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

Abstract

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.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Winnepeg, Manitoba
OSTI Identifier:
5976596
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 29:4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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)

Citation Formats

Kelly, C A, Rudd, J W.M., Furutani, A, and Schindler, D W. Effects of lake acidification on rates of organic matter decomposition in sediments. United States: N. p., 1984. Web. doi:10.4319/lo.1984.29.4.0687.
Kelly, C A, Rudd, J W.M., Furutani, A, & Schindler, D W. Effects of lake acidification on rates of organic matter decomposition in sediments. United States. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1984.29.4.0687
Kelly, C A, Rudd, J W.M., Furutani, A, and Schindler, D W. 1984. "Effects of lake acidification on rates of organic matter decomposition in sediments". United States. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1984.29.4.0687.
@article{osti_5976596,
title = {Effects of lake acidification on rates of organic matter decomposition in sediments},
author = {Kelly, C A and Rudd, J W.M. and Furutani, A and Schindler, D W},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.4319/lo.1984.29.4.0687},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5976596}, journal = {Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 29:4,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984},
month = {Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984}
}