Phosphorus Loading Research Articles

Nutrient fluxes from recent deposits of fine-grained, organic-rich sediments in a Florida estuary

Nutrient fluxes from fine-grained, organic-rich sediments in estuaries can hasten the onset and progression of eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. Targeted efforts to manage degraded sediments and improve estuarine water quality require a better understanding of physicochemical controls and the relative importance of benthic fluxes. Toward that end, we determined fluxes from organic-rich, high porosity sediments deposited during the past 5-6 decades along 60 km of the Indian River Lagoon, a barrier island lagoon in Florida, USA. Highly bioavailable ammonium and phosphate were the predominant chemical forms of interstitial nitrogen and phosphorus in these highly-reducing sediments. Median fluxes of ammonium and phosphate were 320 µmol m-2 h-1 and 11 µmol m-2 h-1, respectively. Fluxes were 3-10 times greater when sediment temperatures were >28°C and interstitial sulfide concentrations were >1 mM. Temperature-compensated fluxes of ammonium and phosphate were significantly correlated with sediment organic matter content; total organic carbon averaged 5.3 ± 2.4% and the maximum was 12.4% for the sediments studied. Fine-scale physical probing, plus lidar data, showed that these organic-rich sediments covered <10% of our study area; however, fluxes from these sediments were estimated to supply 20-40% of internal + external annual loads of nitrogen and phosphorus. Furthermore, 60% of nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes from sediments in the northern Indian River Lagoon came from just 22% of the total surface area. Lagoon segments with high benthic fluxes overlapped in part with areas prone to harmful algal blooms. Effective strategies to manage degraded sediments in the Indian River Lagoon depend on knowing the relative magnitude of internal loading of nutrients as well as appropriate techniques to mitigate sediment fluxes.

How a reservoir modulates downstream water quality under declining upstream loading and progressing climate change

Reservoirs regulate water flow and pollutant transport in catchments. However, climate change can significantly impact their ability to perform this function. This study analysed a multi-decadal time series of data to examine the complex relationship between climate and nutrient pollution trends in the Möhne reservoir catchment. The study aimed at understanding the effect of the reservoir on downstream nutrient pollution in the face of a changing climate. The analysis revealed that upstream nutrient concentrations were higher than downstream, indicating a general nutrient-trapping effect of the reservoir. Upstream stations exhibited a declining trend in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. This was due to improved wastewater management and reduced nutrient mobilisation resulting from decreasing surface runoff and streamflow. At the downstream station, whereas TN concentrations decreased, TP concentrations mildly increased. These opposite downstream trends were likely due to rising temperatures and declining dissolved oxygen concentration within the reservoir, which might have favoured nitrogen denitrification and internal phosphorus loading, causing the decline and increase in downstream TN and TP concentrations, respectively. The contrasting downstream TN and TP trends alter the nutrient stoichiometry, which can profoundly affect the ecosystem's biogeochemical functioning. Therefore, in a warming climate, reservoirs may modulate nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients differently, leading to ecological discontinuities along river networks due to changes in TN-to-TP ratios. The study highlights the need to develop adaptable and precise nutrient pollution management strategies in reservoir catchments to address the challenges of climate change effectively.

Legacy sediment as a potential source of orthophosphate: Preliminary conceptual and geochemical models for the Susquehanna River, Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA

