Carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus coupling relationships and their influencing factors in the critical zone of Dongting Lake wetlands,China

Wetland is a transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and is the source and sink of various biogenic elements in the earth’s epipelagic zone. In order to investigate the driving force and coupling mechanism of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) migration in the critical zone of lake wetland, this paper studies the natural wetland of Dongting Lake area, through measuring and analysing the C, N and P contents in the wetland soil and groundwater. Methods of Pearson correlation, non-linear regression and machine learning were employed to analyse the influencing factors, and to explore the coupling patterns of the C, N and P in both soils and groundwater, with data derived from soil and water samples collected from the wetland critical zone. The results show that the mean values of organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in groundwater are 1.59 mg/L, 4.19 mg/L and 0.5 mg/L, respectively, while the mean values of C, N and P in the soils are 18.05 g/kg, 0.86 g/kg and 0.52 g/kg. The results also show that the TOC, TN and TP in the groundwater are driven by a variety of environmental factors. However, the concentrations of C, N and P in the soils are mainly related to vegetation abundance and species which influence each other. In addition, the fitted curves of wetland soil C-N and C-P appear to follow the power function and S-shaped curve, respectively. In order to establish a multivariate regression model, the soil N and P contents were used as the input parameters and the soil C content used as the output one. By comparing the prediction effects of machine learning and nonlinear regression modelling, the results show that coupled relationship equation for the C, N and P contents is highly reliable. Future modelling of the coupled soil and groundwater elemental cycles needs to consider the complexity of hydrogeological conditions and to explore the quantitative relationships among the influencing factors and chemical constituents.     

从碳源到碳汇：大陆弧演化过程中岩浆与剥蚀作用对长期碳循环的影响

在百万年时间尺度上,大气、海洋中的二氧化碳浓度(P_CO2,二氧化碳分压)和长期变化主要受岩浆-变质脱碳作用和硅酸盐风化作用(消耗二氧化碳)控制。因此,地球表层主要构造活动带的构造-岩浆活动对长期碳循环具有重要的驱动作用。本文在总结已发表文献的基础上,系统评估了大陆弧,尤其是晚白垩世大陆弧的岩浆作用和剥蚀作用的碳通量,并以此为依据探讨了大陆弧演化对于全球长期碳循环的影响。大陆弧岩浆作用以周期性(几十万年至一百百万年)岩浆爆发(magmatic flare-ups)为特征。在一个周期内,大规模岩浆喷发会导致CO₂排放量大幅度增加,促进温室效应。但同时,大规模的岩浆作用又会导致地壳增厚和和地表抬升,从而促进剥蚀作用、提高化学风化通量,进而增加CO₂消耗量。对于单个的大陆弧来说,在其演化的不同阶段对于碳循环扮演着不同的角色：演化早期由于岩浆作用起主导作用,表现为净碳源;而在岩浆作用减弱或停止后,由于剥蚀作用的持续进行,表现为净碳汇。因此,从长周期和全球尺度上讲,大陆弧岩浆活动表现的“碳源属性”受到化学风化作...     

