scholarly journals Modelling reversibility of central European mountain lakes from acidification: Part II – the Tatra Mountains

2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kopácek ◽  
B. J. Cosby ◽  
V. Majer ◽  
E. Stuchlík ◽  
J. Veselý
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Sorption Isotherms ◽  
Base Cations ◽  
Alpine Lakes ◽  
Partial Recovery ◽  
Tatra Mountains ◽  
Nitrogen Emissions ◽  
The Tatra Mountains

Abstract. A dynamic, process-based model of surface water acidification, MAGIC7, has been applied to four representative alpine lakes in the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia and Poland). The model was calibrated for a set of 12 to 22-year experimental records of lake water composition. Surface water and soil chemistry were reconstructed from 1860 to 2002 and forecast to 2050 based on the reduction in sulphur and nitrogen emissions presupposed by the Gothenburg Protocol. Relatively small changes in the soil C:N ratios were not sufficient to simulate observed changes in NO3‾ concentrations, so an alternative empirical approach of changes in terrestrial N uptake was applied. Measured sulphate sorption isotherms did not allow calibration of the pattern of sulphate response in the lakes, indicating that other mechanisms of S release were also important. The lake water chemistry exhibited significant changes during both the acidification advance (1860 to 1980s) and retreat (1980s to 2010). An increase in lake water concentrations of strong acid anions (SAA; 104–149 μeq l–1) was balanced by a decline in HCO3‾ (13–62 μeq l–1) and an increase in base cations (BC; 42–72 μeq l–1), H+ (0-18 μeq l–1), and Alin+ (0–26 μeq l–1). The carbonate buffering system was depleted in three lakes. In contrast, lake water concentrations of SAA, BC, H+, and Alin+ decreased by 57–82, 28–42, 0–11, and 0–22 μeq l–1, respectively, the carbonate buffering system was re-established, and HCO3‾ increased by 1–21 μeq l–1 during the chemical reversal from atmospheric acidification (by 2000). The MAGIC7 model forecasts a slight continuation in this reversal for the next decade and new steady-state conditions thereafter. Gran alkalinity should come back to 1950s levels (0–71 μeq l–1) in all lakes after 2010. Partial recovery of the soil pool of exchangeable base cations can be expected in one catchment, while only conservation of the current conditions is predicted for three lakes. Even though the pre-industrial alkalinity values of 16–80 μeq l–1 will not be reached due to the insufficient recovery of soil quality, the ongoing chemical improvement of water should be sufficient for biological recovery of most alpine lakes in the Tatra Mountains. Keywords: MAGIC, atmospheric deposition, sulphate, nitrate, base cations, aluminium, alkalinity, pH

scholarly journals New kid on the block: Research of alpine-lake macroinvertebrates in the Tatra Mountains enhanced by DNA barcoding and metabarcoding

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ondrej Vargovčík ◽  
Zuzana Čiamporová-Zaťovičová ◽  
Fedor Čiampor Jr
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Sampling Error ◽  
Alpine Lakes ◽  
Alpine Lake ◽  
Tatra Mountains ◽  
Aquatic Communities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Tatra Mountains

