may become increasingly responsible for variations in the inputs of allochthonous DOC concentrations in water.

Enhanced bacterial decomposition with increasing addition of autochthonous to allochthonous carbon without any effect on bacterial community composition

Abstract. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations – mainly of terrestrial origin – are increasing worldwide in inland waters. Heterotrophic bacteria are the main consumers of DOC and thus determine DOC temporal dynamics and availability for higher trophic levels. Our aim was to study bacterial carbon (C) turnover with respect to DOC quantity and chemical quality using both allochthonous and autochthonous DOC sources. We incubated a natural bacterial community with allochthonous C (13C-labeled beech leachate) and increased concentrations and pulses (intermittent occurrence of organic matter input) of autochthonous C (phytoplankton lysate). We then determined bacterial C consumption, activities, and community composition together with the C flow through bacteria using stable C isotopes. The chemical analysis of single sources revealed differences in aromaticity and low- and high-molecular-weight substance fractions (LMWS and HMWS, respectively) between allochthonous and autochthonous C sources. Both DOC sources (allochthonous and autochthonous DOC) were metabolized at a high bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) around 50%. In treatments with mixed sources, rising concentrations of added autochthonous DOC resulted in a further, significant increase in bacterial DOC consumption of up to 68% when nutrients were not limiting. This rise was accompanied by a decrease in the humic substance (HS) fraction and an increase in bacterial biomass. Changes in DOC concentration and consumption in mixed treatments did not affect bacterial community composition (BCC), but BCC differed in single vs. mixed incubations. Our study highlights that DOC quantity affects bacterial C consumption but not BCC in nutrient-rich aquatic systems. BCC shifted when a mixture of allochthonous and autochthonous C was provided simultaneously to the bacterial community. Our results indicate that chemical quality rather than source of DOC per se (allochthonous vs. autochthonous) determines bacterial DOC turnover.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Dissolved Organic Matter Source and Concentration on Denitrification in Northern Florida Rivers

Using a natural gradient of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) source and concentration in rivers of northern Florida, we investigated how terrestrially-derived DOC affects denitrification rates in river sediments. Specifically, we examined if the higher concentrations of DOC in blackwater rivers stimulate denitrification, or whether such terrestrially-derived DOC supports lower denitrification rates because (1) it is less labile than DOC from aquatic primary production; whether (2) terrestrial DOC directly inhibits denitrification via biochemical mechanisms; and/or whether (3) terrestrial DOC indirectly inhibits denitrification via reduced light availability to—and thus DOC exudation by—aquatic primary producers. We differentiated among these mechanisms using laboratory denitrification assays that subjected river sediments to factorial amendments of NO3− and dextrose, humic acid dosing, and cross-incubations of sediments and water from different river sources. DOC from terrestrial sources neither depressed nor stimulated denitrification rates, indicating low lability of this DOC but no direct inhibition; humic acid additions similarly did not affect denitrification rates. However, responses to addition of labile C increased with long-term average DOC concentration, which supports the hypothesis that terrestrial DOC indirectly inhibits denitrification via decreased autochthonous production. Observed and future changes in DOC concentration may therefore reduce the ability of inland waterways to remove reactive nitrogen.

Increases of dissolved organic carbon in temperate and boreal lakes in Quebec, Canada

Increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations have been reported in surface waters worldwide in the last 10 to 20 years. The causes behind these increases have been attributed to many factors, including climate change and decreasing depositions of atmospheric sulphate (SO₄²⁻). Trends in DOC concentrations and their potential causal factors were examined in a network of 30 lakes lying in undisturbed temperate and boreal catchments in the province of Quebec, Canada. Temporal trends in lake DOC concentrations were analysed with the seasonal Kendall test. For each lake, the variation in DOC concentration over time was assessed in light of the variation in SO₄²⁻ concentration in precipitation, air temperature, precipitation and solar radiation using the forward stepwise multiple regression. Between 1989 and 2006, significant increases in DOC were observed in most of the lakes, the mean rate of change being 0.05 mg L(-1) year(-1). Lake DOC concentrations were significantly explained by different models that yielded a variance explanation ranging from 13% to 77%. The models included long-term temperature variables (i.e. averaged over intervals of 10 years), short-term precipitation variables (i.e. summed over intervals 6 months), radiation (i.e. ice-free period prior to the DOC observation) and precipitation SO₄²⁻ concentration as explanatory variables. Temporal changes in DOC concentrations seem more consistent with the evolution of climate parameters rather than SO₄²⁻ concentrations despite the fact that most lakes were in the process of recovery, showing increases in pH.

