scholarly journals Seasonal changes in optical properties of two contrasting tropical freshwater systems

Author(s):  
Luciana P.M. Brandão ◽  
Peter A. Staehr ◽  
José F. Bezerra-Neto

<p>We investigated how allochthonous and autochthonous sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) affected the optical conditions and chemical characteristics of two contrasting tropical freshwater systems (Dom Helvécio-DH and Pampulha reservoir) in a dry and rainy period in 2013. We analyzed PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) and UV (ultraviolet) attenuation coefficients, nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), dissolved organic matter (DOC) and spectral characteristics of CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter). Significant differences in CDOM sources and quantity were observed, with a dominantly terrestrial input in DH during the rainy period with approximately 50% higher DOC and Chl-a levels, and a doubling in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) compared to the dry winter period. The eutrophic Pampulha had several fold higher levels of DOC, Chl-a, TN and TP, with organic matter of mostly originating from phytoplankton in both seasons. Differences in source and quantity had strong implications on water transparency, DOC concentrations, CDOM quality and its susceptibility to photo- and biodegradation. DH was several fold clearer in both the UV and PAR spectrum. In DH transparency to both UV and PAR radiation was highest during the summer, suggesting elevated photo- and biodegradation during stratification. Pampulha was most transparent in the dry period even during period of algal bloom. In both systems we observed seasonal variations in concentrations of nutrients and Chl-a, and in DH differences were also found in DOC concentrations as well as the specific UV absorbance (SUVA<sub>254</sub>) and molecular size (M). Our results documents that different sources of DOM and seasonal inputs reflect in the seasonality of apparent and inherent optical properties and nutrients availability with implications for water quality and aquatic community. </p>

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Patsaeva ◽  
Daria Khundzhua ◽  
Oleg A. Trubetskoj ◽  
Olga E. Trubetskaya

Advanced fluorescence analysis within the wide range of excitation wavelengths from 230 to 510 nm accompanied with chromatography was used to study natural chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) from three freshwater Karelian lakes. The influence of excitation wavelength (λex) on fluorescence quantum yield and emission maximum position was determined. The CDOM fluorescence quantum yield has reached a minimum at λex∼270–280 nm and a maximum at λex∼340–360 nm. It was monotonously decreasing after 370 nm towards longer excitation wavelengths. Analytical reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with multiwavelength fluorescence detector characterized distribution of fluorophores between hydrophilic/hydrophobic CDOM parts. This technique revealed “hidden” protein-like fluorophores for some CDOM fractions, in spite of the absence of protein-like fluorescence in the initial CDOM samples. The humic-like fluorescence was documented for all hydrophilic and hydrophobic CDOM chromatographic peaks, and its intensity was decreasing along with peaks’ hydrophobicity. On contrary, the protein-like fluorescence was found only in the hydrophobic peaks, and its intensity was increasing along with peaks’ hydrophobicity. This work provides new data on the CDOM optical properties consistent with the formation of supramolecular assemblies controlled by association of low-molecular size components. In addition, these data are very useful for understanding the CDOM function in the environment.


2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia A. Howitt ◽  
Darren S. Baldwin ◽  
Gavin N. Rees ◽  
Barry T. Hart

Environmental Context. Iron oxides, as suspended minerals or as a colloidal phase, are common in Australian freshwater systems. Freshwater systems are also loaded with carbon-based substances, ‘dissolved organic matter’, but not all is biologically available as food to freshwater organisms. However, photochemical interactions between these iron oxides and dissolved organic matter provide a mechanism for biologically resistant carbon to re-enter the food web. Suspended iron oxides thus need to be considered in carbon cycles in aquatic ecosystems. Abstract. The photochemical degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from the leaves of River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) was examined, with a particular focus on the photochemical generation of CO2, consumption of O2, and the effect of particulate iron minerals on these photochemical reactions. Solutions of leaf leachate were irradiated with ultraviolet and visible light in the presence and absence of amorphous iron oxides. Addition of fresh iron oxide was found to increase the rate of photodegradation of the organic matter by up to an order of magnitude compared to the reactions without added iron oxide. The ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed was ~1:1 in both the presence and absence of iron oxyhydroxide. The reactivity of the iron oxides was dependent on the preparation method and decreased with increased storage time. These results suggest that photochemical reactions on particle surfaces should be considered when examining carbon transformation in aquatic ecosystems, especially at sites with potential for the production of iron oxyhydroxides.