A reevaluation of the oceanic uranium budget for the Holocene

We present a new assessment of the pre-anthropogenic U budget for the Holocene ocean. We find that the gross input of U to the ocean lies in the range 53±17 Mmol/year, where the dominant source is river runoff (42.0±14.5 Mmol/year) and the direct discharge of groundwater could represent a significant additional input (9.3±8.7 Mmol/year). The soluble U flux associated with the aeolian input of crustal dust is minor (1.8±1.1 Mmol/year), falling well within the errors associated with the riverine flux. Removal of U to the organic rich sediments of salt marshes and mangrove swamps during river–sea mixing may significantly modify the riverine flux, such that the net U input is reduced to 42±18 Mmol/year. Evaluation of the U isotope budget demonstrates that the limits we have established on the U input flux are reasonable and suggests that direct groundwater discharge may play a significant role in maintaining the oceanic excess of ²³⁴U. The total sink of U from the ocean lies in the range 48±14 Mmol/year. We find that three major processes control the magnitude of this flux: (1) removal to oxygen-depleted sediments (26.9±12.2 Mmol/year); (2) incorporation into biogenic carbonate (13.3±5.6 Mmol/year); and (3) crustal sequestration during hydrothermal alteration and seafloor weathering (5.7±3.3 Mmol/year). The removal of U to opaline silica (0.6±0.3 Mmol/year) and hydrogenous phases (1.4±0.8 Mmol/year) is minimal, falling well within the errors associated with the other sinks. That the input and output fluxes balance within the calculated errors implies that U may be in steady state in the Holocene ocean. In this case, the input and output fluxes lie in the range 34–60 Mmol/year, giving an oceanic U residence time of 3.2–5.6×10⁵ years. However, given the large uncertainties, a significant imbalance between the Holocene input and output fluxes cannot be ruled out. The constancy of the ancient seawater U concentration implies that the U budget is in steady state over the time period of a glacial–interglacial climate cycle (10⁵ year). A Holocene flux imbalance must, therefore, be offset by an opposing flux imbalance during glacial periods or at the interglacial–glacial transition. We suggest that the storage of U in the coastal zone and shallow water carbonates during interglacial periods and the release of that U at or following the interglacial–glacial transition could be sufficient to affect the short-term stability of the U budget. Providing tighter constraints on U fluxes in the Holocene ocean is a prerequisite to understanding the U budget on the time scale of a glacial–interglacial climate cycle and using this element as a valuable palaeoceanographic proxy.     

Contribution of nitrogen and phosphorus by precipitation in the drainage basin of the Santillana Reservoir (Madrid)

The contribution of nitrogen and phosphorus due to precipitation constitutes the second most important route after superficial runoff. The sampling carried out during a two-year period by means of a precipitation collector allows us to determine the contribution of this route both qualitatively and quantitatively. Nitrogen is mainly supplied in an inorganic form, while phosphorus is principally supplied as orthophosphate. During the period of this study (March 1986–February 1988) it was found that in the Santillana Reservoir Watershed the level of nitrogen supplied by precipitation constitutes an average of 4.87% and the level of phosphorus constitutes 8.01%. The contribution of nitrogen varies in inverse ratio to precipitation and the contribution of phosphorus varies in direct ratio.     

Ecosystem-driven karst carbon cycle and carbon sink effects

It is recognized that karst processes are actively involved in the current global carbon cycle based on twenty years research, and the carbon sink occurred in karst processes is possibly an important part of “missing sink” in global carbon cycle. In this paper, an overview is given on karst carbon cycle research, and influence factors, formed carbon pools (background carbon sink) and sink increase potentials of current karst carbon cycle are analyzed. Carbonate weathering could contribute to the imbalance item (B_IM) and land use change item (E_LUC) in the global carbon cycle model, owing to its uptake of both atmospheric CO₂ (carbon sink effect) and CO₂ produced by soil respiration (carbon source reduction effect). Karst carbon sink includes inorganic carbon sink resulted from hydrogeochemical process and organic carbon sink generated by aquatic photosynthetic DIC conversion, forming relatively stable river (reservoir) water body or sediment carbon sink. The sizes of both sinks are controlled by terrestrial ecosystems and aquatic ecosystems, respectively. Desertification rehabilitation and carbon sequestration by aquatic plants are two effective ways to increase the carbon sink in karst area. It is estimated that the rate of carbon sink is at least 381 000 t CO₂/a with vegetation restoration and afforestation in southwest China karst area, while the annual organic carbon sink generated by aquatic photosynthesis is about 84 200 t C in the Pearl River Basin. The development of a soil CO₂ based model for assessment of regional dissolution intensity will help to improve the estimation accuracy of carbon sink increase and potential, thus provide a more clear and efficient karst sink increase scheme and pathway to achieve the goals of “double carbon”. With the deep investigation on karst carbon cycle, mechanism and carbon sink effect, and the improvement of watershed carbon sink measurement methods and regional sink increase evaluation approaches. Karst carbon sink is expected to be included in the list of atmospheric CO₂ sources/sinks of the global carbon budget in the near future.     