Abiotic and biotic controls of organic matter cycling in a managed stream

[1] Urbanization often alters the physical, chemical, and biological structure of aquatic ecosystems embedded within them, creating managed ecosystems with different structure and functioning as compared to their unmanaged counterparts. Our work focused on patterns in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) along a managed stream in Phoenix, Arizona. We documented longitudinal changes in DOC concentrations and quality (defined as chemical complexity and measured as specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm, SUVA) along a 66 km stream dominated by treated wastewater effluent. DOC concentrations along the stream declined by an average of 64%, and chemical complexity increased substantially. We posed four hypotheses to explain changes in downstream water chemistry; including hydrologic dilution, microbial mineralization, abiotic sorption to suspended sediments, and photodegradation by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Only the second and fourth hypotheses represent permanent removal mechanisms. Our data most strongly supported predictions from the dilution hypothesis and microbial mineralization as an explanation for the changes in DOC chemistry. Surface-subsurface water linkages were important but altered from unmanaged streams, as deep groundwater was used to augment surface flows. Variation in the use of groundwater was linked to human decision making and engineering related to water management. Reduction in geomorphic complexity increased the importance of dilution in explaining patterns but also increased the importance of UV oxidation as a mechanism influencing DOC chemistry. Our findings suggest urban stream management has shifted dependence on microbially mediated C removal mechanisms to hydrologic dilution to reduce output concentrations. This shift lowers contaminant removal potential and increases dependence on limited groundwater resources.

Has the composition of fluvial DOC changed? Spatiotemporal patterns in the DOC‐color relationship

Long‐term increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration are now a commonly reported phenomenon across the Northern Hemisphere. Hypotheses proposed to explain the observed increases have implications for changes in DOC composition as well as concentration. This study examines the records of color (Hazen units) and DOC from the UK's Harmonised Monitoring Scheme database from 1974 to 2005 and covers 70 rivers over that period in order to assess whether significant changes in composition have occurred. The records were rarely continuous and so in order to assess the controls and the trends over time, the entire data set was examined as one rather than assessing trends at individual sites. The analysis showed that there was a significant trend over time in the composition of the DOC, as measured by the DOC‐color ratio, but that this declined to a minimum from 1974 to 1989 and has since risen but not returned to 1974 levels. These changes are not explained by variation in flow or by changes in DOC concentrations at the individual sampling sites. The DOC‐color comparison shows that all data can be separated between two independent components: a “light” and a “dark” component; however, variations in these components are driven by increases in DOC concentration and cannot explain the trend in the DOC‐color ratio. A change in the DOC‐color ratio that is independent of DOC and flow that reaches a minimum in 1989 could be explained by changes in soil source water chemistry.

Humic substances—part 7: the biogeochemistry of dissolved organic carbon and its interactions with climate change

Background, aim, and scope Dissolved organic matter, measured as dissolved organic carbon (DOC), is an important component of aquatic ecosystems and of the global carbon cycle. It is known that changes in DOC quality and quantity are likely to have ecological repercussions. This review has four goals: (1) to discuss potential mechanisms responsible for recent changes in aquatic DOC concentrations; (2) to provide a comprehensive overview of the interactions between DOC, nutrients, and trace metals in mainly boreal environments; (3) to explore the impact of climate change on DOC and the subsequent effects on nutrients and trace metals; and (4) to explore the potential impact of DOC cycling on climate change.

Influence of hydrology and seasonality on DOC exports from three contrasting upland catchments

Variation in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of surface waters is a consequence of process changes in the surrounding terrestrial environment, both within annual cycles and over the longer term. Long-term records (1987–2006) of DOC concentrations at six catchments (0.44–10.0 km2) across a climatic transect in Scotland were investigated for intra-annual relationships to evaluate potential long-term seasonal patterns. The intra-annual mode of DOC export contrasted markedly between catchments and appeared dependent on their hydrological characteristics. Catchments in wetter Central Scotland with high rainfall–runoff ratios, short transit times and well-connected responsive soils show a distinct annual periodicity in DOC concentrations throughout the long-term datasets. Increased DOC concentrations occurred between June and November with correspondingly lower DOC concentrations from December to May. This appears unrelated to discharge, and is dependent mainly on higher temperatures driving biological activity, increasing decomposition of available organic matter and solubility of DOC. The drier eastern catchments have lower rainfall–runoff ratios, longer transit times and annual drying–wetting regimes linked to changing connectivity of soils. These are characterised by seasonal DOC concentration–discharge relationships with an autumnal flush of DOC. Temperature influences the availability of organic matter for DOC transport producing a high DOC concentration–discharge relationship in summer/autumn and low DOC concentration–discharge relationship in winter/spring. These two distinct modes of seasonal DOC transport have important implications for understanding changes in DOC concentrations and export brought about by climate change (temperature and precipitation) and modelling of aquatic carbon losses from soil-types under different hydrological regimes.

