Factors affecting sulfur incorporation into lake sediments: paleoecological implications

This paper discusses the use of S as a paleolimnological tracer of limnetic sulfate concentration. A positive relationship (p<0.05) was found between limnetic sulfate and sediment S concentrations for the Great Lakes, English Lakes, and lakes from the Adirondack and Northern New England regions. There is a positive correlation (p<0.05) between C and S concentration in sediment across all regions studied. The importance of C in affecting S content in sediment was also examined by a series of cores taken at different water depths in Big Moose Lake (Adirondacks). There was a strong relationship between C and S among cores with sediment from deeper water having higher C and S concentrations (r ²=0.99). Sulfur from the shallower cores had greater concentrations of chromium-reducible S (pyrite), while cores from deeper waters had a greater proportion of organic S fractions including C-bonded S and ester sulfates.For assessing historical changes in S accumulation in sediments, enrichment factors were calculated for the PIRLA lakes. Pre-1900 net sediment accumulation rates of S were very similar across all regions. Sulfur enrichment was greatest in Adirondack sediment which had total post-1900 S accumulation of 1.1 to 7.4 times pre-1900 S accumulation. Sediment from Northern New England (NNE) generally had lower S concentration than Adirondack sediments and S enrichment factors ranged from 1.2 to 2.1. Sediment from the Northern Great Lakes States region had similar S concentration and distribution with depth to NNE sediment. In two Northern Florida lakes, sediment showed little variation in S concentration with depth, but in two other lakes from the same region, there was higher S concentration in deeper layers. Lakes which had the greatest enrichment factors also exhibited the most marked changes in C:S ratios. Ratios of C:N showed little variation (10.6 to 26.1) among the PIRLA lakes. A first order model indicated slow decomposition within these organic rich sediments.Elemental concentrations and ratios of sediment from a variety of lakes and reservoirs were complied. Maximum and minimum elemental ratios for all the data were 28 to 8.1 for C:N, 0.81 to 0.11 for C:H, and 675 to 12.5 for C:S, respectively. For the C:S ratios in all regions except the Great Lakes, the maximum ratio was less than 231. Both the maximum and minimum amount of N and H concentration of organic matter is related to biotic processes. The minimum concentration of S is regulated not only by nutrient demands but also by non-assimilatory processes.Sulfur incorporation into sediments is a function of a complex of factors, but limnetic sulfate concentration and organic matter content play a major role in regulating the S content of sediment. Further quantification of S incorporation pathways will aid in the paleolimnological interpretation of sediment S profiles. Such information is also important in assessing how S sediment pools will respond to decreases in limnetic sulfate concentration which may occur with decreases in inputs from acidic deposition.This is the eighth of a series of papers to be published by this journal which is a contribution to the Paleoecological Investigation of Recent Lake Acidification (PIRLA) project. Drs. D.F. Charles and D.R. Whitehead are guest editors for this series.     

Geochronologic and paleomagnetic evidence defining the relationship between the Miocene Hiko and Racer Canyon tuffs, eccentric outflow lobes from the Caliente caldera complex, southeastern Great Basin, USA

 Outflow sheets of the Hiko tuff and the Racer Canyon tuff, which together extend over approximately 16 000 km² around the Caliente caldera complex in southeastern Nevada, have long been considered to be products of simultaneous or near-simultaneous eruptions from inset calderas in the west and east ends, respectively, of the caldera complex. New high-precision ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology and paleomagnetic data demonstrate that emplacement of the uppermost part of the Racer Canyon tuff at 18.33±0.03 Ma was nearly synchronous with emplacement of the single outflow cooling unit of the much larger overlying Hiko tuff at 18.32±0.04 Ma. Based on comparison with the geomagnetic polarity time scale derived from the sea-floor spreading record, we conclude that emplacement of the first of several outflow cooling units of the Racer Canyon tuff commenced approximately 0.5 m.y. earlier. Only one paleomagnetic polarity is found in the Hiko tuff, but at least two paleomagnetic reversals have been found in the Racer Canyon tuff. The two formations overlap in only one place, at and near Panaca Summit northeast of the center of the Caliente caldera complex; here the Hiko tuff is stratigraphically above the Racer Canyon tuff. This study demonstrates the power of combining ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and paleomagnetic data in conjunction with phenocryst compositional modes to resolve problematic stratigraphic correlations in complex ash-flow sequences where use of one method alone might not eliminate ambiguities. Received: 13 January 1997 / Accepted: 7 May 1997     

Paleoecological investigation of recent lake acidification in the Adirondack Mountains,N.Y.

