Chemodynamics of trace metal fractions in surface sediments of the Pandoh Lake,Lesser Himalaya,India

The seasonal variation in the trace metals’ concentrations (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were investigated in surface sediments of the Pandoh Lake. The horizontal distribution of TC, TN, and TP reflects spatial and temporal differences in sedimentary organic production. The chemical sequential extraction of heavy metals was carried out by seven-step fractionation scheme (Leleyter and Probst in Int J Environ Chem 73:109–128, 1999). The significant concentrations of Ni and Cd were associated with “water soluble (Eua)” fraction in the monsoon and winter, respectively, while “exchangeable (Exch)” and “carbonate-bound (Carb)” fractions for Ni and Cd were abundant in winter and summer. The Cd, Cu, and Pb associated with “Exch” fraction in the summer season support their availability on exchange sites due to oxidized nature of surface sediments. Enrichment of Co, Fe, Mn, and Zn in “AFeO” fraction showed poor bioavailability, while Cd, Cu, and Mn in the monsoon, Co in the winter and summer, and Zn in the winter season showed significant “organically bound (Org)” fraction. The ANOVA was significant for chemical fractions of trace elements except “Carb” fraction of Pb and Zn and “CFeO” fraction of Pb. Factor analysis revealed that the “Eua”, “Exch”, and “Carb” fractions together control the metal enrichment of “MnO”, “AFeO”, and “CFeO” fractions in the summer season.     

Durability Characterization of Marls from the Region of Dalmatia,Croatia

Durability is one of the most important engineering properties of weak and clay-bearing rocks. Weathering can induce a rapid change in rock material from initial properties to soil-like properties. The sensitivity of a rock type against weatherability is usually described by a durability parameter, such as the slake durability index. However, marl resistance is not detected satisfactorily by the durability indices by using slake durability test as suggested by ISRM for two wetting–drying cycles. The results of this study are obtained from samples of compact or laminated eocene marls from region of Dalmatia, Croatia. The samples were subjected to 4 cycles of slake durability, point load tests, determination of dry density, determination of carbonate content and absorption of water. The scatter of data suggests that strength probably has no influence on the durability of marls. On the other hand a separate group of marl samples have a second-cycle slake durability index higher than approximately 85%, and the durability of these samples is classified as “medium-high” to “high”, although the visual inspection of samples after testing, suggests that they should have “medium” to “low” durability classification. According to obtained results these samples of marl fulfil the criterions for the durability classification: a carbonate content lower than approximately 65%, a dry density lower than 2.4 Mg/m³, and values of water absorption higher than 5%.     

Seasonal cycle of hydrography in the Bab el Mandab region,southern Red Sea

The seasonal cycle of temperature—salinity variations in the Bab el Mandab region (southern Red Sea) is described using CTD data collected during four cruises spread over the period May 1995—August 1997. A two layer system exists during early summer, winter and spring while a three layer system exists during summer. During summer, a large amount of the Gulf of Aden water intrudes into the Bab el Mandab region; up to the northern limit (14.5‡N). The quantity of Red Sea water that flows into the Gulf of Aden is maximum during the winter and minimum during the summer     

Stable Carbon Isotope Biogeochemistry and Anthropogenic Impacts on Karst Ground Water, Zunyi, Southwest China

Natural and anthropogenic impacts on karst ground water, Zunyi, Southwest China, are discussed using the stable isotope composition of dissolved inorganic carbon and particulate organic carbon, together with carbon species contents and water chemistry. The waters can be mainly characterized as HCO₃–Ca type, HCO₃ · SO₄–Ca type, or HCO₃ · SO₄–Ca · Mg type, according to mass balance considerations. It is found that the average δ¹³C_DIC values of ground waters are higher in winter (low-flow season) than in summer (high-flow season). Lower contents of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and lower values of δ¹³C_DIC in summer than in winter, indicate that local rain events in summer and a longer residence time of water in winter play an important role in the evolution of ground water carbon in karst flow systems; therefore, soil CO₂ makes a larger contribution to the DIC in summer than in winter. The range of δ¹³C_DIC values indicate that dissolved inorganic carbon is mainly controlled by the rate of carbonate dissolution. The concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and particulate organic carbon in most ground water samples are lower than 2.0 mg C L⁻¹ and 0.5 mg C L⁻¹, respectively, but some waters have slightly higher contents of organic carbon. The waters with high organic carbon contents are generally located in the urban area where lower δ¹³C_DIC values suggest that urbanization has had an effect on the ground water biogeochemistry and might threaten the water quality.     

