Effects of seasonal hypoxia on the release of phosphorus from sediments in deep-water ecosystem: A case study in Hongfeng Reservoir, Southwest China

Abstract

Using the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique and microelectrode technique, hypoxia and its effects on the release of phosphorus (P) from sediments were carefully investigated in Hongfeng Reservoir, a typical deep-water ecosystem where eutrophication and hypoxia is still an environmental challenge in Southwest China. The results suggested that hypoxia significantly promotes the release of P from sediments and the release of P under hypoxic condition mostly comes from the release of BD-P. Together with the in-situ and high resolution evidences from DGT and microelectrode, the release of P from sediments under hypoxic condition was assumed to be coupled processes which are associated with the combined cycles of "P-Fe-S". Evidences from the present work implied that the internal P-loadings induced by hypoxia, especially after a reduction of external P-loading, should be paid more attention in eutrophic deep-water reservoirs, Southwest China.

Keywords: Diffusive gradients in thin films technique; Hypoxia; Microelectrode; Phosphorus.