State of ecosystems and biodiversity protection are becoming the key interests for modern society due to climate change and negative human impacts (Leese 2018). Environmental changes in freshwaters are indicated also by benthic communities, especially in sensitive ecosystems like alpine lakes (Fjellheim 2009). Moreover, remoteness and isolation of alpine lakes make them a source of biodiversity, which is worth conserving (Hamerlík 2014). A promising tool for efficient large-scale monitoring of aquatic communities is DNA metabarcoding (Leese 2018). In this study, we applied metabarcoding to analyse macrozoobenthos of 12 lakes in the Tatra Mountains, using benthic bulk samples and eDNA filtered from water (Fig. 1). In compliance with recent publications, eDNA amplified with BF3/BR2 primers resulted in high percentage of non-invertebrate reads (Leese 2021). Based on in silico tests with the obtained sequences, we confirm that the recently developed EPTDr2n primer enables minimizing non-target amplification even with eDNA filtered from alpine-lake water (Elbrecht and Leese 2017). This ability is facilitated by 3’ end of the primer and we observed the two important mismatches in non-target sequences from our study (Leese 2021). Thus, our future analyses of eDNA (and bulk-sample fixative) will benefit from the new primer. Concerning bulk samples, a wide range of invertebrate taxa was assigned to the OTUs and they showed good congruence with previous studies using morphological determination (e.g. Krno 2006). Certain differences with (and among) the previous records per lake were observed, which could suggest ecological changes, but at the moment the influence of sampling error cannot be excluded. In eDNA, several taxa were congruent with the previous records, but their amount and read abundance was considerably lower due to non-target amplification. Apart from that, filling gaps in barcoding databases remains one of our priorities, as identification to species or genus level was not yet possible for some invertebrate OTUs. In addition, we subjected the NGS data to denoising and abundance-filtering in order to explore haplotype-level diversity (Andújar 2021). Although more comprehensive conclusions will be possible only after obtaining data from more lakes and years, already the two metabarcoding experiments presented here enabled us to efficiently detect within-species genetic diversity and identify a large variety of taxa, including groups that would otherwise be omitted or very challenging to identify. This underlines the potential of DNA methods to provide valuable ecological and biodiversity data across the tree of life for modern biomonitoring. This study was realized with support from VEGA 2/0030/17 and VEGA 2/0084/21.

Pools and composition of soils in the alpine zone of the Tatra Mountains

Biologia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 61 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Kopáček ◽  
Jiří Kaňa ◽  
Hana Šantrůčková
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Base Cations ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Biochemical Properties ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Tatra Mountains ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Molar Ratios ◽  
Alpine Zone ◽  
The Tatra Mountains

AbstractThe basic physical, chemical, and biochemical properties of mountain soils were determined in alpine-zone meadow and moraine areas of the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia, Poland) in 2000–2001. The amount of soil (dry weight soil < 2 mm) varied from 38 to 255 kg m−2 (average of 121 kg m−2) in alpine meadows and averaged 13 kg m−2 in moraine areas. Concentration of organic C was the parameter that most strongly and positively correlated with N, P, S, effective cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable base cations, exchangeable acidity, and all biochemical parameters (C, N, and P in microbial biomass and C mineralisation rates). The relationship between C and P was less straightforward due to inorganic P forms associated with Fe and Al oxides. The average pools of C, N, P, and S, were respectively 696, 41, 2.9, and 1.9 mol m−2 (i.e., 84, 5.7, 0.91 and 0.61 t ha−1) in meadow soils, and 38, 2.1, 0.45 and 0.12 mol m−2 (i.e., 4.5, 0.30, 0.14 and 0.04 t ha−1) in moraine areas. Soil pH was generally low, with the lowest pHH 2 O values (3.8–4.9) in the A-horizons. Average pools of CEC were 12 and 0.7 eq m−2 in meadows and moraine areas, respectively. The base saturation (BS) was 4–45% (12% on average) of CEC, and was primarily based on Ca2+ and K+ (∼40% and ∼22% of BS, respectively). C:N molar ratios (14–20) were only slightly lower than those observed in the alpine Tatra Mountain zone ∼40 years ago. Concentrations of C, N, and P in soil microbial biomass were high (on average 1.6, 3.4, and 25% of total C, N, and P concentrations), suggesting high microbial activity in alpine soils.