Geotechnical properties of the Corinth Canal marls

Summary The Corinth Canal crosses the isthmus of Corinth and is of great importance for Mediterranean navigation as well as the railroad and highway connections between southern and central Greece. In the century-long history of the Canal, the slopes have shown only minor stability problems despite their significant length, very steep inclination and, more importantly, the strong earthquakes that have frequently shaken the Corinth area. This type of unsual behaviour has motivated research into the mechanical behaviour of the bluish grey marl which is the main geological formation in the Canal area.Geotechnical investigation of the Corinth Canal marl was performed with an extensive laboratory testing programme on high quality undisturbed samples of the intact marl. The material was shown to exhibit brittle behaviour, high stiffness and significant apparent cohesion at low and moderate stress levels. These characteristics indicate that the material possesses significant structural bonding which is believed to be due to cementation between individual particles, caused by the deposition of carbonates at the time of material genesis. With stressing, the material yields due to a gradual bond degradation. The locus of the initial yield points (yield surface) seems to be an ellipse oriented along the isotropic axis.The testing programme was supplemented with a series of tests on the de-structured marl obtained by thorough remoulding. These tests showed a significant difference in the pre-yield stiffness and the peak strength at low stress levels, but comparable post-rupture shear strengths.     

Analysis and remedies of landslides of cut slopes due to the presence of weak cohesive layers within stronger formations

 Several cases of instability of cut slopes along major highways in Jordan were reviewed in this study, in some detail. Emphasis was placed on the Amman-Irbid highway, but some cases along the Na'ur-Dead Sea highway were also reviewed, with the aim of establishing a wider database of case-studies and examining all possible mechanisms and factors influencing stability. The study showed that major cut slope failures were caused by the presence of weak cohesive layers (mainly clayey marl) interbedded within mostly stronger formations, in addition to the steep cutting angles and unfavorable dip of strata combined with relatively high piezometric surface brought about by poor surface and subsurface drainage. No remedies were implemented to stabilize major cut slope failures (at km 39+200, 44+300, and 56+400) along the Irbid-Jerash-Amman highway. The three major cut slope failures require extensive remedial work and probably advanced geotechnology, which is expected to be expensive. To investigate the influence of various parameters on slope stability, several analyses were performed in addition to back analyses to determine shear strength parameters; parametric sensitivity studies were also performed on some cases. Data was obtained from previous investigations by local and international firms and were screened and modified where needed before being used in stability analyses. Considerable difference between back analysis and test result values for shear strength parameters were observed in many cases. Failure surfaces and mechanisms were accurately depicted in most cases, allowing back analyses to be performed with considerable confidence. The effective residual shear strength parameters for clayey marl needed for stability analysis were found to be: c _r ′=5–18 kPa, and φ _r ′=13°–18°. The relation between total annual rainfall and occurrence of landslides was investigated; it was shown that all landslides occurred in years of very high rainfall, with values always exceeding 400 mm. The probability of exceeding the average total annual rainfall was found to be approximately 0.42 for the three gauging stations considered. Received: 28 October 1996 · Accepted: 23 September 1997     

Canelles landslide: modelling rapid drawdown and fast potential sliding

A large landslide (40 × 10⁶ m³) was reactivated on the left bank of Canelles reservoir, Spain. The instability was made evident after a considerable reduction of the reservoir level. The drawdown took place during the summer of 2006 after several years of high water levels. The drawdown velocity reached values between 0.5 and 1.2 m/day (registered at low elevations). The paper reports the geological and geotechnical investigations performed to define the movement. The geometry of the slip surface was established from the detailed analysis of the continuous cores recovered in deep borings and from limited information provided by inclinometers. Deep piezometric records provided also valuable information on the pore water pressure in the vicinity of the failure surface. These data allowed validating a flow–deformation coupled calculation model, which takes into account the changes in water level that occurred 4  years previous to the failure as well as the average rainfall. The analysis indicates that the most likely reason for the instability is the rapid drawdown that took place during the summer of 2006. The potential sudden acceleration of the slide is also analysed in the paper introducing coupled thermal hydraulic and mechanical effects that may develop at the basal shearing surface of the sliding mass. The results indicate that the slide velocity may reach values around 16 m/s when displacement reaches 250 m.     