Groundwater arsenic biogeochemistry-Key questions and use of tracers to understand arsenic-prone groundwater systems

Over 100,000,000 people worldwide are exposed to high arsenic groundwater utilised for drinking or cooking.The consequent global avoidable disease burden is estimated to be of the order of 100,000 avoidable deaths or more per annum from just direct exposures — i.e.excluding indirect exposure(from rice and other foods)and excluding morbidity.Notwithstanding 1000 s of papers published on arsenic(hydro)(bio)geochemistry,there remain a number of key outstanding questions to be addressed in relation to arsenic geoscience-these include questions related to:(i)the role of human activities —irrigation,agriculture and other land uses — on arsenic mobilisation in groundwaters;(ii)the specific sources,nature and role of organics,minerals and microbial communities involved in arsenic mobilisation;(iii)the relationship to microscopic to macroscopic scale geological(including tectonic)and evolution processes;(iv)unravelling the over-printing of multiple processes in complex highly heterogeneous aquifer systems and(v)using increasing understanding of the controls of arsenic mobility in groundwaters systems to informing improved locally-relevant remediation and mitigation approaches.This article further summarises how the 9 further papers in this Special Issue address some of these questions through the use of chemical and/or isotopic tracers.     

Organic carbon deposition and phosphorus accumulation during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in Tarfaya, Morocco

With a multi-proxy approach, an attempt was made to constrain productivity and bottom-water redox conditions and their effects on the phosphorus accumulation rate at the Mohammed Plage section on the Tarfaya coast, Morocco, during the Cenomanian-Turonian Anoxic Event (OAE 2). A distinct δ¹³C_org isotope excursion of +2.5‰ occurs close to the top of the section. The unusually abrupt shift of the isotope excursion and disappearance of several planktonic foraminiferal species (e.g. Rotalipora cushmani and Rotalipora greenhornensis) in this level suggests a hiatus of between 40–60 kyrs at the excursion onset. Nevertheless, it was possible to determine both the long-term environmental history as well as the processes that took place immediately prior to and during OAE 2. TOC% values increase gradually from the base of the section to the top (from 2.5% to 10%). This is interpreted as the consequence of a long-term eustatic sea-level rise and subsidence causing the encroachment of less oxic waters into the Tarfaya Basin. Similarly a reduction in the mineralogically constructed ‘detrital index’ can be explained by the decrease in the continental flux of terrigenous material due to a relative sea-level rise. A speciation of phosphorus in the upper part of the section, which spans the start and mid-stages of OAE 2, shows overall higher abundances of P_reactive mass accumulation rates before the isotope excursion onset and lower values during the plateau. Due to the probable short hiatus, the onset of the decrease in phosphorus content relative to the isotope excursion is uncertain, although the excursion plateau already contains lower concentrations. The C_org/P_total and V/Al ratios suggest that this reduction was mostly likely caused by a decrease in the available bottom oxygen content (probably as a result of higher productivity) and a corresponding fall in the phosphorus retention ability of the sediment. Productivity appears to have remained high during the isotope plateau possibly due to a combination of ocean-surface fertilisation via increased aridity (increased K/Al and Ti/Al ratios) and/or higher dissolved inorganic phosphorus content in the water column as a result of the decrease in sediment P retention. The evidence for decreased P-burial has been observed in many other palaeoenvironments during OAE 2. Tarfaya's unique upwelling paleosituation provides strong evidence that the nutrient recycling was a global phenomenon and therefore a critical factor in starting and sustaining OAE 2.     