Relative independence of organic carbon transport and processing in a large temperate river: The Hudson River as both pipe and reactor

Bacterial respiration (BR) of organic matter is an important flux in the carbon budgets of large rivers, yet the regulation of BR and the relationship of this respiration to various organic matter sources is poorly understood. Using detailed spatial transects, we evaluated transport and consumption of dissolved organic matter in the Hudson River estuary, and compared both with BR. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, long‐term DOC lability, and in situ BR were measured at 24 stations on each of five transects. DOC lability, measured in long‐term bioassays, averaged 15 µg L−1 d−1 and was similar to the average net rate of decline of DOC from the upper to lower estuary. BR averaged 156 µg L−1 d−1 C, far exceeding the net downriver DOC decline and measured DOC lability. BR was well predicted by a model that included seston, chlorophyll, and DOC consumption. Rate coefficients derived from this model indicate that BR is primarily supported by carbon derived from seston and chlorophyll. Changes in DOC concentration along the Hudson flow path were well predicted from a combination of freshwater input, DOC concentration in the headwaters, and long‐term DOC lability. Although most of the total respiration is due to free‐living bacteria and thus mediated by DOC, &lt;20% of this respiration is actually supported by DOC loaded in the headwaters, and transported downstream. The Hudson River, therefore, acts as a pipe transporting dissolved terrestrial organic matter seaward while also functioning as a reactor where intense bacterial activity degrades organic matter associated primarily with particles or generated locally.

Hydrological control of dissolved organic carbon dynamics in a forested headwater catchment, Kiryu Experimental Watershed, Japan

AbstractTo evaluate the influence of hydrological processes on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics in a forested headwater catchment, DOC concentration was observed along the flow path from rainfall to stream water via throughfall, soil water, groundwater, and spring water for 4 years, and DOC flux through the catchment was calculated. The spatial and temporal variations in DOC concentration and flux were compared with physical hydrological observations and the mean residence time of water. In the upslope soil layer, DOC concentrations were not significantly correlated with water fluxes, suggesting that DOC concentrations were not strictly controlled by water fluxes. In the upslope perennial groundwater, DOC concentration was affected by the change in the amount of microbial degradation of DOC produced by changes in the mean residence time of water. In stream water, the temporal variation in DOC concentration was usually affected by changes in DOC concentration of the inflow component via vertical infiltration from above the perennial groundwater. During dry periods, however, the component from inflow via vertical infiltration was negligible and DOC in the upslope perennial groundwater became the major component of stream water DOC. The temporal variation in stream water DOC concentration during baseflow was affected by rainfall patterns over several preceding months. Therefore, records of rainfall over several preceding months are one of the most important factors for predicting changes in DOC concentration on a catchment scale. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Effects of dissolved organic carbon on the toxicity of copper to the developing embryos of the pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

The effects of humic acid (HA) on copper speciation and its subsequent toxicity to the sensitive early life stages of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) are presented. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry with a hanging mercury drop electrode was used to measure the copper species as labile copper (LCu; free ion and inorganic copper complexes) and total copper (TCu) with respect to increasing HA concentration. The TCu and LCu 50% effect concentrations (EC50s) in the absence of HA were 20.77 microg/L (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.02-19.97 microg/L) and 8.05 microg/L (95% CI, 9.6-5.92 microg/L) respectively. A corrected dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (HA only) of 1.02 mg/L was required to significantly increase the TCu EC50 to approximately 41.09 microg/L (95% CI, 44.27-37.52 microg/L; p < 0.05), almost doubling that recorded when DOC (as HA) was absent from the test media. In contrast, the LCu EC50 was unaffected by changes in DOC concentration and was stable throughout the corrected DOC concentration range. The absence of change in the LCu EC50, despite increased HA concentration, suggests that the LCu fraction, not TCu, was responsible for the observed toxicity to the oyster embryo. This corresponds with the current understanding of copper toxicity and supports the free-ion activity model for copper toxicity.

Relationship between hydrological characteristics and dissolved organic carbon concentration and mass in northern prairie wetlands using a conservative tracer approach