Nutrient pollution from agriculture and urban areas plus acid mine drainage (AMD) from legacy coal mines are primary causes of water-quality impairment in the Susquehanna River, which is the predominant source of freshwater and nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay. Recent increases in the delivery of dissolved orthophosphate (PO4) from the river to the bay may be linked to long-term increases in pH, decreased acidity of precipitation, and decreased acidity, iron, and aluminum loading from widespread AMD. Since the 1950s, baseline pH increased from ~6.5 to ~8 in the West Branch and “North Branch” of the Susquehanna River, which drain bituminous and anthracite coalfields of Pennsylvania. A current baseline pH of ~8 and daily maxima exceeding 9 have been documented along the lower Susquehanna River. In response to improved river quality, bioavailable PO4 now may be released into solution from legacy sediment that has filled major impoundments in lower reaches of the river. At typical pH (5–8) of natural water, aqueous PO4 species tend to be adsorbed by hydrous iron, aluminum, and manganese oxides that coat soil and sediment particles; however, PO4 may be substantially desorbed at pH >8. We created a geochemical model that simulates equilibrium aqueous/solid distributions of PO4 as pH and other solution characteristics change. Considering current conditions in the lower Susquehanna River, the model demonstrates potential for extensive release of adsorbed PO4 at pH >8. Empirical data from laboratory experiments corroborate model results. The transfer of PO4 into the water column may increase algae growth, which removes CO2 and drives pH to higher values, facilitating additional PO4 release and exacerbating the potential for harmful algal blooms. Thus, legacy sediment is a currently unquantified source of PO4 that warrants consideration by resource managers and programs collaborating to reduce phosphorus loads to the bay and similar settings worldwide.

Benthic primary production decreases internal phosphorus loading from lake sediments under light supplement

In aquatic ecosystems, light penetrating the sediment surface in shallow lakes may regulate the internal phosphorus (P) release through benthic primary production, which subsequently affects oxidation, pH levels, and alkaline phosphatase activity in the upper sediment. To study the effects of light exposure on the P dynamics at the sediment-water interface under eutrophic conditions, a two-month mesocosm experiment was conducted in twelve cement tanks (1000 L each). The tanks were equipped with Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lights, and surface sediments collected from eutrophic Lake Nanhu (China) were exposed to four different light intensities (0, 50, 100, 200 μmol m−2 s−1). The results revealed that: 1) Both the total phosphorus concentration and the phosphorus release flux from the sediment were lower in the light treatments (mean value, 0.59–0.71 mg L−1 and 0.00–0.01 mg m−2 d−1, respectively) than in the control treatment (0.77 mg L−1 and 0.01 mg m−2 d−1, respectively), indicating that light supplement could decrease the internal P release. 2) Benthic primary production promoted by light directly absorbed soluble reactive phosphorus and decreased the internal P release. The resulting improved production could also increase dissolved oxygen concentrations at the sediment-water interface, thus indirectly inhibiting internal P release. 3) The relative contributions of direct absorption and indirect inhibition on the internal P release ranged between 23% to 69% and 31% to 77% depending on the light intensity.

Integrating impacts of climate change on aquatic environments in inter-basin water regulation: Establishing a critical threshold for best management practices

Inter-basin water diversion (IBWD) is a viable strategy to tackle water scarcity and quality degradation due to climate change and increasing water demand in headwaters regions. Nevertheless, the capacity of IBWD to mitigate the impacts of climate change on water quality has rarely been quantified, and the underlying processes are not well understood. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate how the IBWD manipulated total phosphorus (TP) loading dilution and conveying patterns under climate change and determine a critical threshold for the quantity of water entering downstream reservoirs (WIN) for operational scheduling. To resolve this issue, climate-driven hydrologic variability over a 60-year period was derived utilizing the least square fitting approach. Subsequently, six scenarios evaluating the response of in-lake TP concentrations (TPL) to increased temperatures and IBWDs of 50 %, 100 %, and 150 % from the baseline water volume in 2030 and 2050 were studied by employing a calibrated hydrological-water quality model (SWAT-YRWQM). In the next stage, three datasets derived from mathematical statistics based on the observed data, the Vollenweider formula, and modeled projections were integrated to formulate best management practices. The results revealed that elevated air temperatures would lead to reduced annual catchment runoff but increased IBWD. Additionally, our study quantified the IBWD potential for mitigating water quality degradation, indicating the adverse effects of climate change on TPL would be weakened by 4.2–14.4 %. A critical threshold for WIN was also quantified at 617 million m3, maintaining WIN at or near 617 million m3 through optimized operational scheduling of IBWD could effectively restrict external inflow TP loading to lower levels. This study clearly illustrates the intricate interactive effects of climate change and IBWD on aquatic environments. The methodology elucidated in this study for determining the critical threshold of WIN could be applied in water management for analogous watershed-receiving waterbody systems.

