Eutrophic Streams Research Articles

Dynamics of sediment phosphorus in the middle and lower stretch of River Ganga, India: insight into concentration, fractionation, and environmental risk assessment of phosphorus.

Despite continuous efforts, eutrophication is still occurring in freshwater and phosphorus (P) is the most important nutrients that drive the eutrophication in rivers and streams. However, little information is availableabout the distribution of P fractions in river sediment. Here, the sequential extraction approach was used to evaluate the sediment P fractionation and its content in the anthropogenically damaged river Ganga, India. Different sedimentary P fractionsviz. exchangeable (Ex-P), aluminum bound (Al-P), iron bound (Fe-P), calcium bound (Ca-P), and organically bound phosphorus (Org-P), were quantified. Significantly higher level of total P was recorded inpre-monsoonseason (438.5 ± 95.8mg/kg), than other [winter (345.7 ± 110.6mg/kg),post-monsoon(319.2 ± 136.3mg/kg), andmonsoon(288.6 ± 77.3mg/kg)] seasons. Different P fractionssuch as Ex-P, Al-P, Fe-P, Ca-P and Org-P varied from 2.88-12.8mg/kg, 7.64-98.8mg/kg, 32.2-179.2mg/kg, 51.97-286.1mg/kg and 9.3-143.7mg/kg, respectively, which correspondingly represented 0.5-10.54%, 3.41-20.18%, 17.27-37.82%, 37.35-60.2%, 4.15-25.88% of the Total P with a rank order of P-fractions was Ca-P > Fe-P > Org-P > Al-P > Ex-P. Bio-available P contributes a considerable portion (37.9-46.0%) of total P which may increase the eutrophication to overlying water. Results demonstrate that inorganic P species control the P bio-availability in both time and space. However, an estimated phosphorus pollution index based on sediment total P content showed no ecological risk of phosphorus to Ganga River sediment.

Increasing water nutrient reduces the availability of high-quality food resources for aquatic consumers and consequently simplifies river food webs

While eutrophication has led to serious habitat degradation and biotic shifts in freshwater ecosystems, most current studies have focused on changes in community assemblages, with few considering the effect of eutrophication on food webs. We conducted a field study in subtropical headwater streams with a gradient of water nutrient levels to examine the effect of increasing water nutrients on food webs by using the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) as a measure of the nutritional quality of food. Basal food resources (macrophytes, submerged leaf litter, and periphyton), and aquatic consumers (macroinvertebrates and fish) were collected, and their fatty acid (FA) profiles were analyzed. Our results showed that periphyton was the dominant source of EPA for macroinvertebrates and fish, and a high-quality resource for consumers. As water nutrient concentrations increased, nutritional quality of periphyton significantly decreased and, in turn, the correlation between FA profiles of periphyton and macroinvertebrates declined. However, periphyton FA profiles did not account for the variability of fish FA, which may be induced by the increasing proportions of omnivorous fish in eutrophic streams that derived EPA from other sources. Further, the reduced periphyton EPA was associated with decreased trophic links and simplified stream food webs. Our study highlights the importance of high-quality food resources for aquatic food webs as water nutrients increased in stream ecosystems and provides a nutritional perspective to understand the mechanisms how eutrophication affects aquatic ecosystems.

Citizen scientists filling knowledge gaps of phosphate pollution dynamics in rural areas

In situ monitoring is fundamental to manage eutrophication in rivers and streams. However, in recent decades, the frequency and spatial coverage of regulatory monitoring have often been reduced due to funding and infrastructure limitations. This reduction has made it impossible to provide adequate coverage for most water bodies. In this study, trained citizen scientists filled spatial and temporal gaps in agency monitoring across a major catchment in rural England. By integrating data from citizen scientists, regulatory agencies, and the local water company, it was possible to demonstrate the opportunities for hypothesis-based citizen scientist monitoring to identify continuous and event-driven sources of phosphate pollution. Local citizen scientists effectively covered important spatial gaps, investigating river conditions both upstream and downstream of suspected pollution point sources, improving the identification of their temporal dynamics. When combined with long-term monitoring data from regulatory agencies, it became possible to identify areas within the catchment that exhibited increased phosphate concentrations during periods of low river discharge (summer). Inter-annual trends and anomaly detection suggested that continuous pollution sources dominated over event-driven sources in many sub-basins, allowing for the prioritisation of mitigation actions. This study highlights the opportunity for citizen scientists to fill gaps in regulatory monitoring efforts and contribute to the improved management of eutrophication in rural catchments.