The semiarid prairie pothole region of the North American Great Plains is characterized by millions of small, shallow, closed basin wetlands. These wetlands are hydrologically dynamic, often losing considerable water volume and depth seasonally in response to high evaporative stress and/or infiltration rates. However, the consequences of such water loss on wetland water chemistry parameters, in particular dissolved organic carbon (DOC), remain relatively unstudied. Seasonal changes in DOC concentrations in 12 freshwater and saline wetlands at the St. Denis National Wildlife Refuge near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, were examined over an 8‐year period (1993–2000). Specific conductivity in the study ponds ranged from 312 μS cm−1 to 33,493 μS cm−1 (seasonal means). DOC concentrations in all study ponds were high (&gt;10 mg L−1) and increased across a gradient of increasing salinity (mean DOC values from fresh water to saline ranged from 19.7 mg L−1 to 102.7 mg L−1). In the majority of ponds, DOC concentrations increased seasonally from spring through fall. On average this increase was 21 mg L−1, with fall values averaging 60% greater than spring. The greatest DOC increases were observed in saline ponds which lost most of their water by evaporation. Although DOC in these ponds was highly correlated with the conservative tracer, chloride, the slopes of these regression lines were always less than 1 as were the DOC:chloride ratios, indicating nonconservative DOC behavior. Additionally, chloride concentrations increased much faster seasonally than did DOC. Taken together, these data indicated that although DOC was not behaving conservatively, at least some of the observed DOC increases could be explained by simple evapoconcentration. These data also suggested that saline ponds appeared to experience net seasonal removal of DOC. Possible removal mechanisms for DOC include infiltration to the pond margin, bacterial utilization, and photolysis. Freshwater ponds, which lost most of their water by infiltration to the pond margin, on the other hand, displayed less seasonal variation in DOC concentrations. In these ponds, the relationship between DOC and chloride ion was not as strong as in the saline ponds; the slope of this relationship was always &gt;1, as were DOC:chloride ratios. These data indicated that although DOC was being lost to the pond margin as water infiltrated, freshwater ponds accumulated DOC seasonally. Decomposition and excretion of DOC by macrophytes, as well as by pelagic and attached phytoplankton, are the likely within pond sources of DOC here. The rapid response of these small, shallow aquatic systems to water loss make them ideal microcosms in which to study effects of climate on DOC concentrations and other water chemistry parameters.

Seasonality in UV transparency of an alpine lake is associated to changes in phytoplankton biomass

We studied the temporal variation in ultraviolet (UV) radiation transparency in the water column of a low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) lake (range: 0.12–0.65 mg L−1) located above the treeline. After ice-break, the water column was spatially segregated into an upper zone (0–4 m depth) with relatively constant UV transparency and a lower zone (4–9 m depth) where transparency decreased over time, for example at 380 nm, by up to 70%. This temporal decrease in UV transparency was significantly correlated with the increase in phytoplankton chlorophyll a. For the entire study period, there was no clear relationship between changes in UV transparency and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorptivity. Furthermore, changes in DOC concentration were not reflected in CDOM absorptivity or fluorescence, indicating a discrepancy between estimates of concentration and optical properties of this material. Use of spectral slope to track signals of CDOM photobleaching resulted in no consistent pattern. An indication of the low proportion of UV-absorbing chromophores in the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool was obtained by applying size-exclusion chromatography combined with simultaneous measurements of DOC and UV absorption. These results indicated that more than the 50% of the DOM did not have significant UV absorption. Electrospray mass spectrometry analysis of DOM also showed a low diversity of organic compounds which exhibited relatively low molecular weight (< 250 D). These results, in combination with measurements of DOC-specific absorptivity and fluorescence, indicated that DOM in this lake is mainly autochthonous. Overall, our results show that factors which have been established to explain temporal changes in UV transparency of high DOC lakes may have little application in this and similar alpine lakes. Finally, reconstruction of the UV-exposure history in alpine lakes may have to take into account the discrepancy between DOC and CDOM.

Increased colour and organic acid concentrations in Norwegian forest lakes and drinking water ? a result of increased precipitation?

Recently there have been major increases in water colour and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in many forest lakes that serve as drinking water reservoirs in the southern part of Norway. We studied changes in the physical and chemical properties in (I) a selected group of lakes and (II) raw water from the municipal waterworks of Oslo since 1983 and 1976, respectively. The largest increase in DOC and water colour occurred between 1997 and 2001. Statistically significant correlations are seen between water colour and accumulated amounts of precipitation, while variation in temperature had no apparent effect. Despite significant reduction in sulphate concentrations in precipitation and lake waters since 1980, the lakes were more acidic in 2000 and 2001 than in previous years. Increases in colour and acidity, together with somewhat minor changes in DOC concentrations, indicate changes in the physical and chemical properties of the natural organic matter (NOM). Alteration in properties of NOM is most probably caused by increased precipitation that has changed the water pathways in the catchments and increased the leaching of organic components from the upper forest floor.

DOC cycling in a temperate estuary: A mass balance approach using natural 14C and 13C isotopes

We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and their corresponding △14C and γ13C values in order to study the sources and fates of DOC in the York River Estuary (Virginia, U.S.A.). The d△14C and γ13C values of DOC and DIC at the freshwater end‐member indicate that during periods of moderate to high flow, riverine DOC entering the York was composed of decadal‐aged terrestrially organic matter. In nearly all cases, DOC concentrations exceeded conservative mixing lines and were therefore indicative of a net DOC input flux from within the estuary that averaged 1.2 µM L−1 d−1.