Comprehensive effects of climate, land use/cover and management practices on runoff and nutrient variations in a rapidly urbanizing watershed

As non-point source pollution has emerged as a significant global and regional concern, climate change (CC), land use/cover transformation (LUCT), and management practices (MP) play vital roles in addressing nutrient pollution. However, current studies lack comprehensive quantification and consistent conclusions on the response to these factors, especially for management practices. To quantify and elucidate the impact of representative environmental factors on rapidly urbanizing regions, this study focused on the Shenzhen River, which serves as the most typical urbanizing watershed. Using a process-based distributed hydrological model with a factor-controlled simulation method, we identified significant differences in nutrient concentrations and the impacts of climate variability, land use/cover changes, and anthropogenic interventions from 2003 to 2020. Moreover, effective measures greatly improved water quality in the Shenzhen River during study period, as evident from trend and cluster analysis. However, ecological water supplements implemented since 2016 have led to a slight reduction in simulated runoff performance, and CC may amplify the synergistic effects of precipitation and temperature on the river system. While the implemented practices have been effective in reducing total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads, strong TN pollution control is still needed in rapidly urbanizing areas due to the results of land use/cover type changes. Our findings emphasize the intricate interplay among CC, LUCT, and MP in shaping water quality and hydrological processes in rapidly urbanizing watersheds, and clarify the independent effects of these factors on nutrients. This study contributes to a better understanding of the complex interactions between multiple factors in watersheds and provides guidance for sustainable watershed management.

Effects of point and nonpoint source controls on total phosphorus load trends across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA

Reduction of total phosphorus (TP) loads has long been a management focus of Chesapeake Bay restoration, but riverine monitoring stations have shown mixed temporal trends. To better understand the regional patterns and drivers of TP trends across the Bay watershed, we compiled and analyzed TP load data from 90 non-tidal network stations using clustering and random forest (RF) approaches. These stations were categorized into two distinct clusters of short-term (2013–2020) TP load trends, i.e. monotonic increase (n = 35) and monotonic decline (n = 55). RF models were developed to identify likely regional drivers of TP trend clusters. Reductions in point sources and agricultural nonpoint sources (i.e. fertilizer) both contributed to water-quality improvement in our period of analysis, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of nutrient management and the importance of continuing such efforts. In addition, declining TP trends have a larger chance to occur in carbonate areas but a smaller chance in Coastal Plain areas, with the latter likely reflecting the effect of legacy P. To provide spatially explicit information, TP trend clusters were predicted for the entire watershed at the scale of river segments, which are more directly relevant to watershed planning. Among the 975 river segments, 544 (56%) and 431 (44%) were classified as ‘monotonic increase’ and ‘monotonic decrease’, respectively. Furthermore, these predicted TP trend clusters were paired with our previously published total nitrogen (TN) trend clusters, showing that TP and TN both declined in 185 segments (19%) and neither declined in 337 segments (35%). Broadly speaking, large-scale nutrient reduction efforts are underway in many regions to curb eutrophication. Water-quality responses and drivers may differ among systems, but our work provides important new evidence on the effectiveness of management efforts toward controlling point and nonpoint sources.

Prediction of total phosphorus in reservoir cascade systems.