The spatial and temporal dynamics of sediment phosphorus attenuation and release in impacted stream catchments

Sediments can attenuate phosphorus (P) from overlying water and reduce trophic status in zero and first order ditches and streams. These features can be considered as intermediate mitigation features between P mobilised from land, and onward delivery to river systems, if the risk of chemical P release from sediments is minimal. However, risk assessments are rarely based on temporal scale dynamics and especially at fine scale in both sediment and water column environments. In this study, in eutrophic stream catchments, bed sediments were tested fortnightly and spatially over one year for EPC0 (to derive phosphate exchange potential—PEP) and for P across a spectrum from labile to recalcitrant fractions. At the same time stream discharge and P concentrations were measured synchronously at high frequency and resolved to 1-hour intervals and indicated high water quality pressures at all flow rates. PEP indicated spatial and temporal changes most likely caused by periods of source disconnection/reconnection and sediment mobilisation during storm events, moving from periods of high attenuation potential to near saturation. Despite these spatial and temporal changes, PEP did not indicate much potential for chemical P release from the sediments (distributing mostly below or close to zero). However, this may be a misleading risk assessment by itself as physical P release, especially of the labile bicarbonate-dithionite (B-D) P fraction of sediments, was a more dominant process mobilised during storm events reducing by up to 84 % during a succession of summer storm events. The total P and total reactive P loads monitored leaving the catchments were coincident with these changes. The specific downstream trophic effects of this episodic P release will need to be assessed in terms of its bioavailability, in combination with other more noted diffuse and point P source processes.

Legacy Phosphorus in Sediments of Lowland Waterways

Riverbed sediments in agricultural landscapes are loaded with phosphorus (P). They may act as a source or sink for riverine P, possibly causing harmful algae blooms and eutrophication in streams and receiving water bodies, including coastal waters. In this study, we aimed at identifying the labile, moderately labile, and stable P fraction (Hedley fractionation) in sediments of a northeastern German river basin (3000 km2). A non-metrical multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to identify the most significant environmental predictors of the P fractionation in sediments. The total P contents of the sediments varied over a wide range (698 ± 701 mg P kg−1 sediment−1), spanning from 98 to 2648 mg P kg−1 sediment−1. Adjacent agricultural reference soils had markedly lower total P contents of 354 ± 132 mg P kg−1 soil−1, ranging from 146 to 483 P kg−1 soil−1. There were almost no differences between the P contents of the top (0–2 cm) and the bottom (2–10 cm) layer. The dominant P fractions were the moderately labile (NaOH-P) and the stable (H2SO4-P) fractions, which accounted for more than 50% of the total P at each sampling point. The NMDS revealed that iron and aluminum contents, as well as land use, are significant predictors for the P fractionation of the sediment. The sediment P-composition reflects the P-status of the agriculturally used mineral soils. However, the size of the contributing catchment as well as the length of the water way have no effects on sediment P. In conclusion, sediment P stocks, though variable, may impede the good ecological status of river waters for decades, especially in lowland basins where hydraulic conditions and a very low stream velocity often create low redox and P dissolution conditions in sediments.

Functional Diversity and Primary Production Predict Future Patterns of Periphyton Productivity after Species Extinction

Understanding of the trait-based ecology of the periphytic algal community has increased in the last decade. However, the relationship between their functional diversity and ecosystem functions, such as primary production, has been speculated on, but yet not proven. Human impacts promote changes in biotic communities leading to a risk of extinction, with consequences for the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we unraveled the associations between the taxonomic and functional components of periphytic algal diversity, stream eutrophication, and productivity patterns. Furthermore, we simulated future patterns of species extinction to predict how productivity may change when facing extinction. Primary production and taxonomic and functional diversity of the periphytic algal communities were estimated in five streams across a trophic gradient in the Ave River basin (northwest Portugal). Our results demonstrated that eutrophication led to a unimodal pattern of taxonomic diversity, while functional diversity tended to increase with increasing eutrophication. We found that only functional diversity had a positive association with primary production. The extinction estimations indicated that almost all species found in our study were at high extinction risk. When we spatially scaled our extinction simulations, we found poor-productive streams after the extirpation of a few species. However, at the regional scale, the ecosystem supports the extinction of at least 40% of species before turning into a poor-productive system. Intermediate levels of disturbance are probably beneficial for the diversity of periphytic algal communities, to a certain extent. Moreover, functionally diverse communities were more productive, and the alleged future extinction of species is likely to lead to poor-productive streams if regionally focused conservation initiatives are not implemented. We recommend that, using simulations of functional extinction, it is possible to infer how the loss of these microorganisms could alter ecosystem functioning, to better predict human impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