Application of allochthonous organic carbon and phosphorus forms in the interpretation of past environmental conditions

Organic matter in sediments, for instance, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, can be used to reconstruct the paleoecological and pollution history of lakes and their catchment basins. In this paper, the contents of allochthonous organic carbon (allochthonous OC) and autochthonous organic carbon (autochthonous OC) in sediment cores taken from Wuliangsuhai Lake and Daihai Lake in northern China are quantified by using a binary model, and phosphorus forms in the sediment cores from the two lakes are extracted by sequential extraction techniques. The results indicate that the palaeoenvironment and paleoclimate of Daihai Lake and its catchment basin in the recent 250 years can be well reconstructed based on the content of allochthonous OC. The climate was relatively humid and warm in the period of 1865–2005, while relatively dry and cold in the period of 1765–1865. The sedimentary information of allochthonous OC in the 22–42-cm portion of the sediment cores in Daihai Lake corresponds to the final cold fluctuation of the Little Ice Age that occurred since the Middle Holocene. The difference of phosphorus forms in the sediment cores between the two lakes indicates that phosphorus input to the lakes and the correlation between phosphorus forms and distribution and the changes of environment are influenced by the eutrophication mechanisms and environmental conditions of the two lakes.     

Global significance of the carbon cycle in the karst dynamic system: evidence from geological and ecological processes

On the basis of proposing the existence of a karst carbon cycle and carbon sink at a watershed scale, this paper provides four pieces of evidence for the integration of geology and ecology during the carbon cycle processes in the karst dynamic system, and estimated the karst carbon sink effect using the methods of comparative monitoring of paired watersheds and the carbon stable isotope tracer technique. The results of the soil carbon cycle in Maocun, Guilin, showed that the soil carbon cycle in the karst area, the weathering and dissolution of carbonate rocks under the soil, resulted in a lower soil respiration of 25% in the karst area than in a non-karst area (sandstone and shale), and the carbon isotope results indicated that 13.46% of the heavy carbon of the limestone is involved in the soil carbon cycle. The comparative monitoring results in paired watersheds, suggesting that the HCO₃^- concentration in a karst spring is 10 times that of a rivulet in a non-karst area, while the concentration of inorganic carbon flux is 23.8 times. With both chemical stoichiometry and carbon stable isotopes, the proportion of carbon in karst springs derived from carbonate rocks was found to be 58.52% and 37.65% respectively. The comparison on carbon exchange and isotopes at the water-gas interface between the granite and carbonate rock basins in the Li River showed that the CO₂ emission of the karst water is 10.92 times that of the allogenic water from the non-karst area, while the carbon isotope of HCO₃^- in karst water is lighter by 8.62‰. However, this does not mean that the karst water body has a larger carbon source effect. On the contrary, it means the karst water body has a greater karst carbon sink effect. When the karst subterranean stream in Zhaidi, Guilin, is exposed at the surface, carbon-rich karst water stimulated the growth of aquatic plants. The values of carbon stable isotopes in the same species of submerged plants gradually becomes heavier and heavier, and the 512 m flow process has a maximum range of 15.46‰. The calculation results showed that 12.52% of inorganic carbon is converted into organic carbon. According to the data that has been published, the global karst carbon sink flux was estimated to be 0.53-0.58 PgC/a, equivalent to 31.18%-34.41% of the global forest carbon sink flux. In the meanwhile, the karst carbon sink flux in China was calculated to be 0.051 PgC/a, accounting for 68% of its forest carbon sink flux.     

Ocean anoxic events in the mid-Cretaceous simulated by a 3-D biogeochemical general circulation model

The mid-Cretaceous is well known for its ocean anoxic events. The causal mechanisms are controversial: stagnant deepwater, high biological productivity in the surface waters, and other possibilities have been suggested. Our study simulated the mid-Cretaceous ocean, using general circulation models combined with a marine biogeochemical cycle model to explore the relationship between thermohaline circulation and biogeochemical cycles and investigate the causes of ocean anoxic events. The simulated thermohaline circulation shows an unsteady inactive state. Oxygen concentrations in the deepwater decrease under the inactive state, but a horizontal gradient develops, with higher oxygen concentrations in the Tethys and lower concentrations in eastern Panthalassa. This is not due to the different ages of the deepwater but rather to the differences in biological productivity in the surface water, meaning that the relationship between thermohaline circulation and biogeochemical cycles under the inactive state is different from that in the present ocean. In the standard simulation, assuming the present level of the total amount of phosphate in the ocean, 29% of the bottom water is anoxic. The experiments increasing the amount of phosphate show its high sensitivity for extending the anoxic region with global-scale anoxia simulated under the doubled amount of phosphate. The high amount of phosphate would be reasonable because the inactive state would induce an imbalance of phosphate between riverine input and sediment output. Therefore, both the inactive thermohaline circulation and the increase in the total amount of phosphate in the ocean induce the global-scale anoxic condition in the deepwater.     