华北地区大气降水稳定同位素特征与水汽来源

选取华北地区的包头,石家庄,天津,太原IAEA/WMO/GNIP大气降水的氢氧同位素组成的资料,分析了华北地区降水稳定同位素的时空分布特征及其影响因素.研究表明:华北地区降水中的δ18O值都表现出明显的“夏高冬低”的季风气候特征,夏季表现雨量效应,冬季温度效应明显;华北各地区降水线方程与全国及全球降水线相比,斜率和截距都偏小,揭示了华北地区降水是在非瑞利条件下进行的,并且除天津外,其他地区稳定同位素特征还受到降水过程中局地水汽循环的影响;d值总体表现出冬高夏低的季节变化特征,说明了冬季风和夏季风期间降水的水源区蒸发条件不同.     

Annual variations in the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in the Upper Yellow River area

Measurements taken between July 2006 to May 2007 at the Maqu station in the Upper Yellow River area were used to study the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in this area. These data revealed distinct seasonal variations in downward shortwave radiation, downward longwave radiation, upward longwave radiation and net radiation, with larger values in the summer than in winter because of solar altitudinal angle. The upward shortwave radiation factor is not obvious because of albedo (or snow). Surface albedo in the summer was lower than in the winter and was directly associated with soil moisture and solar altitudinal angle. The annual averaged albedo was 0.26. Soil heat flux, soil temperature and soil water content changed substantially with time and depth. The soil temperature gradient was positive from August to February and was related to the surface net radiation and the heat condition of the soil itself. There was a negative correlation between soil temperature gradient and net radiation, and the correlation coefficient achieved a significance level of 0.01. Because of frozen state of the soil, the maximum soil thermal conductivity value was 1.21 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹ in January 2007. In May 2007, soil thermal conductivity was 0.23 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, which is the lowest value measured in the study, likely due to the fact that the soil was drier then than in other months. The soil thermal conductivity values for the four seasons were 0.27, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.83 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, respectively.     

Climatic forcing of carbon-oxygen isotopic covariance in temperate-region marl lakes

Carbon and oxygen stable isotopic compositions of lacustrine carbonate from a southeastern Michigan marl lake display linear covariance over a range of 4.0% Peedee belemnite (PDB) in oxygen and 3.9% (PDB) in carbon. Mechanisms of delta 13 C-delta 18 O coupling conventionally attributed to lake closure in arid-region basins are inapplicable to hydrologically open lake systems. Thus, an alternative explanation of isotopic covariance in temperate region dimictic marl lakes is required. We propose that isotopic covariance is a direct record of change in regional climate. In short-residence-time temperate-region lake basins, summer meteoric precipitation is enriched in 18O relative to winter values, and summer organic productivity enriches epilimnic dissolved inorganic carbon in 13C. Thus, climate change toward longer summers and/or shorter winters could result in greater proportions of warm-month meteoric precipitation, longer durations of warm-month productivity, and net long-term enrichment in carbonate 18O and 13C. Isotopic covariance observed in the Michigan marl lake cores is interpreted to reflect postglacial warming from 10 to 3 ka followed by cooler mean annual temperature, a shift toward greater proportions of seasonal summer precipitation, a shortening of the winter season, or some combination of these three factors.     

Intensified mid-Holocene Asian monsoon recorded in corals from Kikai Island, subtropical northwestern Pacific

Coupled records of Sr/Ca and oxygen isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O) of coral skeletons have been used to produce quantitative estimates of paleo-sea surface temperature (SST) and δ¹⁸O of surface seawater that can in some cases be converted to sea surface salinity (SSS). Two fossil corals from Kikai Island in the subtropical northwestern Pacific, a location affected by East Asian summer and winter monsoons, were analyzed to investigate differences between mid-Holocene and present-day SST and SSS. At 6180 cal yr BP, SSTs were roughly the same as today, both in summer and winter; δ¹⁸O_seawater and SSS values were higher both in summer (+ 0.5‰, +1.1 psu) and in winter (+ 0.2‰, + 0.6 psu) than modern values. At 7010 cal yr BP, SSTs were slightly cooler both in summer and winter (−0.8 and −0.6 °C), whereas δ¹⁸O_seawater and SSS had higher values in summer (+ 0.3‰, + 0.6 psu) and in winter (+ 0.8‰, + 1.9 psu) than present-day values. These results are consistent with other marine records for the mid-Holocene of the low and midlatitudes in the northwestern Pacific. Such regional conditions indicate that the East Asian summer and winter monsoons were more intense in the mid-Holocene, which was likely a function of the mid-Holocene insolation regime.     