Wastewater Treatment by Azolla: A review

Water is vital for humans and other living things, but water pollution has become a significant issue today. Various anthropogenic agricultural, industrial, and home activities produce multiple organic and inorganic substances dissolved or suspended in water. The goal of wastewater treatment is thus twofold: to reduce water pollution while also maintaining the water supply to demand. It is based on the three 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. However, many of the methods used are ineffective or expensive. As a result, water purification is a matter of great interest. Eco-friendly approaches are essential among the new technologies and techniques tested in wastewater treatment. Aquatic macrophytes treat water by accumulating harmful metals and nutrients. Like water filters, a variety of aquatic floats can be suggested. Azolla is one among them, and it has been used for decades. Researchers have discovered that Azolla can reduce Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metal concentrations in wastewater; therefore, it can be utilized for wastewater treatment. Azolla also produces a lot of biomasses in wastewater. The use of Azolla in reducing eutrophication in lakes and streams and other benefits is discussed in this study. According to the literature, Azolla has a high growth rate, with a doubling date of 2-4 days. Azolla's cell wall is composed of pectin, which has a high affinity for the adsorption of organic substances. Azolla serves as a "biofilter" during wastewater treatment in this way.

Experimental and modeling investigation on pyrolysis of agricultural biomass residues: Khat stem and coffee husk for bio-oil application

Khat stem and coffee husk are commonly available agricultural residues in Ethiopia and pose serious environmental hazards through the eutrophication of water streams and greenhouse gas emissions. To alleviate these impacts, thermochemical conversion of these residues through fast pyrolysis can be employed. The samples are characterized for their composition, experimental investigation has been carried out using thermogravimetric analysis at different heating rates (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 °C/min) in the temperature range 30–800 °C under an inert atmosphere to scrutinize the decomposition characteristics. Estimation of pyrolysis kinetic parameters for these materials, which are not widely available in the literature, has been done using different model-free approaches: Kissinger, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose. Empirical models were developed and employed for comparison of experimental data and error analysis. Validation of experimental data has been done and evolved pyrolysis product yields are predicted using the CRECK-S-B model. The effect of biomass characterization parameters and heating rate are examined. From the results, it is possible to perceive that the Kissinger, single first order, and 4-component models can predict with good accuracy but can not predict the residual char evolution that occurs at higher temperatures (> 450 °C) and the derivative of thermogravimetric shoulders, correspondent to the hemicellulose decomposition. The CRECK-S-B model revealed good agreement with the experimental data for both samples, while being capable of capturing the hemicellulose shoulder and the residual decomposition of char at higher temperatures. The yields and composition of gas, bio-oil and char fractions are estimated, for which the biomass characterization and heating rates have influenced the distribution of the products. This study reveals the potential of these residues to promote local sustainable economies and also gives a possible solution to the environmental issue caused by their disposal.

Spatial and temporal patterns of urea content in a eutrophic stream continuum on the Northern Great Plains

Urea can degrade water quality and stimulate toxic phytoplankton in P-rich lakes, yet little is known of its sources, abundance, or transportation in lotic systems, particularly within the Northern Great Plains. We measured physico-chemical parameters biweekly during May–September 2010–2012 at 16 stations along a 250 km lotic continuum to quantify spatial and temporal variation in urea concentrations and discharge, and to identify potential regulatory processes. Urea concentrations were similar to those in regional prairie lakes (range 5.2–792.1, median 78.6 μg N L−1) with variable seasonal mean (± SD) concentrations (96.6 ± 96.1 μg N L−1) and fluxes (4.22 × 105 ± 257.6 μg N s−1). Landscape analysis with generalized additive models explained 68.3% of deviance in urea concentrations, with high temporal variability predicted mainly by positive relationships with nutrient content and chlorophyte abundance, but not temperature, dissolved organic matter, bacterial abundance, or urban effluent. Seasonal analysis revealed that during spring, urea content was correlated negatively with leguminous forage cover (% area) and positively with stream discharge, oilseed and cereal crops, and shrubs or deciduous plants, while during summer, urea concentrations were correlated negatively with discharge and leguminous crop cover, as well as nutrient levels. Mean porewater urea concentrations (528.5 ± 229.8 μg N L−1) were over five-fold greater than stream concentrations, suggesting that hyporheic production may offset declining influx from terrestrial sources during summer. We conclude that urea may be ubiquitous in eutrophic prairie streams and that management of its export from land may reduce detrimental effects on downstream lakes.

