Organic Phosphorus Mineralization Dominates the Release of Internal Phosphorus in a Macrophyte-Dominated Eutrophication Lake

Macrophyte-dominated eutrophication (MDE) lakes have attracted wide attention due to the high phosphorus (P) loading in sediments that poses a wide spread risk for P release and pollution management. However, because of the superior productivity characteristics, the role of organic P mineralization in sediments in the internal P loading of MDE lake is still under debate. This study investigated the release dynamic of P in the sediments of Lake Caohai, a MDE lake in southwest of China, using a combination of the modified Huffer sequential extraction method, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and composite diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) technology. Results showed that the apparent P diffusion flux at the sediment-water interface was remarkably high, with a mean value of 0.37 mg m−2 d−1. The phosphate ester organophosphorus components (i.e., Mono-P and Diester-P) continuously deposited and degraded in the sediments maintained the high productivity of the lake, and the mineralization process plays a critical role in the release of internal P. Although the content of inorganic P in sediment is relatively high (accounting for approximately 60% of total P), the reductive mechanism based on P-containing iron oxide/hydroxide has a low contribution to the internal P loading, as was indicated by the low release rate of P-combination iron-manganese (Fe-Mn)/iron-aluminum (Fe-Al) (BD-P and NaOH-P) and the insignificant positive correlations between DGT-labile P and DGT-labile Fe in the sediment cores. Additionally, organic P in sediments could transfer to P-combination Fe-Al/Fe-Mn. However, in severely expropriated environments, the enrichment of P-combination Fe-Al/Fe-Mn in surface sediments inhibited the mineralization of monophosphate to some degree. Taken together, this study emphasized the impact of sediment organic P loading on the release of internal P in lake, highlighting that organic P is also the valuable objects for avoiding eutrophication of MDE lakes.

The Effects of Concentration Gradient of Nitrogen Compounds on the Ammonium-nitrogen and Nitrate-nitrogen Fluxes at Sediment-Water Interface

The incubation experiments focused on altering concentration gradients of nitrogen between sediment and overlying water to examine the diffusion flux of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-) at sediment-water interface. In this study, the diffusion flux can be estimated based on calculating the average of the net change rate of nutrient concentrations in the overlying water. For the incubation experiment of different TN concentrations in the sediment, the results showed that the diffusion flux of ammonia at sediment-water interface is -52.57~84.57 mg·m-2·d-1, and for nitrate diffusion flux, the changing range during the incubation experiment is -110.13~143.25 mg·m-2·d-1. For the incubation experiment of different nitrogen concentrations in the overlying water, the results of NH4+-N diffusion flux in L, M, H treatment were 3.37, -4.94, -3.84 mg·m-2·d-1, respectively. And the average diffusion flux of nitrate in L (0 mg NO3--N, 0 mg NH4+-N), M (0.5 mg NO3--N, 1.5 mg NH4+-N) and H (1 mg NO3--N, 2.5 mg NH4+-N) treatment were 12.30, 10.39 and 7.11 mg·m-2·d-1. Results highlighted that concentrations gradient of nutrients were indeed an important factor affecting the diffusion flux at sediment-water interface. In addition, the diffusion of nutrients at sediment-water interface in aquatic ecosystem is not only controlled by concentration gradients, some other factors such as incoming water, hydrodynamics, dissolved oxygen content, sediment structure, biological disturbance, horizontal migration and diffusion of nutrients and turbulent diffusion caused by wind and wave, are equally important.

