ISSN:
1573-5117
Keywords:
nitrate
;
phosphorus
;
denitrification
;
fractionation
;
sediment
;
anaerobic
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Addition of nitrate to an oxygen depleted sediment leads to a stimulation of the mineralization process if a major part of the nitrate is dissimilatorily reduced. This may cause an increased release of phosphate from some sediments. Nitrate, however, maintains a high redox potential at the sediment surface and thus prevents a release of iron-bound phosphorus. These two counteracting effects of nitrate addition to sediment-water systems were demonstrated in laboratory experiments. A high supply of nitrate to a phosphorus-saturated sediment caused an increased release of phosphate and ammonium once the nitrate had been used up. However, from other sediments there was no or very little release of phosphate but an increased release of ammonium caused by high nitrate dissimilation, probably due to the very high capacity of these sediments to bind liberated phosphate or due to storage of phosphorus in an increased bacterial biomass. Phosphorus fractionation, before and after the experiments with the sediments, provided information on transfers to, from and within the sediments.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00045164