Effects of nitrogen removal from wastewater on phytoplankton in eutrophic prairie streams

AbstractBiological nutrient removal (BNR) may be an effective strategy to reduce eutrophication; however, concerns remain about effects on receiving waters of removing both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), rather than P alone.Phytoplankton abundance (as µg chlorophyll a/L) and community composition (as nmol biomarker pigment/L) were quantified over 6 years in two connected eutrophic streams to determine how algae and cyanobacteria varied in response to a shift from tertiary (P removal) to BNR (N and P removal) wastewater treatment.Phytoplankton were sampled biweekly at nine stations May to September and were analysed using generalised additive models (GAMs) to quantify landscape patterns of phototrophs and identify potential causal relationships both before (2010–2012) and after (2017–2019) BNR installation in 2016.Analysis with GAMs showed that 69%–79% of deviance in phytoplankton abundance and composition could be explained by date‐ and site‐specific variance in stream flow, temperature, and solute concentrations (mainly nutrients), whereas similar GAMs using only effluent N content (δ15Nwater) as a predictor explainedc. 60% of phototroph deviance. Prior to BNR, phytoplankton levels (mainly chlorophytes) increased with‐rich effluent, whereas their abundance declined with δ15N after BNR (diatoms, chlorophytes).Overall, declines in total effluent release of N (67%–97%) but not P (c. 0%) due to BNR resulted in a 52 ± 7% decline in phytoplankton abundance relative to upstream values, despite high inter‐annual variation in discharge and baseline chlorophyll a concentration.Nitrogen removal by BNR improved water quality in N‐limited ecosystems.

Priority effects of stream eutrophication and assembly history on beta diversity across aquatic consumers, decomposers and producers

Priority effects are stochastic processes that consider the influence of the order of arrival of species on community dynamics and structure. We evaluated the short-term effects of stream eutrophication and colonization time in freshwater benthic communities (primary producers - periphytic algae, decomposers – fungi, and consumers - macroinvertebrates) to test whether (i) beta diversity is higher in eutrophic streams due to priority effects driven by stochastic community formation processes (ecological drift or random dispersal), and (ii) in the early stages of colonization, priority effects drive the history of the formation and the initial establishment of the community in the stream, resulting in higher beta diversity. The present study was conducted in situ over 28 days in temperate streams along a trophic gradient, with colonization being evaluated every seven days. The study identified 84 species of alga, 43 families of macroinvertebrates, and 44 species of aquatic fungi. Our results demonstrated that deterministic processes were responsible for the formation of aquatic producers, while priority effects (stochasticity) were more important for the aquatic decomposers and consumers. In the case of the producers, beta diversity was highest in the hypertrophic stream, but did not vary significantly over colonization time. The beta diversity of the decomposers was highest in the hypertrophic stream and in the later stages of succession, due primarily to mechanisms of facilitation. The beta diversity of the consumers was lowest in the hypertrophic stream due primarily to the priority and inhibitory effects of the predominant groups, and highest at seven and 21 days of colonization. As these three taxonomic groups differ in their intrinsic biological characteristics, and in their functional role in the ecosystem, our short-term field study demonstrated that both stochastic and deterministic processes combine to influence the configuration of the community, and that the relative importance of the two processes varies systematically along a trophic gradient.