Author(s):  
Songyan Li ◽  
Meng Li ◽  
Guoxi Wang ◽  
Xiaolei Sun ◽  
Beidou Xi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Exploration of composition and chemical characteristics of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) is significant to understand its biogeochemical role in terrestrial ecosystems. A total of 43 cropped and 16 natural soils (0–20 cm) under four soil types (cinnamon, chernozem, red and paddy soils) across China were collected to investigate the spectral characteristics of DOM using UV–Vis and 3D-EEM spectroscopy. Results The chernozem soils exhibited the highest aromaticity and humification degree among the four soil types. Ranges of biological index (BIX, 0.53–1.17) and fluorescence index (FI, 1.55–2.10) were found in the investigated DOM, showing joint contribution from allochthonous and autochthonous sources. Higher BIX and FI in the DOM of the paddy and red soils indicated a greater reliance on autochthonous sources for these two soil types. The cropped soils showed no significant differences in chemical characteristics and sources from the natural soils for the cinnamon, chernozem and red soils. UVA (16.2–47.9%) and UVC fulvic-like substances (15.4–40.5%) were the prevailing DOM components, which were highest in the chernozem soils. Additionally, the cropped soils had a higher proportion of humic-like substances than the natural soils in the DOM. Conclusions Both soil type and land-use strongly affected the chemical characteristics of soil DOM, but only soil type had an impact on the DOM composition for the collected soils. These findings may contribute to the prediction of the biochemical behavior of soil DOM under different soil types and land-uses in terrestrial ecosystems.


Author(s):  
Katarzyna Parszuto ◽  
Renata Tandyrak ◽  
Renata Augustyniak ◽  
Jolanta Grochowska ◽  
Michal Lopata ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne C. Powers ◽  
Rossana Del Vecchio ◽  
Neil V. Blough ◽  
Natasha McDonald ◽  
Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1215-1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Encina Aulló-Maestro ◽  
Peter Hunter ◽  
Evangelos Spyrakos ◽  
Pierre Mercatoris ◽  
Attila Kovács ◽  
...  

Abstract. The development and validation of remote-sensing-based approaches for the retrieval of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) concentrations requires a comprehensive understanding of the sources and magnitude of variability in the optical properties of dissolved material within lakes. In this study, spatial and seasonal variability in concentration and composition of CDOM and the origin of its variation was studied in Lake Balaton (Hungary), a large temperate shallow lake in central Europe. In addition, we investigated the effect of photobleaching on the optical properties of CDOM through in-lake incubation experiments. There was marked variability throughout the year in CDOM absorption in Lake Balaton (aCDOM(440) = 0. 06–9.01 m−1). The highest values were consistently observed at the mouth of the main inflow (Zala River), which drains humic-rich material from the adjoining Kis-Balaton wetland, but CDOM absorption decreased rapidly towards the east where it was consistently lower and less variable than in the westernmost lake basins. The spectral slope parameter for the interval of 350–500 nm (SCDOM(350–500)) was more variable with increasing distance from the inflow (observed range 0.0161–0.0181 nm−1 for the mouth of the main inflow and 0.0158–0.0300 nm−1 for waters closer to the outflow). However, spatial variation in SCDOM was more constant exhibiting a negative correlation with aCDOM(440). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was strongly positively correlated with aCDOM(440) and followed a similar seasonal trend but it demonstrated more variability than either aCDOM or SCDOM with distance through the system. Photobleaching resulting from a 7-day exposure to natural solar UV radiation resulted in a marked decrease in allochthonous CDOM absorption (7.04 to 3.36 m−1, 42 % decrease). Photodegradation also resulted in an increase in the spectral slope coefficient of dissolved material.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 7207-7217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Yamashita ◽  
Y. Nosaka ◽  
K. Suzuki ◽  
H. Ogawa ◽  
K. Takahashi ◽  
...  

Abstract. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) ubiquitously occurs in marine environments and plays a significant role in the marine biogeochemical cycles. Basin scale distributions of CDOM have recently been surveyed in the global ocean and indicate that quantity and quality of oceanic CDOM are mainly controlled by in situ production and photobleaching. However, factors controlling the spectral parameters of CDOM in the UV region, i.e., spectral slope of CDOM determined at 275–295 nm (S275–295) and the ratio of two spectral slope parameters (SR); the ratio of S275–295 to S350–400, have not been well documented. To evaluate the factor controlling the spectral characteristics of CDOM in the UV region in the open ocean, we determined the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of CDOM in the subarctic and subtropical surface waters (5–300 m) of the western North Pacific. Absorption coefficients at 320 nm in the subarctic region were higher than those in the subtropical region throughout surface waters, suggesting that magnitudes of photobleaching were different between the two regions. The values of S275–295 and SR were also higher in the subtropical region than the subarctic region. The dark microbial incubation showed biodegradation of DOM little affected S275–295, but slightly decreased SR. On the other hand, increases in S275–295 and relative stableness of SR were observed during photo-irradiation incubations respectively. These experimental results indicated that photobleaching of CDOM mainly induced qualitative differences in CDOM at UV region between the subarctic and subtropical surface waters. The results of this study imply that S275–295 can be used as a tracer of photochemical history of CDOM in the open ocean.


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