Paleoecological analysis of the sediment record of 12 Adirondack lakes reveals that the 8 clearwater lakes with current pH < 5.5 and alkalinity < 10 eq l^-1 have acidified recently. The onset of this acidification occurred between 1920 and 1970. Loss of alkalinity, based on quanitative analysis of diatom assemblages, ranged from 2 to 35 eq l^-1. The acidification trends are substantiated by several lines of evidence including stratigraphies of diatom, chrysophyte, chironomid, and cladoceran remains, Ca:Ti and Mn:Ti ratios, sequentially extracted forms of Al, and historical fish data. Acidification trends appear to be continuing in some lakes, despite reductions in atmospheric sulfur loading that began in the early 1970s. The primary cause of the acidification trend is clearly increased atmospheric deposition of strong acids derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. Natural processes and watershed disturbances cannot account for the changes in water chemistry that have occurred, but they may play a role. Sediment core profiles of Pb, Cu, V, Zn, S, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, magnetic particles, and coal and oil soot provide a clear record of increased atmospheric input of materials associated with the combustion of fossil fuels beginning in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The primary evidence for acidification occurs after that period, and the pattern of water chemistry response to increased acid inputs is consistent with current understanding of lake-watershed acidification processes.This is the second of a series of papers to be published by this journal which is a contribution of the Paleoecological Investigation of Recent Lake Acidification (PIRLA) project. Drs. D.F. Charles and D.R. Whitehead are guest editors for this series.     

The nearshore current along a high-rainfall,trade-wind coast-Nicaragua

Runoff from abundant rainfall on the watersheds along the east coast of Nicaragua results in a well-defined nearshore current, extending 20–40 km out from the coast. Important terms in the controlling dynamical balance are the Coriolis forces, and eddy frictional forces. Calculations of the diabathic surface slope 0(10^?5) show a smooth setup of 4–5 cm from the outer edge of the current to the shoreline. A longshore surface slope of 0(10^?8) appears to be set up by the longshore wind stress, and further computations allow an estimate of ～ 6 gr cm^?1 s^?1 for the dynamic eddy viscosity. An analytical expression including diabathic surface slope and density gradient, parabathic surface slope, wind stress, and quadratic bottom friction reproduces the salient observed features of the nearshore current. These include the pronounced maximum in the parabathic (along-shelf) current about 10 km off the coast, a complex diabathic velocity structure, and a shelf countercurrent just seaward of the outer edge. Further calculations suggest that the dominant driving arises from the freshwater-induced density gradients, accounting for upward of 80% of the flow velocity. As suggested by Royer (1982), the prevailing trade wind exerts an onshore wind stress that serves the important role of maintaining the integrity of the density gradients via the convergence of a surface Ekman layer toward the coast.     

Field Methods for Measurement of Ground Water Redox Chemical Parameters

An inexpensive, versatile, and portable system is presented, which facilitates rapid field determinations of redox potentials, pH, conductivity, ferrous and total iron, nitrite, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. Accuracy is facilitated by on-site measurements of most parameters using specially constructed flow-through cells and, for several analyses, sealed reagent ampoules, which can be broken and developed inside a flowing stream of ground water. Coupled with laboratory analyses of more stable ground water parameters, this system can provide accurate and relatively inexpensive determinations of redox conditions in ground water.     

On the original distribution of the asteriods. I.

The depletion of an initially uniform distribution of asteroids extending form Mars to Saturn, caused by the gravitational perturbations of Jupiter and Saturn, is calculated by numerical integration of the asteroid orbits. Almost all (about 85%) the asteroids between Jupiter and Saturn are ejected in the first 6000 years Most of the asteroids between the $\text{2}\text{3}$ Jupiter resonance (4.0 A.U.) and Jupiter are ejected in the first 2400 years with the exception of the stable librators (e.g., the Hilda group). Interior to the $\text{2}\text{3}$ resonance the depletion was small, and interior to the $\text{1}\text{2}$ resonance (3.3 A.U.) no asteroids were ejected in the first 2400 years.     

Gut contents of common mummichogs,Fundulus heteroclitus L., in a restored impounded marsh and in natural reference marshes

We examined the gut contents of mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus L., entering and leaving ditches in three marsh regions within the Barn Island Wildlife Management Area in Connecticut: a restored impounded valley marsh, a marsh below the impoundment dike (Headquarters Marsh), and an unimpounded valley marsh (Davis Marsh). On the Headquarters Marsh and at certain times on the other two marshes, fish entered the ditches on the flooding tide with relatively little food in their guts and left them on the following ebbing tide with considerably more food in their guts. Since the high tides did not flood the surface of the high marsh, it appears that the ditches are important foraging areas. Major components of the gut contents were detritus, algae, amphipods, tanaids, copepods, and insects. During the summer, fish in the restored impounded marsh consumed less food per unit body weight than did fish inhabiting the other marsh regions.     