地幔氧逸度与俯冲带深部碳循环

地幔氧逸度通过改变含碳相的存在形式和迁移方式来影响深部碳循环。本文结合最新的地幔氧逸度实验模拟和岩石学研究成果,探讨了地幔氧逸度时空分布对深部碳循环的影响。文章重点结合地幔减压熔融形成洋壳、新生洋壳蚀变、洋壳俯冲变质、深俯冲洋壳熔融以及俯冲洋壳物质(流体和固体)通过岩浆(岛弧和地幔柱)作用循环出地表等重要地质过程,探讨了伴随洋壳俯冲作用的深部碳循环过程。由于地幔氧逸度的时空变化,俯冲带含碳相表现出不同的存在形式和迁移能力。通过对西南天山俯冲带碳循环的岩石学和实验研究,我们认为应当进一步深入研究俯冲带氧化还原状态及其对俯冲带深部碳循环的影响。     

Impact of fertilizer phosphorus application on phosphorus release kinetics in some calcareous soils

Phosphate reactions and retention in the soil are of paramount importance from the perspective of plant nutrition and fertilizer use efficiency. The objective of this work was to study the kinetics of phosphorus (P) desorption in different soils of Hamadan in fertilized and unfertilized soils. Soils were fertilized with 200 mg P kg⁻¹. Fertilized and unfertilized soils were incubated at 25 ± 1°C for 6 months. After that, release of P was studied by successive extraction with 0.5 M NaHCO₃ over a period of 1,752 h. The results showed that phosphorus desorption from the fertilized and unfertilized soils began with a fast initial reaction, followed by a slow secondary reaction. The amount of P released after 1,752 h in fertilized and unfertilized soils ranged from 457 to 762.4 and 309.6 to 586.7 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The kinetics of cumulative P release was evaluated using the five kinetic equations. Phosphorus desorption kinetics were best described by parabolic diffusion law, first order, and power function equations. Rate constants of these equations were higher in fertilized than unfertilized soils. Results from this study indicate that release rate of P plays a significant role in supplying available P and released P in runoff.     

Iron–phosphorus relationship in the iron and phosphorite ores of Egypt

Iron and phosphorite ores are very common in the geological record of Egypt and exploitable for economic purposes. In some cases these deposits belong together to the same geographic and geologic setting. The most common deposits include phosphorites, glauconites, and iron ores. Phosphorites are widely distributed as a belt in the central and southern part of Egypt. Sedimentary iron ores include oolitic ironstone of Aswan area and karstified iron ore of Bahria Oasis. Glauconites occur in the Western Desert associated with phosphorites and iron ores. As these ores are exploitable and phosphorus in iron ores and iron in phosphorites are considered as gangue elements, the iron–phosphorus relationship is examined in these deposits to clarify their modes of occurrences and genetic relationship based on previously published results.Phosphorus occurs mainly as carbonate fluorapatite (francolite). Iron, on the other hand, occurs in different mineralogical forms such as glauconites, hematite, limonite and goethite.In P-rich rocks (phosphorites) no relationship is observed between iron and phosphorus, which in turn indicates that the FeP model is unlikely to interpret the origin of the late Cretaceous phosphorites and the association of phosphorites and glauconites in Egypt. In Fe-rich rocks (iron ores and glauconites) also no relationship between iron and phosphorus is observed. The present work, therefore, does not support the hypothesis that there is a genetic relationship between phosphorus and iron in sedimentary rocks.     