Carbonate deposition and facies distribution in a central Michigan marl lake

Relatively pure lacustrine carbonates referred to as marl are being deposited in Littlefield Lake, central Michigan, a hard-water lake with little terrigenous clastic influx. Thick accumulations of marl form both progradational marl benches along lake margins, and islands or lakemounts in the lake centre. Marl benches develop flat platforms up to 20 m wide in very shallow water and steeply inclined slopes, up to 30°, extending into deep water. The flat landward platform is frequently covered by algal pisoliths while the upper portion of the lakeward-sloping bottom is overgrown by Chara which in the summertime becomes thickly encrusted with low-magnesian calcite. Marl islands are flat-topped features that formed over relict highs on Pleistocene drift which underlies the lake basin. These are fringed by marl benches identical to those found along lake margins. Marl benches are composed of four units: two thin facies deposited on the shallow-water bench platform and two thicker faces deposited on the bench slope developed in moderate water depths. These in turn overlie a fifth facies deposited in deep water. A coarsening-upward sequence is developed in these sediments as a result of both mechanical sorting, and primary production of carbonate sand and gravel in shallow water. In addition to facies sequences and size grading, trends upsection of increasing carbonate content and decreasing insoluble content may serve to identify temperate-region lacustrine carbonate deposits in the rock record.     

Short-term variability of water quality parameters in two shallow estuaries of North Carolina

We quantified the effects of nutrient loading following precipitation events (≥ 1.25 cm) in 2 tidal creeks varying in size and anthropogenic input during the winter and summer seasons of 1996. Several water quality parameters were repeatedly measured in the water column every 3 h for several days after each event (4–5 per season). Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) behaved nonconservatively with salinity and appeared as pulsed additions, occasionally doubling within 1 to 2 tidal cycles following significant rain events. Average values for TN, TP, and chlorophylla were 10–15 μM, <4 μM, and <7 μg l⁻¹, respectively for winter events and 30–35 μM, >4 μM, and ≥ 7 μg l⁻¹, respectively for summer events. However, response times were variable, depending on the magnitude and duration of the event as well as temperature. Chlorophylla biomass often increased after nutrient additions, especially in the summer when increased nutrient loading took place. Dissolved silica (DSi) behaved conservatively with salinity; low values were observed at high tide and vice versa. Average DSi ranges for winter and summer events were 5–45 μM and 10–85 μM, respectively. DSi range values increased proportionally with the amount of freshwater loaded into the system. Recovery times for salinity were usually greater than the recovery times for nutrients. Dissolved oxygen displayed a diel pattern, increasing after daytime productivity and decreasing during nighttime. In conclusion, each rainfall event was unique and responses were variable depending upon rainfall history, seasonality, and the duration and intensity of the rainfall event. Several other variables, such as water viscosity, percolation rates, and evapotranspiration rates which were not quantified in this study, could have also explained parameter responses.     

Phytoplankton biomass in a subtropical estuary: Distribution,size composition,and carbon:Chlorophyll ratios

The seasonal pattern of phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll and particulate organic carbon) and the salinity-related pattern of phytoplankton biomass and size composition were determined in Apalachicola Bay, Florida, throughout 2004. Phytoplankton biomass was highest during summer and lowest during winter. During summer, phytoplankton biomass was highest in waters with salinity between about 5 and 23. In waters between 5 and 23, phytoplankton biomass was primarily (> 50%) composed of < 5 μm cells. The results from this study support the idea that a microbial food web characterizes mass and energy flow through the planktonic food web in Apalachicola Bay and other estuaries. During winter, the carbonxhlorophylla ratio averaged 56 ± 60 (standard deviation). During summer, the ratio ranged from 23 to 345, with highest values occurring in waters with salinity between about 8 and 22. The carbonxhlorophylla ratio was positively related to the percent of chlorophyll < 5 μm in size during summer.     

