Freshwater wetland eutrophication
The traditional perception of wetlands as nutrient sinks has led them to be used as wastewater disposal areas for a long-time, resulting in a severe alteration of the structure and function by eutrophication. Nutrient loading is usually linked to hydrological alterations which encompasses shifts in...
| Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | other |
| Publication Date: | 2011 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repository: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/93853 |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/93853 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Eutrophication Biomanipulation Nutrient cycling Alternative stable states Freshwater wetland |
| Summary: | The traditional perception of wetlands as nutrient sinks has led them to be used as wastewater disposal areas for a long-time, resulting in a severe alteration of the structure and function by eutrophication. Nutrient loading is usually linked to hydrological alterations which encompasses shifts in vegetation patterns and nutrient cycling. The eutrophication process in wetlands accelerates primary productivity and increases net accumulation of organic matter and nutrients but also enhances organic matter decomposition, microbial activity and soluble nutrients in sediments. Internal loading becomes the main nutrient source to the wetland, even in the years of low external inputs, controlling the nutrient dynamics. Since soil phosphorus microbial biomass responds positively to phosphorus enrichment in wetlands, mineralized phosphorus in wetland soils appear as the most responsive microbial indicator to nutrient enrichment in wetlands. Therefore, phosphorus internal loading is the critical factor in regulating eutrophication status of wetlands. N2O and N2 emissions by wetlands can be enhanced in the future as nitrate availability in wetlands continues to be high due to increased pollution |
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