Unexpected shift from phytoplankton to periphyton in eutrophic streams due to wastewater influx

AbstractPollution with nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) impairs streams by favoring suspended algae and cyanobacteria over diatom‐rich periphyton. Recently, wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded to biological nutrient removal to eliminate both P and N (mainly NH4+), although little is known of the effects of this effluent on flowing waters. Here, we used high performance liquid chromatography to quantify how the abundance and composition of phytoplankton and periphyton varied in response to both influx of effluent produced by biological nutrient removal and physico‐chemical conditions in small, turbid, P‐rich streams of the northern Great Plains. At the catchment scale, analysis with generalized additive models (GAMs) explained 40.5–62.6% of deviance in total phototroph abundance (as Chl a) and 72.5–82.5% of deviance in community composition (as biomarker carotenoids) in both planktonic and benthic habitats when date‐ and site‐specific physico‐chemical parameters were used as predictors. In contrast, GAMs using wastewater input (as aqueous δ15N) as a predictor explained up to 50% of deviance in Chl a, and ~60% of deviance in community composition, in both suspended (51.6% of Chl a, 67.1% of composition) and attached communities (21.5% of Chl a, 58.8% of composition). Phytoplankton was replaced by periphyton within a 60‐km wastewater‐impacted reach due to dilution of streams by transparent effluent and addition of urban NO3−, although predominance of phytoplankton was re‐established after confluence with higher‐order streams. Overall, influx of effluent shifted turbid, phytoplankton‐rich streams to clear ecosystems with abundant epilithon by improving water transparency and providing NO3− to favor benthic diatoms and chlorophytes.

Climate variability effects on eutrophication of groundwater, lakes, rivers, and coastal waters in the Netherlands

Many aquatic ecosystems in densely populated delta areas worldwide are under stress from overexploitation and pollution. Global population growth will lead to further increasing pressures in the coming decades, while climate change may amplify the consequences for chemical and ecological water quality. In this study, we explored the effects of climatic variability on eutrophication of groundwater, streams, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and marine waters in the Netherlands. We exploited the relatively dense monitoring information from the Dutch part of the Rhine-Meuse delta to evaluate the water quality response on climatic variability, in combination with anthropogenic pressures.Our results show that water quality of all water systems in the Netherlands is affected by climate variability in several ways: 1) through the process of global climate change (mainly temperature and sea level rise), 2) through changes Atlantic ocean circulation patterns (more southwestern winds), 3) through changes in continental precipitation and river discharge fluctuations, and 4) through local climatic fluctuations. The impact of climate variability propagates through the hydrological system ‘from catchment to coast’. The fluctuations in water quality induced by climatic variability shown in this study give a preview for the potential effects of climate change.

Agricultural Phosphorus Management for Environmental Protection: A Review

This review addresses research done over the past 40 years on different aspects of agricultural phosphorus (P) management for environmental protection. Inputs of P are essential for profitable crop production. Long-term application of P to agricultural soils has resulted in elevated levels of soil P. This accumulation may be desirable from an agronomic point of view but it represents a threat to freshwater quality. Indeed, P in runoff from agricultural land is an important component of non-point source pollution and can accelerate eutrophication of lakes and streams. Even very small amounts of P can raise the concentration above the critical value for eutrophication. Excessive eutrophication restricts water use for recreation, industry, and drinking due to the increased growth of undesirable algae and aquatic weeds. Current concerns facing the environmentally sound management of P in agriculture are similar worldwide and revolve around agricultural, economic, and environmental compromises associated with balancing productivity with environmental values. Agricultural P management strategies should be geared towards ensuring that P, a finite earth resource, is not wasted and those soils do not become so enriched with P that there is an unnecessary risk of too much P being mobilized to water from agricultural fields. Approaches, such as soil P testing and either P models or indices have been studied and implemented to mitigate agricultural P losses. Apparently, P indices are preferred instead of P models for this purpose because they are more flexible. A holistic management strategy is therefore suggested by using soil P testing in conjunction with either a P index or a P model.