Determination of Water Quality Characteristics and Nutrient Exchange Flux at the Sediment–Water Interface of the Yitong River in Changchun City, China

In this paper, the characteristics of water pollution in Yitong River were analyzed by the comprehensive pollution index method. Combined with the pore water concentration gradient method and Fick’s first law, the release characteristics of nutrients at the sediment–water interface of Yitong River (Jilin Province, China) were studied. The results showed that the distribution trend of nitrogen and phosphorus content in the overlying and interstitial water of the Yitong River was the same, and the highest values appeared at the S3 and S5 points in the urban section. The water quality was mainly affected by nitrogen pollutants in domestic sewage. The evaluation results of the water quality comprehensive pollution index showed that the pollution degree of interstitial water in urban areas was much higher than that of the overlying water, and the endogenous nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants had the risk of diffusion to the overlying water. The exchange flux analysis of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) in water showed that the diffusion flux of NH4+-N ranged from 0.03 to 6.52 mg·(m2·d)−1, and the sediment was the “source” of ammonia nitrogen pollutants. The range of TDN diffusion flux was −1.57 to 11.6 mg·(m2·d) −1, and the difference between points was large. The sediment was both the “source” and “sink” of nitrogen pollutants. The range of TDP diffusion flux was −0.05 to 0.22 mg·(m2·d) −1. Except for point S8, the TDP diffused from sediment into the water body. Among all the sampling points, the diffusion fluxes of NH4+-N, TDN, and TDP at the S3 point were the largest, the release rate of endogenous pollutants was the most rapid, and the pollution to the water quality was the most serious. The results are of great significance to the exchange flux of nutrients at the sediment–water interface of rivers and the prevention and control of water eutrophication. It also provides a reference for the study of nutrient exchange flux at the sediment–water interface of rivers and other surface water bodies worldwide.

Characteristics of carbon source greenhouse gas flux in the water–air formation in the middle and upper reaches of the Three Gorges Reservoir

This study selected five points in the middle and upper mainstream of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Starting from May 2016, the greenhouse gases CO2 and CH4 from the water–air formation at the sampling points have been monitored month by month for 10 months. Using the headspace balance method and the thin boundary layer model estimation method, we obtained the CO2 and CH4 partial pressure ranges and the water–air formation diffusion flux at the mainstream point. It is found that the CH4 partial pressure of water body is significantly positively correlated with water temperature, and significantly negatively correlated with DO; the CH2 partial pressure of water body is positively correlated with water temperature, but negatively correlated with conductivity, DO, pH and wind speed. The diffusion fluxes of CH4 and CO2 at the water–air formation are positively correlated with CH4 partial pressure and water temperature, and negatively correlated with ph, DO and conductivity. It is also found that the reservoir has a certain mitigation effect on the release of CO2 from the river water body, and the CH4 diffusion flux at the water–air formation is roughly equivalent.

Coordinated Development of Water Environment Protection and Water Ecological Carbon Sink in Baiyangdian Lake

“The Hebei Xiongan New Area Planning Outline” states that the carbon sink of the water body should be improved and the quality of Baiyangdian water should be improved by cleaning the sludge, but the treatment of endogenous pollution in the water body will release a large amount of carbon dioxide, which will reduce the carbon sink of Baiyangdian, which makes the improvement of water body quality and increasing carbon sink conflicting. In order to realize the coordinated development of Baiyangdian water quality improvement and carbon sink increase, this paper establishes the calculation model of the amount of sludge to be cleared to improve the unit water quality and the amount of carbon dioxide released by clearing the silt using the release flux and diffusion flux of nitrogen and phosphorus elements in the water body, and the relationship between the content of nitrogen and phosphorus elements, the depth of Baiyangdian sludge excavation and the amount of carbon dioxide released: as the content of nitrogen and phosphorus elements in the water decreases, the depth of sludge excavated to improve the unit water body increases, and the amount of carbon dioxide released gradually increases. As the nitrogen and phosphorus content in the water decreases, the depth of dredged sludge to improve the quality of the water body increases, the carbon dioxide released gradually increases, and when the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration reaches 0.18 g/m3 and 0.6 g/m3 respectively, the carbon dioxide released will increase exponentially. Thus, we propose countermeasures to improve the water quality of Baiyangdian and increase the carbon sink capacity: we can improve the water quality by reasonable dredging before the water quality reaches poor category 3; we can achieve the dual goals of improving the water quality and increasing the carbon sink by increasing the reed planting area.

