Effects of a waste water treatment plant on organic matter dynamics and ecosystem functioning in a Mediterranean stream

Ruggiero, Antonio; Solimini, Angelo G.; Carchini, Gianmaria

doi:10.1051/limn/2006014

Cited by 28 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Values of V f NO − 3 , a nutrient uptake metric commonly used for among-stream comparisons because it corrects S W for differences in stream size , were in the lower range of values reported from 72 streams subjected to various land uses across USA and Puerto Rico (Mulholland et al, 2008). Our Vf NO − 3 values, however, were generally higher than those reported from streams affected by wastewater treatment plant inputs (e.g., Ruggiero et al, 2006;Gücker and Pusch, 2006) and lower than those reported from reference headwater streams (e.g., Davis and Minshall, 1999;Simon et al, 2005;Hoellein et al, 2007).…”

Section: Total Nocontrasting

confidence: 46%

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a <sup>15</sup>N tracer study

2009

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Abstract. We used 15 N-labelled nitrate (NO − 3 ) additions to investigate pathways of nitrogen (N) cycling at the wholereach scale in three stream reaches with adjacent forested, urban and agricultural land areas. Our aim was to explore among-stream differences in: (i) the magnitude and relative importance of NO − 3 retention (i.e. assimilatory uptake) and removal (i.e. denitrification), (ii) the relative contribution of the different primary uptake compartments to NO − 3 retention, and (iii) the regeneration, transformation and export pathways of the retained N.Streams varied strongly in NO − 3 concentration, which was highest in the agricultural stream and lowest in the forested stream. The agricultural stream also showed the lowest dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and discharge. Standing stocks of primary uptake compartments were similar among streams and dominated by detritus compartments (i.e. fine and coarse benthic organic matter). Metabolism was net heterotrophic in all streams, although the degree of heterotrophy was highest in the agricultural stream.The NO

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Section: Total Nocontrasting

confidence: 46%

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a <sup>15</sup>N tracer study

2009

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“…In a similar work, Ruggiero et al (2006) show that WWTP effluent caused an increase of organic matter due to a higher heterotrophic microbial biomass and higher community respiration. Values of respiration rates in downstream sub-reaches of both sites ranged from 1.2 and 84.8 g O 2 .m x2 .d x1 , and are similar to the range of oxygen demand by fungal biofilm measured by Hickey (1988) in an in situ benthic chamber in a stream influenced by human altered water inputs (3 to 70 g O 2 .m x2 .d x1 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Nutrient removal efficiency estimated using the slug addition technique was made according to the procedure of Gordon et al (1994) and applied by Ruggiero et al (2006) in a similar study in Italy. A known volume of solution (e.g., nutrients + conservative tracer) was added all at once from a carboy in the midchannel at the top end of the reach.…”

Section: Slug Addition Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cl x ) were then used to calcula calculate the mass (mg) of nutrient retained (see details of addition experiment, chemical analyses and calculation in Ruggiero et al, 2006). We calculated the nutrient uptake rate (U, mg.m x2 .min x1 ) by dividing the mass of nutrient removed from the water column during the addition experiment by the stream bottom area A (m 2 ) of the reach and by the time T (min) of the duration of the addition.…”

Section: Slug Addition Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of wastewater treatment plant pollution on in-stream ecosystems functions in an agricultural watershed

Sánchez‐Pérez

Gérino²,

Sauvage³

et al. 2009

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim.

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-We studied the effect of point-source and non-point-source pollution on the retention capacity of the stream and its link with the metabolic state (primary production and respiration) and invertebrates assemblages in a third order Mediterranean stream. Two experimental sites were chosen: one in the upper part of the catchment (Monte´gut site) characterized by low concentrations in nitrate and phosphate and one in the lower part of the catchment (Le´zat site) characterized by high nitrate and phosphorus concentrations. Both experimental sites were located on reaches that included a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) point nutrient source allowing discussion of the relative effects of point-source and non-point-source nutrients loads on ecosystem function (respiration and uptake rates) and aquatic organism assemblages. NH 4 + -N, and PO 4 3x -P uptake rates were determined using solute additions conducted at constant rates (short-term nutrient addition procedure) and NO 3x -N uptake rates were determined using instantaneous solute addition (slug addition procedure). Rates of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration were determined using the open system, two-stations diurnal oxygen change method. Benthic invertebrate communities were investigated for species and functional feeding groups diversities measurements. Results show that autotrophy in the river results from nutrients of two distinct origins: point sources for phosphorus (urban area and WWTP) and non-point sources for nitrogen (agricultural zones) with local additions from WWTP inputs.Comparison between the two sites shows that the WWTP did not affect uptake rates, respiration or primary production of the ecosystem in the low-nutrient Monte´gut reach despite increase of invertebrates communities biomass density. Inputs from the WWTP, in the high nitrate and phosphate Le´zat reach, increased respiration, lower benthic biomass and led to changes in the species composition and did not affect uptake rates.