Distribution and sources of carbon,nitrogen, phosphorus and biogenic silica in the sediments of Chilika lagoon

The present study investigated the spatial and vertical distribution of organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and biogenic silica (BSi) in the sedimentary environments of Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon. Surface and core sediments were collected from various locations of the Chilika lagoon and were analysed for grain-size distribution and major elements in order to understand their distribution and sources. Sand is the dominant fraction followed by silt + clay. Primary production within the lagoon, terrestrial input from river discharge and anthropogenic activities in the vicinity of the lagoon control the distribution of OC, TN, TP and BSi in the surface as well as in the core sediments. Low C/N ratios in the surface sediments (3.49–3.41) and cores (4–11.86) suggest that phytoplankton and macroalgae may be major contributors of organic matter (OM) in the lagoon. BSi is mainly associated with the mud fraction. Core C5 from Balugaon region shows the highest concentration of OC ranging from 0.58–2.34%, especially in the upper 30 cm, due to direct discharge of large amounts of untreated sewage into the lagoon. The study highlights that Chilika is a dynamic ecosystem with a large contribution of OM by autochthonous sources with some input from anthropogenic sources as well.     

Fractionation of phosphorus in the sediments of a tropical estuary

Fractionation of phosphorus in the sediments of the Cochin estuary situated along the southwest coast of India was studied by applying sequential chemical extraction. The different forms of phosphorus were estimated seasonally (premonsoon, monsoon, and postmonsoon) under eight different schemes. The major forms of phosphorus analyzed were exchangeable P, anion exchangeable P, carbonate-bound P, labile and resistant organic P, Fe and Al P, calcium-bound P, and hydrolyzable surplus P. Quantitatively, the above fractions in isolation or in combination vary in content due to chemoestuarine variability and seasonal fluctuations. Changes in speciation have been noted in association with salinity variations in the waterway, especially following enhanced river runoff during the monsoon. The chemical forms of the sediment-bound phosphorus in the northern parts of this estuary have been shown to be modified by nonpoint sources. Sediment P fractionation defines the role of chemical speciation of phosphates (as nutrients) and is indicative of the processes controlling the pathways of P into the coastal waters. The changes in the exchangeable P, together with marked regional variations in calcium-bound P, exemplify the complex estuarine variability of phosphorus. Enhanced amounts of exchangeable P mark its appearence in high saline waters, signifying the presence of biologically available nutrient phosphorus. The calcium-bound P and hydrolyzable surplus P show significant relation with sediment organic carbon and Fe whereas other forms do not exhibit any marked covariation. The Ca and Na NTA extraction scheme is very specific in its selectivity.     

Wetland-water column exchanges of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in a southern Everglades dwarf mangrove

We used enclosures to quantify wetland-water column nutrient exchanges in a dwarf red mangrove, (Rhizophora mangle L.) system near Taylor River, an important hydraulic linkage between the southern Everglades and eastern Florida Bay, Florida, USA. Circular enclosures were constructed around small (2.5–4 m diam) mangrove islands (n=3) and sampled quarterly from August 1996 to May 1998 to quantify net exchanges of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The dwarf mangrove wetland was a net nitrifying environment with consistent uptake of ammonium (6.6–31.4 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹) and release of nitrite +nitrate (7.1–139.5 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹) to the water column. Significant flux of soluble reactive phosphorus was rarely detected in this nutrient-poor, P-limited environment. We did observe recurrent uptake of total phosphorus and nitrogen (2.1–8.3 and 98–502 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively), as well as dissolved organic carbon (1.8–6.9 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹) from the water column. Total organic carbon flux shifted unexplainably from uptake, during Year 1, to export, during Year 2. The use of unvegetated (control) enclosures during the second year allowed us to distinguish the influence of mangrove vegetation from soil-water column processes on these fluxes. Nutrient fluxes in control chambers typically paralleled the direction (uptake or release) of mangrove enclosure fluxes, but not the magnitude. In several instances, nutrient fluxes were more than twofold greater in the absence of mangroves, suggesting an influence of the vegetation on wetland-water column processes. Our findings characterize wetland nutrient exchanges, in a mangrove forest type that has received such little attention in the past, and serve as baseline data for a system undergoing hydrologic restoration.     