Accounting for surface waves improves gas flux estimation at high wind speed in a large lake

The gas transfer velocity (k) is a major source of uncertainty when assessing the magnitude of lake gas exchange with the atmosphere. For the diversity of existing empirical and process-based k models, the transfer velocity increases with the level of turbulence near the air–water interface. However, predictions for k can vary by a factor of 2 among different models. Near-surface turbulence results from the action of wind shear, surface waves, and buoyancy-driven convection. Wind shear has long been identified as a key driver, but recent lake studies have shifted the focus towards the role of convection, particularly in small lakes. In large lakes, wind fetch can, however, be long enough to generate surface waves and contribute to enhance gas transfer, as widely recognised in oceanographic studies. Here, field values for gas transfer velocity were computed in a large hard-water lake, Lake Geneva, from CO2 fluxes measured with an automated (forced diffusion) flux chamber and CO2 partial pressure measured with high-frequency sensors. k estimates were compared to a set of reference limnological and oceanic k models. Our analysis reveals that accounting for surface waves generated during windy events significantly improves the accuracy of k estimates in this large lake. The improved k model is then used to compute k over a 1-year time period. Results show that episodic extreme events with surface waves (6 % occurrence, significant wave height > 0.4 m) can generate more than 20 % of annual cumulative k and more than 25 % of annual net CO2 fluxes in Lake Geneva. We conclude that for lakes whose fetch can exceed 15 km, k models need to integrate the effect of surface waves.

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Diffusion Fluxes: Insight from High-Resolution Technology and Hydrodynamic Modeling

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key elements in controlling eutrophication in the aquatic system. Water and sediment samples were collected from Hongfeng Lake, a seasonally stratified reservoir in southwest China, in winter and summer. Diffusion fluxes of NH4+, NO3−, and labile P in summer using diffusive gradients in thin films technology were 3.4, −37.2, and 0.9 mg m−2 day−1, respectively, based on Fick’s first law. The diffusion flux of labile P was 2.05 mg m−2 day−1 in winter. The contributions fraction of the labile P diffusion flux from sediment to the overlying water were higher in winter than those in summer, because of the relatively lower external input, concentrations and higher diffusion fluxes in winter. After the external input decreased, all of the three diffusion fluxes were lower than the previous record. To understand the influence effect of hydrodynamics, environmental fluid dynamics code modeling was used to simulate the flow and temperature field in winter and summer. Modeling results showed that velocity in summer was higher than that in winter due to concentrated rainfall within the catchment. Moreover, the velocity and temperature in the euphotic zone were higher than that of the hypolimnion in summer. Less variation of velocity and temperature in vertical profile in winter than that in summer was observed, which may be attributable to the high specific heat capacity and the low heat conductivity of water. There was no significant correlation among velocity, hydrochemistry, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations. Hydrodynamics, solar radiation, and water depth affect the position of the thermocline, which was consequently to water temperature, hydrochemistry, dissolved nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration. Correlation analysis suggested that the higher bottom velocity and total bed shear may accelerate labile P, NH4+, and NO3− diffusion fluxes. These results provide evidence and suggestions for preventing and controlling reservoir eutrophication and water safety management.

Diffusion gravity and its consequences

Diffusion quantum mechanics (DQM), proposed recently (Zakir, 2020-21), describes a conservative diffusion of classical particles in a fluctuating classical scalar field and, in a homogeneous field, derives the formalism of quantum mechanics. In an inhomogeneous scalar field, DQM reproduces gravitation, and in the present paper, the following theory of diffusion gravity and its various consequences are considered. In DQM a part of the energy of the scalar field is transferred to particles as their fluctuation energy (“thermal” energy), appearing as their rest energy (mass). The resulting local decrease in the field’s energy density around a macroscopic body generates “thermal” diffusion flux of particles to this region. The properties of this “thermal” part of conservative diffusion are similar to gravitation. A high matter concentration in some region reduces the local energy density of scalar field sufficiently to reduce the local intensity of fluctuations. Due to the conservativity of diffusion, the increments in the drift velocity of particles are cumulative, and “thermal” diffusion acceleration arises, independent on the particle’s mass. The world lines become curved, and all processes with particles slowdown, which means time dilation. On hypersurfaces of simultaneity t = const, where the scalar field is defined, effective metrics, connection, and curvature arise. They obey to Einstein’s equations following from balance between energies of matter and background scalar field.

