Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of temperature and oxygenavailability on greenhouse gas and nutrient dynamics in sediment of a eutrophic mid-boreal lake

  • Published:
Biogeochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of oxygen conditions and temperature on dynamics of greenhousegases (CH4, CO2, N2O) and nutrients(NH4 +, NO2 −+NO3 −, tot-P) were studied in sediment of hyper-eutrophic LakeKevätön, Finland. Undisturbed sediment cores were incubated at 6, 11,16, and 23 °C in a laboratory microcosm using a continuouswater flowtechnique with an oxic or anoxic water flow. The production of CO2increased with increasing temperature in both oxic (Q10 3.2 ±0.6) and anoxic (Q10 2.3 ± 0.4) flows. The release ofCH4 increased with temperature in anoxic conditions (Q102.3 ± 0.2), but was negligible with the oxic flow at all temperatures.The release of NH4 + increased with temperature with the oxic and anoxic flows(Q10 2.4 ± 0.1). There was a net production of NO2 −, NO3 − and N2O with the oxic flow at temperatures below16 °C. The release of phosphorus was greater from the anoxicsediments and increased with temperature with both the anoxic (Q102.9 ± 0.5) and oxic (Q10 1.9 ± 0.1) flows. It isprobable that the temperature of boreal lakes and the associated oxygendeficiency will increase as the climate becomes warmer. Our experiments showedthat this change would increase the global warming potential of greenhousegasesreleased from sediments of eutrophic lakes predominately attributable to theincrease in the CH4 production. Furthermore, warming would alsoaccelerate the eutrophication of lakes by increasing release of phosphorus andmineral nitrogen from sediments, which further enhance CH4productionin sediments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Capone D.G. and Kiene R.P. 1988. Comparison of microbial dynamics in marine and freshwater sediments: Contrast in anaerobic carbon catabolism. Limnol. Oceanogr. 33: 725-749.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chanton J.P., Martens C.S. and Kelley C.A. 1989. Gas transport from methane-saturated, tidal freshwater and wetland sediments. Limnol. Oceanogr. 34: 807-819.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunfield P., Knowles R., Dumont R. and Moore T. 1993. Methane porduction and consumption in temperate and subarctic peat soils: response to temperature and pH. Soil Biol. Biochem. 25: 321-326.

    Google Scholar 

  • den Heyer C. and Kalff J. 1998. Organic matter mineralization rates in sediments: A within-and amonglake study. Limnol. Oceanogr. 43: 695-705.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fang X. and Stefan H.G. 2000. Projected climate change effects on winterkill in shallow lakes in the northern United States. Environ. Manag. 25: 291-304.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frenzel P., Thebrath B. and Conrad R. 1990. Oxidation of methane in the oxic surface layer of a deep lake sediment (Lake Constance). FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 73: 149-158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gärcher R. and Meyer J. 1993. The role of micro-organisms in mobilization and fixation of phosphorus in sediments. Hydrobiologia 253: 102-121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holdren Jr G.C. and Armstrong D.E. 1980. Factors affecting phosphorus release from intact sediment cores. Environ. Sci. Technol. 14: 79-87.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPPC 1996. Climate Change 1995: The Science of Climate Change, Contribution of Working Group I to the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In: Houghton J.T., Meira Filho L.G., Callender B.A., Harris N., Kattenberg A. and Maskell K. (eds), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen H.S. and Andersen F.Ø. 1992. Importance of temperature, nitrate, and pH for phosphate release from anerobic sediments of four shallow, eutrophic lakes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 37: 577-589.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones G.J. and Simon B.M. 1980. Decomposition processes in the profundal region of Blelham Tarn and the Lund tubes. J. Ecol. 68: 493-512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joergensen L. and Degn H. 1983. Mass spectrometric measurements of methane and oxygen utilization by methanotrophic bacteria. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 20: 331-335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley C.A., Martens C.S. and Chanton J.P. 1990. Variations in sedimentary carbon remineralization rates in the White Oak River estuary, North Carolina. Limnol. Oceanogr. 35: 372-383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly C.A. and Chynoweth D.P. 1981. The contributions of temperature and of the input of organic matter in controlling rates of sediment methanogenesis. Limnol. Oceanogr. 26: 891-897.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klump J. and Martens C.S. 1989. The seasonality of nutrient regeneration in an organic-rich coastal sediment: Kinetic modelling of changing pore-water nutrient and sulfate distribution. Limnol. Oceanogr. 34: 559-577.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuivila K.M. and Murray J.W. 1984. Organic matter diagenesis in freshwater sediments: The alkalinity and total CO2 balance and methane production in the sediments of Lake Washington. Limnol. Oceanor. 29: 1218-1230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lide D.R. and Fredrikse H.P.R. (eds) 1995. CRC handbook of chemistry and physics, 76th ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovley D.R. and Klug M.J. 1986. Model for the distribution of sulfate reduction and ethanogenesis in freshwater sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 50: 11-18.