Chemical composition of the Tatra Mountain lakes: Response to acidification

Biologia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 61 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evžen Stuchlík ◽  
Jiří Kopáček ◽  
Jan Fott ◽  
Zuzana Hořická
Keyword(s):  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Base Cations ◽  
Mountain Lakes ◽  
Metamorphic Rocks ◽  
Tatra Mountains ◽  
Lake District ◽  
Lake Water Chemistry ◽  
Catchment Areas ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
The Tatra Mountains

AbstractData from two surveys of the Tatra Mountain lakes (Slovakia and Poland) performed in the autumns of 1984 (53 lakes) and 1993 or 1994 (92 lakes) were used to estimate spatial variability in water chemistry in this lake district during the period of maximum European acid deposition. The ionic content of the lakes was generally low, with conductivity (at 20°C) ranging from 1.1 to 4.7 mS m−1 and 23% of the lakes had a depleted carbonate buffering system. Major factors governing differences in lake-water chemistry were bedrock composition and amount of soil and vegetation in their catchment areas. Compared to lakes in the predominantly granitic central part of the Tatra Mountains, lakes in the West Tatra Mountains had higher concentrations of base cations and alkalinity due to the presence of metamorphic rocks in the bedrock. Concentrations of phosphorus, organic carbon, organic nitrogen, and chlorophyll-a were highest in forest lakes and decreased with decreasing density of vegetation and soil cover in the catchment areas. Concentrations of nitrate showed an opposite trend. Several exceptions to these general patterns in chemical and biological composition were due to exceptional geology or hydrology of the lake catchments.

Modelling the Effects of Acid Deposition: Estimation of Long-Term Water Quality Responses in Forested Catchments in Finland

1988 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lepistö ◽  
P. G. Whitehead ◽  
C. Neal ◽  
B. J. Cosby
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Base Cations ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Mineral Weathering ◽  
Co2 Solubility ◽  
Forested Catchments ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
Magic Model

A modelling study has been undertaken to investigate long-term changes in surface water quality in two contrasting forested catchments; Yli-Knuutila, with high concentrations of base cations and sulphate, in southern Finland; and organically rich, acid Liuhapuro in eastern Finland. The MAGIC model is based on the assumption that certain chemical processes (anion retention, cation exchange, primary mineral weathering, aluminium dissolution and CO2 solubility) in catchment soils are likely keys to the responses of surface water quality to acidic deposition. The model was applied for the first time to an organically rich catchment with high quantities of humic substances. The historical reconstruction of water quality at Yli-Knuutila indicates that the catchment surface waters have lost about 90 μeq l−1 of alkalinity in 140 years, which is about 60% of their preacidification alkalinity. The model reproduces the declining pH levels of recent decades as indicated by paleoecological analysis. Stream acidity trends are investigated assuming two scenarios for future deposition. Assuming deposition rates are maintained in the future at 1984 levels, the model indicates that stream pH is likely to continue to decline below presently measured levels. A 50% reduction in deposition rates would likely result in an increase in pH and alkalinity of the stream, although not to estimated preacidification levels. Because of the high load of organic acids to the Liuhapuro stream it has been acid before atmospheric pollution; a decline of 0.2 pH-units was estimated with increasing leaching of base cations from the soil despite the partial pH buffering of the system by organic compounds.

Groundwater protection and diffuse nitrogen emissions to surface waters – which catchment areas have to be considered?

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-110
Author(s):  
C. Schilling ◽  
M. Zessner ◽  
A.P. Blaschke ◽  
D. Gutknecht ◽  
H. Kroiss
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Flow Path ◽  
Emission Model ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Danube Basin ◽  
Nitrogen Emissions ◽  
Nitrogen Levels ◽  
Catchment Areas

Two Austrian case study regions within the Danube basin have been selected for detailed investigations of groundwater and surface water quality at the catchment scale. Water balance calculations have been performed using the conceptual continuous time SWAT 2000 model to characterise catchment hydrology and to identify individual runoff components contributing to river discharge. Nitrogen emission calculations have been performed using the empirical emission model MONERIS to relate individual runoff components to specific nitrogen emissions and for the quantification of total nitrogen emissions to surface waters. Calculated total nitrogen emissions to surface waters using the MONERIS model were significantly influenced by hydrological conditions. For both catchments the groundwater could be identified as major emission pathway of nitrogen emissions to the surface waters. Since most of the nitrogen is emitted by groundwater to the surface water, denitrification in groundwater is of considerable importance reducing nitrogen levels in groundwater along the flow path towards the surface water. An approach was adopted for the grid-oriented estimation of diffuse nitrogen emissions based on calculated groundwater residence time distributions. Denitrification in groundwater was considered using a half life time approach. It could be shown that more than 90% of the total diffuse nitrogen emissions were contributed by areas with low groundwater residence times and short distances to the surface water. Thus, managing diffuse nitrogen emissions the location of catchment areas has to be considered as well as hydrological and hydrogeological conditions, which significantly influence denitrification in the groundwater and reduce nitrogen levels in groundwater on the flow path towards the surface water.