Diffusion treatment of quantum mechanics and its consequences

Localized ensemble of free microparticles spreads out as in a frictionless diffusion satisfying the principle of relativity. An ensemble of classical particles in a fluctuating classical scalar field diffuses in a similar way, and this analogy is used to formulate diffusion quantum mechanics (DQM). DQM reproduces quantum mechanics for homogeneous and gravity for inhomogeneous scalar field. Diffusion flux and probability density are related by Fick’s law, diffusion coefficient is constant and invariant. Hamiltonian includes a “thermal” energy, kinetic energies of drift and diffusion flux. The probability density and the action function of drift form a canonical pair and canonical equations for them lead to the Hamilton-Jacobi-Madelung and continuity equations. At canonical transformation to a complex probability amplitude they form a linear Schrödinger equation. DQM explains appearance of quantum statistics, rest energy (“thermal” energy) and gravity (“thermal” diffusion) and leads to a low mass mechanism for composite particles.

Sulfur Biogeochemical Cycle of Marine Sediments

Complex interactions between microbial communities and geochemical processes drive the major element cycles and control the function of marine sediments as a dynamic reservoir of organic matter. Sulfate reduction is globally the dominant pathway of anaerobic mineralisation and is the main source of sulfide. The effective re-oxidation of this sulfide at the direct or indirect expense of oxygen is a prerequisite for aerobic life on our planet. Although largely hidden beneath the oxic sediment surface, the sulfur cycle is therefore critical for Earth’s redox state. This Geochemical Perspectives begins with a brief primer on the sulfur cycle of marine sediments and a description of my own scientific journey through nearly fifty years of studies of sulfur geochemistry and microbiology. Among the main objectives of these studies were to quantify the main processes of the sulfur cycle and to identify the microbial communities behind them. Radiotracers in combination with chemical analyses have thereby been used extensively for laboratory experiments, supported by diverse molecular microbiological methods. The following sections discuss the main processes of sulfate reduction, sulfide oxidation and disproportionation of the inorganic sulfur intermediates, especially of elemental sulfur and thiosulfate. The experimental approaches used enable the analysis of how environmental factors such as substrate concentration or temperature affect process rates and how concurrent processes of sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation drive a cryptic sulfur cycle. The chemical energy of sulfide is used by chemolithotrophic bacteria, including fascinating communities of big sulfur bacteria and cable bacteria, and supports their dark CO2 fixation, which produces new microbial biomass. During the burial and aging of marine sediments, the predominant mineralisation processes change through a cascade of redox reactions, and the rate of organic matter degradation drops continuously over many orders of magnitude. The main pathways of anaerobic mineralisation and the age control of the organic matter turnover are discussed. In the deep methanic zone, only a few percent of the entire degradation process remains, which provides a small boost of substrate for sulfate reduction through the process of anaerobic methane oxidation. The stable isotopes of sulfur provide an additional tool to understand these diagenetic processes, whereby the combination of microbial isotope fractionation and open system diagenesis generate a differential diffusion flux of the isotopes. In relation to the organic carbon cycle of the seabed and the contribution of methane, the paper discusses the global sulfur budget and the role of sulfate reduction for organic matter mineralisation in different depth regions of the ocean – from coast to deep sea. The published estimates of these parameters are evaluated and compared. Finally, the paper looks at future perspectives with respect to gaps in our current understanding and the need for further studies.