Contamination of the cement raw material in a quarry site by seawater intrusion,Darica-Turkey

The open pit mining nearby shoreline is planned to be extended into below sea level in order to use additional reserves of the cement raw material (marl). The raw material is currently contaminated by seawater intrusion below a depth of 20 m up to the distance of 90 m from shoreline. Seawater intrusion related contamination of the material used for the cement production was investigated by means of diffusion process for the future two below sea level mining scenarios covering 43 years of period. According to the results, chloride concentrations higher than the tolerable limit of a cement raw material would be present in the material about 10–25 cm inward from each discontinuity surface, controlling groundwater flow, located between 170 and 300 m landward from the shoreline at below sea level mining depths of 0–30 m. The estimations suggest that total amounts of dilution required for the contaminated raw material to reduce its concentration level to the tolerance limit with uncontaminated raw material are about 113- to 124-fold for scenario I (13 years of below sea level mining after 30 years of above sea level mining) and about 126- to 138-fold for scenario II (43 years of simultaneous above and below sea level minings).     

地形对天山积雪冻融变化的影响分析

天山积雪是新疆水资源的重要来源,地形对积雪的空间分布和消融有重要影响,分析地形对天山积雪冻融过程的影响具有重要的理论意义.基于2005-2014年的MODIS/Terra积雪8 d合成数据（MOD10A2）与数字高程模型（DEM）数据,分析了天山积雪覆盖随高程、坡度和坡向的季节变化规律.分析结果表明：（1）在不同季节里,不同高程中的融雪和积雪过程同步发生,其中在春季和冬季,雪盖变化较大的区域主要分布在低海拔和高海拔地区;而在夏、秋两季,雪盖变化较大的区域主要分布在中海拔地区.（2）在不同季节,不同坡度的积雪冻融过程也同步进行,但春季和冬季积雪呈线性变化,在缓坡和陡坡地区变化明显;夏季和秋季积雪变化缓慢,在中坡变化显著.（3）天山积雪变化随坡向具有对称性和周期性.积雪变化呈现北坡大、南坡小,春、冬季大,夏、秋季小的特点.在波动周期内,夏秋季积雪变化波动较大,变化趋势与春、冬季相反.研究结果可为融雪型洪水预报提供科学依据.     

Hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwaters with excess fluoride concentrations from Dashtestan, South of Iran

Hydrogeochemical investigations were carried out in the Dashtestan, the eastern part of Borazjan, with a focus on fluoride content. The study area is underlain by a complex geology that is dominated by three lithological units, namely marl, alluvial sediments, and carbonate rocks. To assess the major geochemical factors controlling the fluoride enrichment in water, 37 groundwater and 12 surface water samples were collected from the three lithological units. Fluoride concentrations ranged up to 3?mg/L, and average concentrations varied from 1.12 (in carbonate aquifers) to 1.73 (in alluvial aquifers) to 1.82?mg/L (in marl aquifers). To study the influence of rocks and soils on groundwater quality, an additional 41 soil and rock samples were also taken and analyzed for fluoride. The order of average fluoride content in both rocks and soils is: marl?>?alluvial sediments?>?limestone, which confirms that marl is a likely source of fluoride.     

Atmospheric ultrafine aerosol number concentration and its correlation with vehicular flow at two sites in the western Himalayan region: Kullu-Manali,India