Reservoir cascade systems have attracted the attention of scientists worldwide. The present study investigates the cascade of five reservoirs (R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5) along a 192-km water channel system located in the state of Ceará, in the Brazilian semiarid region. This cascade system was implemented in 2012 to promote water availability and security to the capital of Ceará and the strategic industry and port complex of the region. However, these reservoirs have faced a progressive degradation of water quality, which has resulted in intense eutrophication and high-water treatment costs. The study evaluates the dynamics of water quality from 2013 to 2021 along this reservoir cascade (from R1 to R5). The results revealed that water quality did not improve along the cascade system, differently from previous studies on reservoirs interconnected by natural rivers. This was attributed to the low water residence time and low capacity of pollutant removal along the man-made water channel system, as well as to the high internal phosphorus loads of the reservoirs. Multiple regression models involving the explanatory variables of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, cyanobacteria, transparency, rainfall, and volume from upstream reservoirs were obtained to determine total phosphorus concentration in downstream reservoirs, considering different combinations of reservoir pairs in the cascade and different time delays. A clear trend of R2 decline with the distance between the upstream and downstream reservoirs was observed. For example, the R2 values for the correlations adjusted between R1 and R2 (48km), R1 and R3 (172km), R1 and R4 (178km), and R1 and R5 (192km) were 0.66, 0.32, 0.22, and 0.12, respectively. On the other hand, the adoption of time delays of the order of the cumulative residence times of the reservoirs promoted a significant improvement in the R2 values. For instance, the best correlation adjusted between R1 and R5 improved from R2 = 0.12 to 0.69 by considering a time delay of 21months. This suggests that previous data from upstream reservoirs can be used to predict current and future total phosphorus concentration in downstream reservoirs. The results from this study are important to better understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of water quality in reservoir cascade systems and thus improve water resources management, especially in drylands.

Internal loading of phosphorus in streams described by a Sediment-Water Exchange Model for Phosphorus (SWEMP): From lab to field scale

The reaction of phosphorus (P) between sediments and water in streams strongly affects the surface water P concentrations. A new reactive transport model (SWEMP: Sediment-Water Exchange Model for Phosphorus) was developed to describe redox dependent P sorption in the sediment and vertical diffusive transport of solutes to the overlying stream. The model parameters were independently obtained to first predict P release in ten different sediment-water batch systems and in two flumes. Input parameters are the degree of P saturation of the sediment, its organic matter content, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and temperature. The dissolved P concentrations in the overlying waters ranged from 0.02 to 1.2 mg P L−1 in these systems and were correctly predicted by the model within, on average, a factor 1.3 (batch) or 1.1 (flume). The P flux from the sediment towards the overlying water increased with increasing sediment P:Fe ratio and respiration rates, and with decreasing DO and water pH. After validation of the model with experimental data, it was used to predict monthly P concentrations in Flemish rivers using the total P emission data, total discharge, average sediment properties and the monthly averaged water temperatures, DO concentrations and electric conductivity. The monthly average P concentrations oscillate annually between 0.24 and 0.73 mg P L−1 and predictions matched the long-term monitoring data within 10 % using only one adjustable parameter for the entire water system (N > 250,000). The model predicts that summer peaks in P are related to internal loading from the sediment under anoxic conditions rather than to emission-dilution effects, i.e. external input of P and/or its concentration at lower flow rates. This suggests that, surface water P concentrations can be lowered by enhanced DO in the water, the addition of Fe and Al rich binding agents to the sediments and by reducing P emissions.

Evaluation of three prevalent global riverine nutrient transport models.

