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The relative importance of biological and chemical processes in the release of phosphorus from a highly organic sediment

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Abstract

Bacteria can play an important role in the process of anaerobic phosphorus release: they can act as a direct source of orthophosphates, or as a catalyst of iron hydroxyde reduction. We studied their influence on phosphorus release from highly organic sediments of a Canadian shield lake. Phosphorus and iron release were measured under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, with or without sterilization, and at different pH. We measured also the abundance and activity of bacteria in sediments. The increased P release after sterilization can be explained by cell lysis. Compared to sterilization, changing oxygen concentrations or acidification had little or no effect on P release. In these sediments, phosphorus and iron movements were independent. Most of the total dissolved iron seemed to be linked to humic acids, but not phosphorus.

Résumé

Les bactéries peuvent jouer un rôle considérable dans le relargage anaérobiques du phosphore, soit en catalysant la réduction des hydroxydes de fer, soit comme source directe d'orthophosphates. On a étudié leur importance dans la libération de phosphore à partir des sédiments d'un lac du bouclier canadien, très riches en matière organique. Le relargage de phosphore et de fer a été mesuré en condition aérobique et anaérobique, avec ou sans stérilisation, et à différents pH. On a également mesuré l'évolution du nombre et de l'activité des bactéries dans les sédiments. Le relargage de P après stérilisation peut être expliqué par la lyse cellulaire. Comparativement à la stérilisation, les changements dans la concentration en oxygène ou l'acidification ont peu ou pas d'effet sur le relargage du P. Les mouvements du fer et du phosphore se produisent indépendament à partir de ces sédiments. La plus grande partie du fer total dissous semble lié aux acides humiques, ce qui n'est pas le cas du phosphore.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 Succ. A, H3C 3P8, Montréal, (Québec), Canada

    Chantal de Montigny & Yves T. Prairie

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  1. Chantal de Montigny
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  2. Yves T. Prairie
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A contribution to the GRIL (Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire de Limnologie)

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de Montigny, C., Prairie, Y.T. The relative importance of biological and chemical processes in the release of phosphorus from a highly organic sediment. Hydrobiologia 253, 141–150 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00050734

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