Global Radiation and Onset of Stratification as Forcing Factors of Seasonal Carbonate and Organic Matter Flux Dynamics in a Hypertrophic Hardwater Lake (Sacrower See,Northeastern Germany)

A 2-year (October 2003–October 2005) high-resolution sediment trap study was conducted in Sacrower See, a dimictic hardwater lake in northeastern Germany. Geochemical and diatom data from sediment trap samples were compared with a broad range of limnological and meteorological parameters to quantify the impact of single parameters on biochemical calcite precipitation and organic matter production. Our goals were to disentangle how carbonaceous varves and their sublaminae form during the annual cycle to better understand the palaeorecords and to detect influences of dissolution, resuspension as well as of global radiation and stratification on lake internal particle formation. Total particle fluxes in both investigated years were highest during spring and summer. Sedimentation was dominated by autochthonous organic matter and biochemically precipitated calcite. Main calcite precipitation occurred between April and July and was preceded and followed by smaller flux peaks caused by resuspension during winter and blooms of the calcified green algae Phacotus lenticularis during summer. In some of the trap intervals during summer up to 100% of the precipitated calcite was dissolved in the hypolimnion. High primary production due to stable insolation conditions in epilimnic waters began with stratification of the water column. Start and development of stratification is closely related to air and water surface temperatures. It is assumed that global radiation influences the onset and stability of water column stratification and thereby determining the intensity of primary production and consequently of timing and amount of calcite precipitation which is triggered by phytoplanktonic CO₂ consumption. Sediment fluxes of organic matter and calcite are also related to the winter NAO-Index. Therefore these fluxes will be used as a proxy for ongoing reconstruction of Holocene climate conditions.