Global riverine nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) transport models offer important insights into basin nutrient cycling. However, appropriate model selection for a given research objective remains ambiguous. This study conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the performance and applicability of three prevalent global riverine nutrient transport models: Global NEWS, IMAGE-GNM, and WorldQual. According to performance criteria (satisfactory: R2 > 0.50 and NSE > 0.50), the Global NEWS model performs satisfactorily in simulating dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; n = 101, R2 = 0.58, NSE = 0.57) and dissolved organic phosphorus loads (DOP; n = 80, R2 = 0.59, NSE = 0.59). The model falls short in simulating dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; n = 644, R2 = 0.56, NSE = - 0.80) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus loads (DIP; n = 450, R2 = 0.33, NSE = - 0.12). The IMAGE-GNM model shows satisfactory accuracies in simulating riverine total nitrogen (TN; n = 831, R2 = 0.56, NSE = 0.53) and total phosphorus (TP; n = 902, R2 = 0.59, NSE = 0.48) concentrations, particularly in European basins. The WorldQual model presented unsatisfactory performance in simulating riverine TN (n = 11, R2 = 0.76, NSE = 0.34) and TP (n = 13, R2 = 0.71, NSE = - 0.25) concentrations. Using a two-segment linear model, we recommend the Global NEWS model for basins larger than 2.2 × 104 km2 for DIN and 3.2 × 104 km2 for DIP. The IMAGE-GNM model is best suited for basins with long-term datasets and high latitudes (TN > 21 years and > 53.8 °N; TP > 22 years and > 54.5 °N). For model improvements, both the Global NEWS and WorldQual models could benefit from enhanced in-stream nutrient retention/release modules. The Global NEWS model could be further improved with a better chemical weathering module. For the IMAGE-GNM model, refining the soil erosion module is warranted to enhance model performance. Addressing legacy nutrient effects is crucial for all three models. This study provides valuable guidance for selecting and improving nutrient transport models based on specific research needs.

Influence of Pasture Stocking Method on Surface Runoff and Nutrient Loss in the US Upper Midwest

Grazing and hay forage crops reduce erosion compared to annual crops, but few studies have compared soil and nutrient loss among grazing systems compared to a control. We evaluated runoff water quality and nutrient loss among three grazing systems and a hay crop production field with manure application (control) using a paired watershed design. Four edge-of-field sites at a research farm in central Wisconsin were managed as hay during calibration (2013–2018) followed by a grazing treatment phase (2018–2020). Grazing treatments of different stocking methods included continuous stocking (CS), primary paddock stocking (PPS), and adaptive multi-paddock stocking (AMPS). Runoff, sediment, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) loads were monitored year-round. Grazing increased average runoff volume by as much as 1.7-fold depending on stocking method and tended to decrease event mean N and P concentrations. CS had larger mean sediment (2.0-fold), total N (1.9-fold), and total P loads (1.2-fold) compared to the control and had the lowest average pasture forage mass. AMPS had lower N and P loss as a percentage of that applied from manure application/livestock excretion (1.3 and 1.6%, respectively) compared to the control (2.5 and 2.1%), PPS (2.5 and 2.6%), and CS (3.2 and 3.0%). Stocking method had a marked impact on nutrient loss in runoff from these systems, suggesting water quality models should account for pasture management, but nutrient losses from all perennial forage systems were small relative to previous data from annual cropping systems.

A random forest approach to improve estimates of tributary nutrient loading

Estimating constituent loads from discrete water quality samples coupled with stream discharge measurements is critical for management of freshwater resources. Nutrient loads calculated based on discharge-concentration relationships form the basis of government nutrient load targets and scientific studies of the response of receiving waters to external loads. In this study, a new model is developed using random forests and applied to estimate concentrations and loads of total phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, total nitrogen, and chloride, using data from 17 tributaries to Lake Champlain monitored from 1992 to 2021. I benchmark this model against one of the most widespread models currently used to estimate nutrient loads, Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS). The random forest model outperformed both the base WRTDS model and an extension of the WRTDS model using Kalman filtering in the great majority of cases, likely due to the inclusion of rate-of-change in discharge and antecedent discharge over different leading windows as predictors, and to the flexibility of the random forest to model predictor-response relationships. The random forest also had useful visualization capabilities which provided important process insights. WRTDS remains a useful model for many applications, but this study represents a promising new approach for load estimation which can be applied easily to existing datasets, and which is easy to customize for different applications.