scholarly journals A new diatom training set for the reconstruction of past water pH in the Tatra Mountain lakes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elwira Sienkiewicz ◽  
Michał Gąsiorowski ◽  
Ladislav Hamerlík ◽  
Peter Bitušík ◽  
Joanna Stańczak
Keyword(s):  
Surface Sediments ◽  
Tatra Mountains ◽  
Training Set ◽  
Statistical Parameters ◽  
The Past ◽  
Water Ph ◽  
Inferred Ph ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
The Tatra Mountains ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractLakes located in the Polish and Slovak parts of the Tatra Mountains were included in the Tatra diatom database (POL_SLOV training set). The relationship between the diatoms and the water chemistry in the surface sediments of 33 lakes was the basis for the statistical and numerical techniques for quantitative pH reconstruction. The reconstruction of the past water pH was performed using the alpine (AL:PE) and POL_SLOV training sets to compare the reliability of the databases for the Tatra lakes. The results showed that the POL_SLOV training set had better statistical parameters (R2 higher by 0.16, RMSE and max. bias lower by 0.2 and 0.36, respectively) compared to the AL:PE training set. The better performance of the POL_SLOV training set is particularly visible in the case of Przedni Staw Polski where the curve of the inferred water pH shows an opposite trend for the period from the 1960s to 1990 compared to that based on the AL:PE dataset. The reliability of the inferred pH was confirmed by the comparison with current instrumental measurements.

scholarly journals The intensity of slope and fluvial processes after a catastrophic windthrow event in small catchments in the Tatra Mountains

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1405-1423
Author(s):  
Dariusz Strzyżowski ◽  
Elżbieta Gorczyca ◽  
Kazimierz Krzemień ◽  
Mirosław Żelazny
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Bedload Transport ◽  
Strong Wind ◽  
Tatra Mountains ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Fluvial Processes ◽  
Wind Events ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Tatra Mountains ◽  
The Impact

AbstractStrong wind events frequently result in creating large areas of windthrow, which causes abrupt environmental changes. Bare soil surfaces within pits and root plates potentially expose soil to erosion. Absence of forest may alter the dynamics of water circulation. In this study we attempt to answer the question of whether extensive windthrows influence the magnitude of geomorphic processes in 6 small second- to third-order catchments with area ranging from 0.09 km2 to 0.8 km2. Three of the catchments were significantly affected by a windthrow which occurred in December 2013 in the Polish part of the Tatra Mountains, and the other three catchments were mostly forested and served as control catchments. We mapped the pits created by the windthrow and the linear scars created by salvage logging operations in search of any signs of erosion within them. We also mapped all post-windthrow landslides created in the windthrow-affected catchments. The impact of the windthrow on the fluvial system was investigated by measuring a set of channel characteristics and determining bedload transport intensity using painted tracers in all the windthrow-affected and control catchments. Both pits and linear scars created by harvesting tend to become overgrown by vegetation in the first several years after the windthrow. The only signs of erosion were observed in 10% of the pits located on convergent slopes. During the period from the windthrow event in 2013 until 2019, 5 very small (total area <100 m2) shallow landslides were created. The mean distance of bedload transport was similar (t-test, p=0.05) in most of the windthrow-affected and control catchments. The mapping of channels revealed many cases of root plates fallen into a channel and pits created near a channel. A significant amount of woody debris delivered into the channels influenced the activity of fluvial processes by creating alternating zones of erosion and accumulation.

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