Effects of lake acidification on rates of organic matter decomposition in sediments

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1984.29.4.0687· OSTI ID:5976596

Kelly, C A; Rudd, J W.M.; Furutani, A; Schindler, D W

Summer hypolimnetic and whole-lake under-ice measurements in an experimentally acidified lake suggested that rates of in situ decomposition in sediments (measured as methane and inorganic carbon release) were unaffected over an epilimnetic pH range of 6.7-5.1. This was apparently because microbial processes kept the pH at 6.0 or above just a few millimeters below the sediment surface even after lake water had been acidified for 8 years. In laboratory studies where the pH of mixed, fresh lake sediment was controlled at reduced levels, decomposition rates of carbon that had been in the sediments for several months were unaffected at pH values as low as 4.0. However, decomposition rates of newly sedimented material began to decrease at pH 5.25-5.0. Decomposition processes were less affected during the acidification of Lake 223 than were higher life forms.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Winnepeg, Manitoba
• OSTI ID: 5976596
• Journal Information: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States), Vol. 29:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ORGANIC MATTER
BIODEGRADATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
LAKES
PH VALUE
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEDIMENTS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
RAIN
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)