Water quality in a large complex catchment: Significant effects of land use and soil type but limited ability to detect trends

Globally, significant societal resources are devoted to mitigating negative effects of eutrophication from excessive phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) loading. Potential effectiveness of mitigation measures and possible confounding factors are often assessed using studies conducted in headwater catchments. However, success is often evaluated based on trends in river mouth water chemistry. It is not clear how transferrable insights from headwater catchments are to larger rivers. Here, relationships between P and suspended solids (SS) identified in small agricultural headwater catchments were applied to 30 larger, mixed land use catchments draining into Mälaren, a Swedish great lake. Relationships identified in headwater streams between SS concentration, catchment agricultural land percentage and arable land clay content were corroborated for the larger catchments (R2 = 0.59, p-value<0.001. The same was true for connections between SS and particulate P (R2 = 0.74, p-value<0.001). This study highlights the importance of agricultural land, clay content and SS for P transport, on both smaller headwater as well as larger catchment scales, supporting the use of headwater findings on larger, management relevant scales. Consequently, these relationships should be used to target mitigation measures to reduce SS and P losses. To explore the effectiveness of mitigation measures on water quality, we assessed long-term (20 year) trends in tributary water quality and compared these trends to the amount of mitigation measures implemented in the catchment. Overall improving trends were detected using regional Mann Kendall tests, but few decreasing trends in nutrient concentrations were found for individual sites using Generalized Additive Models (GAM). The lack of significant trends and identifiable connections to amount of mitigation measures implemented could be due to several reasons, e.g. insufficient time for recently implemented measures to have an effect, ongoing release of legacy P as well as low areal coverage and poor spatial placement of implemented measures. In addition, trend detection requires large amounts of data and the results should be carefully interpreted and communicated.

Na Cocations and Hydrothermal Aging Cooperatively Boost the Regeneration of Phosphorus-Poisoned Pd/SSZ-13 for Passive NOx Adsorption.

Pd/SSZ-13 has been proposed as a passive NOx adsorber (PNA) for low-temperature NOx adsorption. However, it remains challenging for Pd/SSZ-13 to work efficiently when suffering from phosphorus poisoning. Herein, we report a simple and efficient strategy to regenerate the phosphorus-poisoned Pd/SSZ-13 based on the cooperation between hydrothermal aging treatment and Na cocations. It was found that hydrothermal aging treatment enabled the redispersion of Pd and P-containing species in phosphorus-poisoned Pd/SSZ-13. Meanwhile, the presence of Na cocations significantly reduced the formation of AlPO4 and retained more paired Al sites for highly dispersed Pd2+ ions, which was of great importance for the recovery of adsorption performance. To our satisfaction, the restoration ratio of the adsorption capacity of poisoned Pd/SSZ-13 was >90% after regeneration. Strikingly, the NOx adsorption activities of phosphorus-poisoned Pd/SSZ-13 with phosphorus loadings of 0.2 and 0.4 mmol g-1 almost completely recovered upon regeneration. This study demonstrates the promoting effect of Na cocations on the regeneration of phosphorus-poisoned Pd/SSZ-13 by hydrothermal aging treatment, which provides useful guidance for the design of PNA materials with excellent durability for cold-start application.

Shift in algal blooms from micro‐ to macroalgae around China with increasing eutrophication and climate change

AbstractBlooms of microalgal red tides and macroalgae (e.g., green and golden tides caused by Ulva and Sargassum) have caused widespread problems around China in recent years, but there is uncertainty around what triggers these blooms and how they interact. Here, we use 30 years of monitoring data to help answer these questions, focusing on the four main species of microalgae Prorocentrum donghaiense, Karenia mikimotoi, Noctiluca scintillans, and Skeletonema costatum) associated with red tides in the region. The frequency of red tides increased from 1991 to 2003 and then decreased until 2020, with S. costatum red tides exhibiting the highest rate of decrease. Green tides started to occur around China in 1999 and the frequency of green tides has since been on the increase. Golden tides were first reported to occur around China in 2012. The frequency of macroalgal blooms has a negative linear relationship with the frequency and coverage of red tides around China, and a positive correlation with total nitrogen and phosphorus loads as well as with atmospheric CO2 and sea surface temperature (SST). Increased outbreaks of macroalgal blooms are very likely due to worsening levels of eutrophication, combined with rising CO2 and SST, which contribute to the reduced frequency of red tides. The increasing grazing rate of microzooplankton also results in the decline in areas affected by red tides. This study shows a clear shift of algal blooms from microalgae to macroalgae around China over the past 30 years driven by the combination of eutrophication, climate change, and grazing stress, indicating a fundamental change in coastal systems in the region.

