Abstract
Recent sediment stratigraphy in two lakes with extensive artificial drainage of surrounding peatbogs was studied by 210Pb and 137Cs dating and chemical and diatom analyses. In contrast to many other lakes with similar ditching history, the visual appearance of the recent sediments in both of these lakes is homogeneous. In the larger lake, Kyyvesi, the sediment accumulation rate seems to have increased, but no major changes in the chemical properties or diatom stratigraphy are to be seen. In the organic dy sediment of Suuri-Rostuvi the ignition residue increases and there is a mass occurrence of Asterionella ralfsii, an acidophilic plankton diatom, clearly due to ditching and fertilization of the catchment bogs in 1970. Mercury content is increased in both lakes in the sediment layer corresponding to the ditchings — more abruptly in Suuri-Rostuvi, up to 2.4 µg g−1 DW. In Kyyvesi a first Hg maximum was dated to the 1930's — possibly related to agricultural use of Hg as fungicide (seed dressing) in the large partly cultivated drainage area.
The limnologic effects and stratigraphic manifestation of extensive peatbog ditching in geomorphically, geologically and hydrologically different drainage basins are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Appleby, P. & F. Oldfield, 1978. The calculation of lead-210 dates assuming a constant rate of supply of unsupported 210Pb to the sediment. Catena 5: 1–8.
Appleby, P. & F. Oldfield, 1983. The assessment of 210Pb data from sites with varying sediment accumulation rates. Hydrobiologia 103: 29–35.
Aston, S. R., D. Bruty, R. Chester & R. Padgham, 1973. Mercury in lake sediments: a possible indicator of technological growth. Nature 241: 450–451.
Blomqvist, E., 1911. Kymijoki ja sen vesistö. Lisiä Suomen hydrologiaan 2. Suomen Tie- ja Vesirakennusten Ylihallituksen julkaisu. Tilgmann, Helsinki, 235 pp.
Davis, R., C. Hess, S. Norton, D. Hanson, K. Hoagland & D. Anderson, 1984. 137Cs and 210Pb dating of sediments from softwater lakes in New England (U.S.A.) and Scandinavia, a failure of 137Cs dating. Chem. Geol. 44: 151–185.
Eakins, J., R. Cambray, K. Chambers & A. Lally, 1984. The transfer of natural and artificial radionuclides to Brothers-water from its catchment. In E. Haworth & J. W. G. Lund (eds.), Lake sediments and environmental history. Leicester Univ. Press, Leicester: 125–144.
Engstrom, D. & H. Wright, 1984. Chemical stratigraphy of lake sediments as a record of environmental change. In E. Haworth & J. W. G. Lund (eds.), Lake sediments and environmental history. Leicester Univ. Press, Leicester: 11–67.
Evans, H., P. Smith & P. Dillon, 1983. Anthropogenic zinc and cadmium burdens in sediments of selected southern Ontario lakes. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 40: 570–579.
Hansen, K., 1961. Lake types and lake sediments. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 14: 285–290.
Heikurainen, L., K. Kenttämies & J. Laine, 1978. The environmental effects of forest drainage. Suo 29: 49–58.
Håkanson, L., 1981. Sjösedimenten i recipientkontrollen — principer, processer och praktiska exempel (Summary: Lake sediments in aquatic pollution control programs; principles, processes and practical examples). Statens Naturvårdsverk, Rapport 1398: 1–242.
Karsisto, K. & H. Ravela, 1971. Washing away of phosphorus and potassium from areas drained for forestry and topdressed at different times of year. Suo 22: 39–46.
Kenttämies, K., 1981. The effects of water quality of forest drainage and fertilization in a peatland area in central Finland. Publ. Water Res. Inst., Nat. Bd of Waters, Finland 43: 24–31.
Lodenius, M. & A. Seppänen, 1982. Hair mercury contents and fish eating habits of people living near a Finnish man-made lake. Chemosphere 11: 755–759.
Lodenius, M., A. Seppänen & M. Herranen, 1983. Accumulation of mercury in fish and man from reservoirs in northern Finland. Wat. Air Soil Pollut. 19: 237–246.
Longmore, M., B. O'Leary & C. Rose, 1983. Caesium-137 profiles in the sediments of a partial-meromictic lake on Great Sandy Island (Fraser Island), Queensland, Australia. Hydrobiologia 103: 21–27.
Mortimer, C. H., 1941. The exchange of dissolved substances between mud and water in lakes. J. Ecol. 29: 280–329.
National Bd of Waters, 1981. Vesihallinnon analyysimenetelmät. Vesihallituksen Tiedotuksia (Raports of Nat. Bd of Waters, Finland) 213: 1–136.
Oldfield, F. & P. Appleby, 1984. Empirical testing of 210Pb dating models for lake sediments. In E. Haworth & J. W. G. Lund (eds.), Lake sediments and environmental history. Leicester Univ. Press, Leicester: 93–124.
Rautapää, J., H. Pyysalo, P. Ravio & H. Blomqvist, 1979. Mercury in cultivated soil in Finland. Ann. agric. Fenniae 18: 87–91.
Rönkkö, J. & H. Simola, 1986. Geological control upon the floral manifestation of eutrophication of two headwater lakes. Univ. Joensuu, Publ. Karelian Inst. (in print).
Sevola, Y., 1983. Metsähallinnon Nurmeksen hoitoalueen voimaperäinen puunkasvatus: seurantajärjestelmä ja tuloksia (Summary: Intensive timber growing in a state forest district: monitoring system and results). Folia Forestalia 574: 1–83.
Simola, H., 1982. En skoggssjös eutrofieringshistoria tolkad ur dess årsvarviga sediment. Univ. Lund, Dept. Quaternary geology, Report 22: 107–112.
Simola, H., 1983. Limnological effects of peatland drainage and fertilization as reflected in the varved sediment of a deep lake. Hydrobiologia 106: 43–57.
Simola, H. & M. Lodenius, 1982. Recent increase in mercury sedimentation in a forest lake attributable to peatland drainage. Bull. Env. Contam. Toxicology 29: 298–305.
Simola, H., E. Grönlund & J. Rönkkö, 1985. Pyhäselän sedimentaatioalueet ja sedimentin pintaosien stratigrafia (Summary: Sediment distribution and stratigraphy of recent sediment in the basin of Pyhäselkä, East Finland). Univ. Joensuu, Publ. Karelian Inst. (in print).
Verta, M. & S. Rekolainen, 1985. Ilmaperäisen elohopean, metsäojituksien ja tekojärvien rakentamisen vaikutus kalojen elohopeapitoisuuteen (Summary: Effects of airborne Hg, forest ditching and lake construction on mercury content of fish). Nat. Bd of Waters, Finland. Working papers 320: 1–42.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liehu, A., Sandman, O. & Simola, H. Effects of peatbog ditching in lakes: Problems in paleolimnological interpretation. Hydrobiologia 143, 417–424 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026692
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026692