Responses of stream zooplankton diversity metrics to eutrophication and temporal environmental variability in agricultural catchments

Eutrophication of rivers and streams in agricultural lands is one of the main threats for biodiversity and ecosystem functions. This study was focused on seven subtropical streams where agriculture is the predominant land use. We tested the hypothesis that (i) eutrophication causes a decrease in taxonomic and functional diversity of zooplankton, leading to potential consequences for the ecosystem integrity. Furthermore, given that the temporal variability in the environmental conditions of each stream may influence the species sorting mechanisms, we also hypothesized that (ii) streams with higher temporal environmental variability have greater taxonomic and functional alpha (α) and temporal beta (βt) diversity measures regardless of the trophic state. Thus, we characterized the streams according to their trophic state and analyzed the zooplankton composition, α and βt by using taxonomic and functional perspectives. We found differences in the zooplankton composition between mesotrophic and eutrophic streams. However, eutrophic streams supported similar taxonomic and functional α diversity and similar taxonomic βt diversity to mesotrophic ones. These results were mainly explained by the occurrence of rare species occupying different temporal niches in eutrophic systems. On the contrary, functional βt diversity was lower in the eutrophic streams, being nestedness the ecological mechanisms underlying the variability in the zooplankton functional groups. Streams with higher temporal environmental variability supported greater α taxonomic diversity. However, the βt diversity metrics showed no correlation with the environmental variability, suggesting that the environmental filters of the studied systems were the overriding determinants of species turnover. Our study suggests that both taxonomic and functional perspectives should be considered to improve our knowledge on the biotic responses to environmental changes. Also, among all metrics analyzed on the zooplankton community, functional βt diversity was the most sensitive indicator of the eutrophication impact.

Episodic loadings of phosphorus influence growth and composition of benthic algae communities in artificial stream mesocosms

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for algal communities, but in excess can exacerbate stream eutrophication. However, P loadings to streams vary temporally from continuous to episodic as a result of inputs from point and non-point sources, respectively. P loading pattern can thus alter the temporal availability of P and may influence effects of P enrichment on algal communities. We assessed how P loading pattern influences algal biomass and composition by conducting a 29-day P enrichment experiment in nine artificial streams exposed to either: (1) continuous P enrichment; (2) episodic P enrichment, or; (3) no P enrichment. P enrichment increased algal biomass accrual, but peak biomass did not differ between continuously and episodically enriched treatments. Maximum absolute growth rates were also comparable between P enriched treatments. However, episodic P additions sustained elevated rates of biomass accrual, whereas absolute growth rates in the continuously enriched communities declined towards the end of the experiment. P enrichment resulted in comparable increases in relative abundance of chlorophytes and decreased proportions of bacillariophytes and charophytes in algal communities for continuously and episodically enriched treatments. However, composition of bacillariophyte (diatom) assemblages differed significantly among all P enrichment treatments in accordance with species autecological attributes for P. Our results demonstrate that episodic and continuous P enrichment may augment algal biomass similarly. Yet, P loading pattern regulated the composition of algal communities. Thus, remedial management strategies for the control of nuisance algae production may require focus on the predominant source of P to streams. Finally, species specific responses of diatom assemblages to P enrichment and associated loading patterns suggests this taxonomic group may have potential as diagnostic indicators for identifying the presence of key nutrient sources associated with eutrophication of stream ecosystems.

Spatial and temporal patterns in macronutrient concentrations and stoichiometry of tributaries draining the lower Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basin

Nutrient management in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basin has focused on the reduction of tributary phosphorus inputs to control lake eutrophication. However, the regional implications of nutrient enrichment on stream eutrophication and management remain understudied. We compared nutrient concentrations and stoichiometric ratios of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to evaluate spatial and temporal patterns in the potential for nutrient limitation in streams of the lower Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basin in Ontario, Canada. Monitoring data from 127 streams was used to describe macronutrient concentrations and stoichiometry over a 10-year period (2007–2016). Nutrient enrichment was widespread as 65% and 68% of studied streams had nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations above regional guidelines, respectively. Macronutrient stoichiometry indicated that 35% of streams were depleted for phosphorus and 65% were co-depleted for nitrogen and phosphorus relative to the Redfield ratio. However, algal production in most streams was likely nutrient saturated such that only 2% of streams showed the potential for phosphorus limitation and 21% for nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation. Temporal assessment of individual nutrients that were depleted indicated minimal variation within most streams. In contrast, macronutrient stoichiometry was associated with spatial patterns in catchment land-cover whereby a shift from nitrogen and phosphorus co-depletion to phosphorus depletion occurred with increasing agriculture and decreasing natural and wetland cover. Our results suggest that phosphorus reductions alone may be insufficient to manage stream eutrophication in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basin and that dual nutrient reductions needed to improve stream conditions may be achievable through land-cover management.

Molecular Probes to Evaluate the Synthesis and Production Potential of an Odorous Compound (2-methylisoborneol) in Cyanobacteria.