Hydrological flow paths controlling stream chemistry in Japanese forested watersheds

Water sources and flow paths contributing to stream chemistry were evaluated in four Japanese forested watersheds with steep topography (slopes ≥30°). Stream chemistry during periods without rainfall and during events with less than 100 mm of precipitation was similar to seepage water chemistry, but markedly different from that of soil water which had higher concentrations of NO⁻₃ and Ca²⁺ and lower concentrations of Na⁺ and HCO⁻₃. Also, stream Cl⁻ concentrations in a Cl⁻‐treated watershed did not increase either during events with less than 100 mm of total rainfall or at baseflow conditions, even three years after the Cl⁻ treatment. These results suggest that groundwater within bedrock fissures of Paleozoic strata had a long residence time and was a major contributor to steam water under baseflow conditions and even during small precipitation events (≤100 mm). In contrast, for large precipitation events (≥100 mm), stream chemistry became more similar to soil water chemistry, especially within the steepest watershed. Also, for large precipitation events, stream Cl⁻ concentrations in the Cl⁻‐treated watershed increased markedly. These results suggest that soil water was a major contributor to stream waters only during these large events. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial patterns of soil nitrate in Japanese forested watersheds: importance of the near-stream zone as a source of nitrate in stream water

Spatial patterns of N dynamics in soil were evaluated within two small forested watersheds in Japan. These two watersheds were characterized by steep slopes (>30°) and high stream NO⁻₃ drainage rates (8·4 to 25·1 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) that were greater than bulk precipitation N input rates (7·5 to 13·5 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Higher rates of nitrification potential at near-stream zones were reflected in greater NO⁻₃ contents for soil at the near-stream zones compared with ridge zones. Both stream discharge rates and NO⁻₃ concentrations in deep unsaturated soil at the near-stream zones were positively correlated to NO⁻₃ concentrations in stream water. These relationships, together with high soil NO⁻₃ contents at the near-stream zones, suggest that the near-stream zone was an important source of NO⁻₃ to stream water. Nitrate flux from these near-stream zones was also related to the drainage of cations (K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺). The steep slope of the watersheds resulted in small saturated areas that contributed to the high NO⁻₃ production (high nitrification rates) in the near-stream zone. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wetland nitrogen dynamics in an Adirondack forested watershed

Wetlands often form the transition zone between upland soils and watershed streams, however, stream–wetland interactions and hydrobiogeochemical processes are poorly understood. We measured changes in stream nitrogen (N) through one riparian wetland and one beaver meadow in the Archer Creek watershed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, USA from 1 March to 31 July 1996. In the riparian wetland we also measured changes in groundwater N. Groundwater N changed significantly from tension lysimeters at the edge of the peatland to piezometer nests within the peatland. Mean N concentrations at the peatland perimeter were 1·5, 0·5 and 18·6 µmol L^?1 for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and DON (dissolved organic nitrogen), respectively, whereas peatland groundwater N concentration was 56·9, 1·5 and 31·6 µmol L^?1 for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and DON, respectively. The mean concentrations of stream water N species at the inlet to the wetlands were 1·5, 10·1 and 16·9 µmol L^?1 for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and DON, respectively and 1·6, 28·1 and 8·4 µmol L^?1 at the wetland outlet. Although groundwater total dissolved N (TDN) concentrations changed more than stream water TDN through the wetlands, hydrological cross‐sections for the peatland showed that wetland groundwater contributed minimally to stream flow during the study period. Therefore, surface water N chemistry was affected more by in‐stream N transformations than by groundwater N transformations because the in‐stream changes, although small, affected a much greater volume of water. Stream water N input–output budgets indicated that the riparian peatland retained 0·16 mol N ha^?1 day^?1 of total dissolved N and the beaver meadow retained 0·26 mol N ha^?1 day^?1 during the study period. Nitrate dominated surface water TDN flux from the wetlands during the spring whereas DON dominated during the summer. This study demonstrates that although groundwater N changed significantly in the riparian peatland, those changes were not reflected in the stream. Consequently, although in‐stream changes of N concentrations were less marked than those in groundwater, they had a greater effect on stream water chemistry—because wetland groundwater contributed minimally to stream flow. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.