Phosphorus in a lowland calcareous river basin: a multiscale approach to understanding human impacts

• Autorzy: Demars B.O.L. , Harper D.M.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Lowland rivers in industrial countries such as the UK are seriously impacted by phosphorus from a variety of sources. Point sources include numerous sewage-treatment works; diffuse sources include a full range of agricultural activities from fertiliser application to intensive poultry and stock rearing. The scientific consensus is that the concentration of phosphorus is an important measure of eutrophication. The present study investigated the impact of point source effluents, together with physical impoundment by weirs, on the spatial heterogeneity of river bed sediment characteristics with emphasis on the forms and levels of phosphorus, within the catchment area of the River Wensum, Norfolk, UK. The within site variability of the sediment characteristics (total phosphorus, bioavailable phosphorus, calcium, iron and organic matter) was tightly linked to the river bed types. Total phosphorus in the sediment was extremely well correlated with total iron (r=0.93) suggesting a possible association between the two parameters. The weirs and impoundments impacted dramatically on the dynamics of instream flow which resulted in extensive problems of siltation in the River Wensum leading to high level of total phosphorus storage above the weir. This, combined with the increased concentration of total phosphorus in the water below the point sources, had the greatest impact on sediment phosphorus availability. Thus the ecology of the river may not follow expected downstream changes.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

nutrient; hydrology; Wensum River; weir; river; human impact; lowland river; ecohydrology; phosphorus; water resource; sewage treatment work; eutrophication

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: International Journal of Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology
• Rocznik: 2002
• Tom: 02
• Numer: 1-4
• Opis fizyczny: p.149-164,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Demars B.O.L.

• University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, U.K.

autor

Harper D.M.