Governing for a safe and just future with science-based targets: opportunities and limitations

ABSTRACT This paper reflects on the work of the Earth Commission and the Global Commons Alliance to include climate and environmental justice in establishing biophysical targets to stabilize the Earth system. Targets include those for global temperature (e.g. 1.5°C), biodiversity (e.g. % protected or natural land), surface and groundwater and nutrient pollution (e.g. phosphorus load). We discuss whether and how to define Earth system justice in relation to planetary targets and related levers of transformation, how we identify measures of what is just, and reflect on whether target setting itself is a neoliberal process. We examine how science can identify targets that subsequently inform policies that may inadvertently increase, rather than decrease, inequalities, such as those associated with neoliberal policies of commodification, privatization, top-down conservation and globalization. Can the operationalization of targets enable deep transformations needed to stabilize the Earth system and ensure just access for all, or will they be used for business as usual? We draw on collaborations with members of the social science working group of the Earth Commission to focus not only on possibilities for just targets but on radical transformations for a safe and just planet where harm is minimized and access to wellbeing is possible for all.

Impact of iron addition on phosphorus dynamics in sediments of a shallow peat lake 10 years after treatment

Internal phosphorus (P) loading is a key water quality challenge for shallow lakes. Addition of iron (Fe) salts has been used to enhance P retention in lake sediments. However, its effects on sediment geochemistry are poorly studied, albeit pivotal for remediation success. Here, we assess the factors controlling the retention of P and long-term effects following application of FeCl3 (0.5–1 mol Fe/m2, 2010) in the eutrophic, shallow peat lake Terra Nova (the Netherlands). Treatment reduced P levels in the lake for two years, but afterwards summer release of P intensified, resulting in higher surface water P concentrations than before treatment. Porewater and sediment analyses indicate that the majority of the added Fe is still undergoing redox cycling within the top 10 cm of sediment accounting for the binding of up to 70 % of sedimentary P. Sequential extractions further suggest that organic matter (OM) plays a key role in the resulting P and Fe dynamics: While reduction of P binding Fe(III) phases results in P release to porewaters, the produced Fe2+ remains bound to the solid phase presumably stabilized by OM. This causes P release from the sediments in excess to Fe during temporary low oxygen conditions in summer months, as confirmed by whole core flux incubation experiments. Quantitative coprecipitation of P with Fe upon reoxygenation of the water body is then impossible, leading to a gradual increase in surface water P. This first long-term study on a shallow peat lake underpins the role of OM for Fe cycling and the need to carefully consider the sediment properties and diagenetic pathways in the planning of Fe-amendments.

Biogeochemical response of subtropical treatment wetlands to different flow conditions