The concentration of ultrafine aerosol particles of aitken and nucleation mode having size in the range of 1–20 nm was monitored with water-based Condensation Particle Counter. The monitoring was carried out from midnight-to-midnight in every alternate day on a fortnightly basis to represent summer, monsoon and winter (autumn) seasons of 2008 at Mohal (1154 m amsl) and Kothi (2530 m amsl) in Kullu-Manali area of the northwestern Himalayan region of India. The results indicate that diurnal pattern has faint bimodal structure with two peaks, one in morning and the other in evening at both the sites but it is not as distinct as found in plains. There is rather a constant particle density pattern of large magnitude consistent with vehicular movement from morning till evening. The monthly 24 h average particle density gradually picks up from January, increases rapidly in summer months and then decreases in monsoon season at Mohal but at Kothi it keeps on rising from April to October with a slight more increase in September. The particle density is more in summer than in monsoon season at Mohal, a trend opposite to plains. It may be due to the development of warm thermal layer on valley floor while a cold layer develops along snowy hilltops in winter leading to convection of fine particle up the slopes of valley during daytime. At Kothi, the trend is same as it is in continental plains but opposite to Mohal. The relatively more value of particle density in September and October at both the sites may be due to month long International Kullu Dussehra fair in the valley. The vehicular survey conducted agrees well with entire study period averaged diurnal variations and monthly 24 h averaged value of fine particle density. The average value of ultrafine particle density at each hour of a day for entire study period is 20369 ± 1230 Ncm^− 3 and 14389 ± 1464 Ncm^− 3 at Mohal and Kothi sites, respectively. The comparison with earlier results shows a significant increase indicating impact of vehicular onslaught on pure air of this hilly region.     

Community structure and intertidal zonation of the macrobenthos on a macrotidal, ultra-dissipative sandy beach: Summer-winter comparsion

Community structure and intertidal zonation of the macrobenthos on a macrotidal, ultra-dissipative beach were studied. On the beach of De Panne, Belgium, six transects perpendicular to the waterline (each with five stations) were sampled in September 1995 (summer) and March 1996 (winter). The 30 stations were distributed across the continuum from mean high water spring to mean low water spring in order to sample the macrobenthos at different levels of elevation. The 39 species found had total densities up to 5,500 ind m⁻² in summer and 1,400 ind m⁻² in winter. The highest densities were found in the spionid polychaetesScolelepis squamata andSpio filicornis, the nephtyid polychaeteNephtys cirrosa, the cirolanid isopodEurydice pulchra, and the haustorid amphipodsBathyporeia spp. Based on species composition, specific densities, and biomass, two species associations were defined: a relatively species-poor, high intertidal species association, dominated byS. squamata and with an average density of 1,413 ind m⁻² and biomass of 808 mg AFDW m⁻² (summer); and a relatively species-rich, low intertidal species association, dominated byN. cirrosa, and with an average density of 104 ind m⁻² and biomass of 162 mg AFDW m⁻² in summer. For both seasons, the high intertidal species association was restricted in its intertidal distribution between the mean tidal and the mean high-water spring level, whereas the low intertidal species association was found from the mean tidal level to the subtidal. The latter showed good affinities with the subtidalN. cirrosa species association occurring just offshore of De Panne beach, confirming the existence of a relationship between the low intertidal and subtidal macrobenthic species associations. Summer-winter comparison revealed a strong decrease in densities and biomass in the high intertidal zone during winter. Habitat continuity of the low intertidal zone with the subtidal allows subtidal organisms to repopulate the low intertidal zone.     

Phosphorus fractionation in surficial sediments of Pandoh Lake,Lesser Himalaya,Himachal Pradesh,India

The fractionation of P in Pandoh Lake surface sediments has been investigated for the first time in order to understand its environmental availability and sources, and the eutrophication status of this lake. Inorganic-P is present mainly as authigenic-P (step-III). The authigenic P concentration is higher in winter relative to the summer and monsoon seasons and ranged from 35.9 to 46.9 μg/g. The loosely sorbed or exchangeable-P (step-I), Fe(III)-bound-P (step-II) and detrital inorganic-P (step-IV) were higher in the monsoon season and varied from 3.70 to 11.1 μg/g, 16.9 to 32.0 μg/g and 9.89 to 17.0 μg/g, respectively. Organic-P reached a maximum in the summer season and ranged from 8.00 to 14.9 μg/g. Authigenic-P and detrital inorganic-P show seasonal changes, as pH influences the interaction between P and CaCO₃ in the water column. In the winter season, phosphate is precipitated out of the water column and fixed in the sediments as a result of an increase in pH. Calcite-bound-P in the sediments may be redissolved by decreasing pH in the summer season. Relatively high rates of mineralization during the monsoon results in the seasonal pattern of organic-P fractionation to sediment as follows: monsoon = winter < summer. Iron, Ca, organic matter and silt and clay contents seem to play a significant role in regulating the seasonal P budget. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the factors which influence sedimentary P in the different seasons.