Temperature and cyanobacterial bloom biomass influence phosphorous cycling in eutrophic lake sediments

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 28;9(3):e93130. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093130. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Cyanobacterial blooms frequently occur in freshwater lakes, subsequently, substantial amounts of decaying cyanobacterial bloom biomass (CBB) settles onto the lake sediments where anaerobic mineralization reactions prevail. Coupled Fe/S cycling processes can influence the mobilization of phosphorus (P) in sediments, with high releases often resulting in eutrophication. To better understand eutrophication in Lake Taihu (PRC), we investigated the effects of CBB and temperature on phosphorus cycling in lake sediments. Results indicated that added CBB not only enhanced sedimentary iron reduction, but also resulted in a change from net sulfur oxidation to sulfate reduction, which jointly resulted in a spike of soluble Fe(II) and the formation of FeS/FeS2. Phosphate release was also enhanced with CBB amendment along with increases in reduced sulfur. Further release of phosphate was associated with increases in incubation temperature. In addition, CBB amendment resulted in a shift in P from the Fe-adsorbed P and the relatively unreactive Residual-P pools to the more reactive Al-adsorbed P, Ca-bound P and organic-P pools. Phosphorus cycling rates increased on addition of CBB and were higher at elevated temperatures, resulting in increased phosphorus release from sediments. These findings suggest that settling of CBB into sediments will likely increase the extent of eutrophication in aquatic environments and these processes will be magnified at higher temperatures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomass
  • Cyanobacteria / growth & development*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Eutrophication / physiology*
  • Fresh Water / analysis
  • Fresh Water / chemistry
  • Fresh Water / microbiology
  • Geologic Sediments / analysis
  • Geologic Sediments / chemistry*
  • Geologic Sediments / microbiology
  • Lakes / analysis
  • Lakes / chemistry*
  • Lakes / microbiology*
  • Phosphates / chemistry
  • Phosphorus / chemistry*
  • Sulfur / chemistry
  • Temperature
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry

Substances

  • Phosphates
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Phosphorus
  • Sulfur

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51079139), the Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-EW-314), 135 project of Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, CAS (No. NIGLAS2012135008), and Chinese Academy of Sciences visiting professorship for senior international scientists (2011T1Z37). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.