The biogeochemical response to different flow conditions within two parallel, well-performing flow-ways (FWs) in Everglades Stormwater Treatment Area (STA)-2 was studied. Three flow events in FW1, an emergent aquatic vegetation (EAV) based system and three flow events in FW3, a submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) dominated system, were carried out between August 2015 and July 2017. These flow events included either low or moderate flow that was preceded and/or followed by no flow. These flow scenarios were designed to simulate different hydraulic and hydrologic conditions that STAs experience during full-scale operations. Hydraulic loading rates (HLRs, flow volume per day/wetland effective treatment area) during the flow events ranged from 0.5 to 10.4 cm d−1 with resulting phosphorus loading rates (PLRs, daily load/wetland effective treatment rate) of 1 to 20 mg P m−2 d−1. The ability of these flow-ways to remove and transform P in the water column under different flow conditions was evaluated using water quality data from autosamplers and weekly grab samples collected at six monitoring stations along each flow-way.Distinct water column concentration gradients of total phosphorus (TP) from inflow to outflow at all phases of the flow events for both flow-ways were observed. The magnitude at which P is removed from the water column increased with fractional distance from the inflow and was greater for the EAV-dominated system (FW1) than the SAV-based system (FW3). This system response translated to higher TP concentration reduction in EAV than SAV. Inflow to outflow TP concentration reductions for EAV were 94, 88, and 86% for moderate (MF), low (LF), and no flow (NF), respectively. For SAV, TP concentration reductions were 73, 71, and 64% for MF, LF, and NF, respectively. A significant increase in TP concentrations [largely dissolved organic P (DOP) and particulate P (PP)] in the SAV-dominated system was observed under no flow condition. The increase was attributed to in-situ production of PP through several mechanisms that likely include phytoplankton growth, periphyton sloughing, litter fragmentation, and resuspension via entrainment or bioturbation. While soluble reactive P (SRP) was the dominant form of inflow TP removed along the EAV FW, PP accounted for most of the reduction in TP concentration along the SAV FW, under both flow and no flow conditions. Particulate P and DOP comprised the residual P pool at the outflow region of each FW with slightly higher concentrations in the SAV than the EAV FW under no flow condition. The removal of P from the water column in the EAV FW was largely attributed to biotic processes (i.e., P uptake by biota) while coupled biotic and abiotic processes regulated P reduction in the SAV FW.

Gypsum amendment influences soil and plant chemical composition temporarily

Field application of gypsum (CaSO4 × 2H2O) is a tool to decrease phosphorus (P) load to watercourses. Effects of gypsum application (4 tons ha-1) on soil and crop composition were monitored up to four years after the treatment in the Savijoki catchment, southwestern Finland. Eleven amended fields and 17 control fields were analyzed for easily soluble P, Ca, Mg, K, S, pH(H2O), electrical conductivity (EC) and loss-on-ignition. Plant samples were analyzed for most nutrients and Se. Downward S transport was monitored in two fields. In the first spring after gypsum application, but not later, S concentrations and EC were substantially but not harmfully elevated in the plough layer, with no other significant effects on soil composition. Sulfur leached out slightly less rapidly from clay than from the coarse mineral soil. Plant S concentration increased for the first and the second year. In conclusion, gypsum application did not have adverse effects on soil or crop chemical composition in this survey of predominantly clay soils.

Cover crop impacts water quality in a tile-terraced no-till field with corn-soybean rotation

Cover crops (CCs) are a recognized best management practice to reduce surface water runoff and nutrient loss from agroecosystems. This 4-yr study was conducted in a tile-terraced field to assess the effects of CCs on nutrient loss compared to without CC (no CC) in a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation. The 3xCCmix (wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. Sativus), and turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. Rapa)) was aerial seeded in soybean at R6 in 2018 and 2020. Cereal rye (Secale cereale) was drill seeded after the corn harvest in 2019 and 2021 (corn-cereal rye-soybean-3xCCmix). Water samples from individual flumes were collected using automated samplers and analyzed for concentrations and loads of nitrate-N (NO3-N), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved phosphorus (PO4-P), and total suspended solids (TSS). The 3xCCmix and cereal rye had 16% and 12% lower discharge, respectively, than no CC. The 3xCCmix reduced TSS load 50% compared to CC, while cereal rye had no effect. Cover crops reduced NO3-N load 20%, 54%, and 68% during the corn, cereal rye, and soybean growing periods, respectively. Over the full rotations, cumulative discharge and nutrient loads were greater during the 2018–20 crop rotation year because of increased precipitation in 2019. The variability in effectiveness of CCs in reducing nutrient losses was likely affected by different climatic and management factors including CC planting and termination dates. This study highlights the benefits of CCs for reducing sediment and nutrient loss over crop rotation, as well as the continued need for enhanced fertilizer management systems to reduce nutrient loss.