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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 58(9)

The significance of denitrification in relation to external loading and nitrogen retention in a mountain reservoir

Piotr Koszelnik A B , Janusz A. Tomaszek A and Renata Gruca-Rokosz A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Rzeszów University of Technology, Department of Environmental and Chemistry Engineering, 2 W. Pola Street, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland.

B Corresponding author. Email: pkoszel@prz.edu.pl

Marine and Freshwater Research 58(9) 818-826 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07012
Submitted: 24 January 2007  Accepted: 31 July 2007   Published: 21 September 2007

Abstract

Nitrogen retention (Nret) and denitrification were studied in the mesotrophic Solina reservoir (south-east Poland) between spring and autumn in 2002 and 2003. Nret was calculated on the basis of the input-output mass balance. The rate of denitrification was measured using the 15N isotope pairing technique in two types of areas; in deep areas, where the bottom sediment makes contacts with the hypolimnion (Dprof), and in the unstratified shallows (Dlitt). The calculated daily load of removed nitrogen (Dtot) varied somewhat from 11.0 to 19.1 mg N m–2 day–1 with a standard deviation of 3.0 mg N m–2 day–1. The limited oscillation noted for Dtot results from the major participation of the deep areas of the reservoir, which are characterised by stable Dprof, as distinct from Dlitt, which varied seasonally from 5.8 mg N m–2 day–1 in November to 109.9 mg N m–2 day–1 in August. The primary factor limiting the denitrification rate was temperature, the other being availability of substrates, mainly organic matter. Nitrogen retention ranged seasonally between –25.0 and 175.9 mg N m–2 day–1. The contribution of denitrification to Nret ranged from 9.0% to 49.8% (mean 16.4%). On average, only 4.9% of the nitrogen external load was denitrified (range 2.6–7.9%, s.d. 1.5%). After comparing obtained data with others available in the literature, we concluded that reservoirs, estuaries and highly-loaded lakes in a river system experience a more limited contribution of Dtot to Nload than is the case in natural lakes.

Additional keywords: N isotope pairing technique, nitrogen mass balance, nitrogen sink.


Acknowledgements

This research gained financial support from Poland’s State Committee for Scientific Research, grant no. 6 P04G 12721.


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