The volatile metabolite, 2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) produced by cyanobacterial species, causes odor and taste problems in freshwater systems. However, simple identification of cyanobacteria that produce such off-flavors may be insufficient to establish the causal agent of off-flavor-related problems as the production-related genes are often strain-specific. Here, we designed a set of primers for detecting and quantifying 2-MIB-synthesizing cyanobacteria based on mibC gene sequences (encoding 2-MIB synthesis-catalyzing monoterpene cyclase) from various Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales cyanobacterial strains deposited in GenBank. Cyanobacterial cells and environmental DNA and RNA were collected from both the water column and sediment of a eutrophic stream (the Gong-ji Stream, Chuncheon, South Korea), which has a high 2-MIB concentration. Primer sets mibC196 and mibC300 showed universality to mibC in the Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales strains; the mibC132 primer showed high specificity for Pseudanabaena and Planktothricoides mibC. Our mibC primers showed excellent amplification efficiency (100–102%) and high correlation among related variables (2-MIB concentration with water RNA r = 689, p < 0.01; sediment DNA r = 0.794, p < 0.01; and water DNA r = 0.644, p < 0.05; cyanobacteria cell density with water RNA and DNA r = 0.995, p < 0.01). These primers offer an efficient tool for identifying cyanobacterial strains possessing mibC genes (and thus 2-MIB-producing potential) and for evaluating mibC gene expression as an early warning of massive cyanobacterial occurrence.

Pilot-Scale Investigation of Phosphorus Removal from Swine Manure by the MAnure PHosphorus EXtraction (MAPHEX) System

Highlights Swine manure contains nutrients and organic material that is beneficial to crops. Farmers are under increasing pressure and regulation to not apply high phosphorus manure to soils. The MAPHEX System removed greater than 96% of the phosphorus in swine manures. Both capital equipment and treatment costs were lower for swine manure than dairy manure. Abstract . Swine manure is typically in slurry form and contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and organic material that is beneficial to crops. Unfortunately, for economic and logistical reasons, manure tends to be applied to soils near where it is produced and P concentrations increase to the point that they are often in excess of crop demands. With the implication that runoff of excess P contributes to eutrophication of streams and other water bodies, farmers are experiencing increasing pressures and regulation to not apply manure to those soils. We previously reported on an invention capable of removing P from dairy manures. This pilot-scale study shows that the MAPHEX System can remove greater than 96% of the phosphorus in swine manures, and strongly suggests that, once scaled up, the essentially P free effluent could be beneficially used for fertigation without further loading the receiving soils with P. This scaling up has the potential to reduce storage volumes to allow for mitigation of overflow problems during large storms. Furthermore, this study suggests that capital equipment costs and treatment costs for swine manure would be lower than for treating dairy manure. Keywords: Chemical treatment, Manure, Phosphorus, Solid separation, Swine, Treatment systems.

Mapping gas exchanges in headwater streams with membrane inlet mass spectrometry

Using continuous injections of helium coupled to in-situ continuous flow membrane inlet mass spectrometry (CF-MIMS), we mapped the gas exchanges along two low-slope headwater streams having discharges of 25 L s−1 and 90 L s−1. Mean reaeration rate coefficients (k2) were estimated at 130 d−1 and 60 d−1, respectively. Our study revealed that gas exchanges along headwater streams are highly heterogeneous. The variable morphology of the streambed causes gas exchanges to be focused into small areas, namely small cascades made up of stones or wood, with reaeration rate coefficients up to 40 times higher than in low-turbulent zones. As such, cascades appear to be hot spots for both oxygenation and greenhouse gases emissions. Additional O2 and CO2 measurements effectively showed fast exchanges between the stream and the atmosphere in the cascades, following the partial pressure gradients. These cascades allow a fast oxygenation of the eutrophic streams depleted in O2, which sustains respiration. Simultaneously, cascades release the oversaturated CO2 originating from groundwater inputs to the atmosphere. By comparing measured reaeration rate coefficients to ten predictive equations from literature, we showed that all equations systematically underestimate reaeration rate coefficients, with significantly higher discrepancies in cascades than in low-turbulent zones. The inadequate characterization of the processes occurring in cascades causes empirical equations to have poor predictive capabilities, leading to a global underestimation of CO2 emission from headwater streams.