Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2132
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Assessment of phosphorus behavior in sediments of Lake Sevan, Armenia
Author Dadi, T.; von Tümpling, W. ORCID logo ; Mi, C.; Schultze, M.; Friese, K.
Source Titel Journal of Limnology
Year 2022
Department SEEFO; FLOEK
Volume 81
Issue s1
Page From art. 2132
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Keywords Lake Sevan; mobile phosphorus; P-fractionation; internal/external P-loading; P-retention
Abstract Lake Sevan is the largest freshwater lake in the Caucasus region and one of Eurasia's largest alpine lakes. The lake has been experiencing growing cyanobacteria blooms; however, the relevance of external and internal phosphorus (P) loading to its eutrophication is still not known. We carried out a sediment investigation of Lake Sevan to estimate the potentially mobile P, which could be a source of internal total phosphorus (TP)-loading; we also estimated external TP-loading and retention. The study was carried out at four sampling points of different depths to determine the spatial variability of P in 2018. The sediments had elevated TP contents at the sediment surface; potentially mobile P ranged from 20 to 60% in the top 2 cm. The upper 4 cm sediment had an elevated content of TN (8 to 16.1 mg N g-1 dw) and TP (1.2 to 1.7 mg P g-1 dw). Spatial variability of most of the measured parameters was more prominent in the upper 3 cm. External TP loading was estimated to be 110 tons annually, and the TP retention was 85%. The estimated TP stored in the top cm of the sediment is 1,500 tons. The potential for P release is high; the short-term exchange between oxic and anoxic overlying water could release 0.01 to 0.02 mg P L-1 from the top cm of the sediment, and long-term diagenesis and burial could release about 0.12 mg P cm-2. Internal P-loading in Lake Sevan may play an essential role in eutrophication, especially given the long flushing time of Lake Sevan.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=28229
Dadi, T., von Tümpling, W., Mi, C., Schultze, M., Friese, K. (2022):
Assessment of phosphorus behavior in sediments of Lake Sevan, Armenia
J. Limnol. 81 (s1), art. 2132 10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2132