    Google Scholar 

  • McAuliffe C. 1971. GC determination of solutes by multiple phase equilibration. Chem Technol 1: 46-51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell J.F.B., Johns T.C., Gregory J.M. and Tett S.F.B. 1995. Climate response to increasing levels of greenhouse gases and sulphate aerosols. Nature 376: 501-504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nykänen H., Alm J., Lång K., Silvola J. and Martikainen P.J. 1995. Emissions of CH4, N2O and CO2 from a virgin fen and a fen drained for grassland in Finland. Journal of Biogeography 22: 351-357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich P.H. 1975. Benthic metabolism of a soft-water lake. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 19: 1023-1028.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schindler D.W., Beaty K.G., Fee E.J., Cruikshank D.R., DeBruyn E.R., Findlay D.L. et al. 1990. Effects of climatic warming on lakes of the central boreal forest. Science 250: 967-970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz S. and Conrad R. 1996. Influence of temperature on pathways to methane production in the permanently cold profundal sediment of Lake Constance. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 20: 1-14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seitzinger S.P. 1988. Denitrification in freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems: Ecological and geochemical significance. Limnol. Oceanogr. 33: 702-724.

    Google Scholar 

  • SFS Standardization 1976. SFS-3032. Determination of ammonium-nitrogen of water.

  • SFS Standardization 1986. SFS-3026. Determination of total phosphorus in water. Digestion with peroxodisulfate.

  • SFS Standardization 1997. SFS-EN ISO 13395. Water quality. Determination of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen and the sum of both by flow analysis (CFA and FIA) and spectrometric detection.

  • Silvola J., Alm J., Ahlholm U., Nykänen H. and Martikainen P.J. 1996. CO2 fluxes from peat in boreal mires under varying temperature and moisture conditions. J. Ecol. 84: 219-228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Søndergaard M., Jeppesen E., Kristensen P. and Sortkjær 1990. Interactions between sediment and water in a shallow and hypertrophic lake: a study on phytoplankton collapses in Lake Søbygård, Denmark. Hydrobiologia 191: 139-148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweerts J.-P.R.A., Bär-Gilissen M.-J., Cornelese A.A. and Cappenberg T.E. 1991. Oxygen-consuming processes at the profundal and littoral sediment-water interface of a small meso-eutrophic lake (Lake Vechten, The Netherlands). Limnol. Oceanogr.36: 1124-1133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thebrath B., Rothfuss F., Whiticar M.J. and Conrad R. 1993. Methane production in littoral sediment of Lake Constance. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 102: 279-289.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Luijn F., Boers P.C.M., Lijklema L. and Sweerts J.-P.R.A. 1999. Nitrogen fluxes and Processes in sandy and muddy sediments from a shallow eutrophic lake. Wat. Res. 33: 33-42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellsbury P., Herbert R.A. and Parkers R.J. 1996. Bacterial activity and production in near-surface estuarine and freshwater sediments. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 19: 203-214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeikus J.G. and Winfrey M.R. 1976. Temperature limitation of methanogenesis in aquatic sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 31: 99-107.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Research and Development Unit of Environmental Health, University of Kuopio, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Anu Liikanen & Pertti J. Martikainen

  2. North Savo Regional Environment Centre, 70101, Kuopio, Finland

    Timo Murtoniemi

  3. North Ostrobothnia Regional Environment Centre, 90101, Oulu, Finland

    Heikki Tanskanen & Tero Väisänen

Authors
  1. Anu Liikanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Timo Murtoniemi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Heikki Tanskanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tero Väisänen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pertti J. Martikainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liikanen, A., Murtoniemi, T., Tanskanen, H. et al. Effects of temperature and oxygenavailability on greenhouse gas and nutrient dynamics in sediment of a eutrophic mid-boreal lake. Biogeochemistry 59, 269–286 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016015526712

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016015526712

Search

Navigation