Retention of phosphorus and nitrogen in the Ems estuary

From February 1992 until June 1993, the distribution of dissolved and particulate phosphorus and nitrogen was investigated in the Ems estuary at approximately monthly intervals. Nutrient import was quantified from the river load. Nutrient export to sea was quantified from river discharge and from the salinity-nutrient gradient in the outer estuary. In addition, sediment cores were taken from four sites along the main axis of the estuary in October 1992. On the basis of these data a nitrogen and phosphorus budget was made. On an annual basis, 45 × 10⁶ mol P and 2,360 × 10⁶ mol N are imported into the Ems estuary. Freshwater runoff is the main source of input, accounting for about 92% of the nitrogen input and 71% of the phosphorus input. Import of particulate phosphorus from the sea is important in the phosphorus budget (27%). Seventy-five percent of the nitrogen input is transported to the North Sea. Denitrification is the major loss factor (19% of the nitrogen input), and burial explains 6%. Of the phosphorus input, 60% is transported to the North Sea and 40% accumulates in the sediment. Nitrogen import during summer explains about one third of the annual primary production, indicating that nitrogen turn over is about three times. Phosphorus import during summer explains less than 16% of the annual primary production. We suggest that trapping of particulate P and adsorption onto Fe(oxy)hydroxides during the entire year and the release of Fe-bound P during summer after reduction of Fe(oxy)hydroxides is instrumental in sustaining high primary production, which could not be sustained if it depended only on P imported during the growing season.     

九寨沟优势植物凋落物叶片淋溶的碳氮磷释放特征

通过对九寨沟水体中两种优势植物落叶的碳氮磷淋溶动态分析发现：初期总溶解碳氮磷释放在48 h内逐渐稳定,表明短期的淋溶过程就可以导致较大比例的元素释放;磷的短期平均可溶出比例为29.61%,表明淋溶是植物磷元素释放的重要途径;估算得出九寨沟植物叶片碳氮磷贡献总量分别可达20 577 t.a-1,2 101 t.a-1,1 402 t.a-1。研究表明九寨沟植物凋落物淋溶是水体碳氮磷的重要来源,也是影响钙华沉积的重要因素。分析凋落物养分溶出特征,可为九寨沟生态系统的健康发展提供数据支撑。     

12,000-Year, preliminary results of the stable nitrogen and carbon isotope record from the Empakai Crater lake sediments, Northern Tanzania

The stable isotope compositions of organic carbon and nitrogen, the contents of organic carbon and nitrogen and C/N ratios for two cores recovered from the Empakai Crater at water depths of 11 and 20 m are used to document climatic changes in northern Tanzania. Eight ¹⁴C AMS dates determined on total organic matter (OM) indicate that the sedimentation rate in this lake is about 30 cm/ka for the late Pleistocene to early Holocene period. There are differences in the δ¹³C values of organic carbon between the two cores, which may be a result of differences in location from the present shoreline and of different water depths. In the deeper-water core the δ¹³C values show a general downcore decrease to the base of the core with a sharp change to lower values of about 4‰ at a depth of 100 cm (8.7 ka). The general trend of downcore decrease in ¹³C values can be attributed either to a systematic decrease in the relative proportion of C₄ type of OM, owing to an increase in precipitation and change in vegetation cover from grassland to forest, or to utilization of isotopically enriched carbon during photosynthesis. The δ¹⁵N values show a general downcore increase with again a sharp change of about 5‰ to lower values at about 8.7 ka. A sharp change of about 5‰ and 4‰ to more depleted values at a depth of 100 cm of both ¹⁵N and ¹³C, respectively, suggests either hiatus or abrupt change in climatic condition from wetter conditions to drier conditions. There is enhanced preservation of OM in the lake as depicted by high mean values of organic carbon and nitrogen at both sites.