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“…During recent years, researchers have accumulated data that suggest nutrient enriched streams have lower retention efficiency (i.e., lower v f or higher S w ) than pristine streams (Doyle et al, 2003;Martí et al, 2004;Haggard et al, 2005;Merseburger et al, 2005;Gücker and Pusch, 2006;Ruggiero et al, 2006). To test how our model results fit into this picture, we collected S w and v f results for phosphorus from pristine and nutrient enriched streams.…”

Section: Model Structure Coherence and Global Patterns Of Phosphorus mentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling nutrient in-stream processes at the watershed scale using Nutrient Spiralling metrics

Marcé

Armengol

2009

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract.One of the fundamental problems of using largescale biogeochemical models is the uncertainty involved in aggregating the components of fine-scale deterministic models in watershed applications, and in extrapolating the results of field-scale measurements to larger spatial scales. Although spatial or temporal lumping may reduce the problem, information obtained during fine-scale research may not apply to lumped categories. Thus, the use of knowledge gained through fine-scale studies to predict coarse-scale phenomena is not straightforward. In this study, we used the nutrient uptake metrics defined in the Nutrient Spiralling concept to formulate the equations governing total phosphorus instream fate in a deterministic, watershed-scale biogeochemical model. Once the model was calibrated, fitted phosphorus retention metrics where put in context of global patterns of phosphorus retention variability. For this purpose, we calculated power regressions between phosphorus retention metrics, streamflow, and phosphorus concentration in water using published data from 66 streams worldwide, including both pristine and nutrient enriched streams.Performance of the calibrated model confirmed that the Nutrient Spiralling formulation is a convenient simplification of the biogeochemical transformations involved in total phosphorus in-stream fate. Thus, this approach may be helpful even for customary deterministic applications working at short time steps. The calibrated phosphorus retention metrics were comparable to field estimates from the study watershed, and showed high coherence with global patterns of retention metrics from streams of the world. In this sense, the fitted phosphorus retention metrics were similar to field values measured in other nutrient enriched streams. Analysis of the bibliographical data supports the view that nutrient enriched streams have lower phosphorus retention effiCorrespondence to: R. Marcé (rmarce@icra.cat) ciency than pristine streams, and that this efficiency loss is maintained in a wide discharge range. This implies that both small and larger streams may be impacted by human activities in terms of nutrient retention capacity, suggesting that larger rivers located in human populated areas can exert considerable influence on phosphorus exports from watersheds. The role of biological activity in this efficiency loss showed by nutrient enriched streams remained uncertain, because the phosphorus mass transfer coefficient did not show consistent relationships with streamflow and phosphorus concentration in water. The heterogeneity of the compiled data and the possible role of additional inorganic processes on phosphorus in-stream dynamics may explain this. We suggest that more research on phosphorus dynamics at the reach scale is needed, specially in large, human impacted watercourses.

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Effects of a waste water treatment plant on organic matter dynamics and ecosystem functioning in a Mediterranean stream

Cited by 28 publications

References 66 publications

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a <sup>15</sup>N tracer study

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a <sup>15</sup>N tracer study

Effects of wastewater treatment plant pollution on in-stream ecosystems functions in an agricultural watershed

Modeling nutrient in-stream processes at the watershed scale using Nutrient Spiralling metrics

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Effects of a waste water treatment plant on organic matter dynamics and ecosystem functioning in a Mediterranean stream

Cited by 28 publications

References 66 publications

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N tracer study

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N tracer study

Effects of wastewater treatment plant pollution on in-stream ecosystems functions in an agricultural watershed

Modeling nutrient in-stream processes at the watershed scale using Nutrient Spiralling metrics

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a <sup>15</sup>N tracer study

Nitrate retention and removal in Mediterranean streams bordered by contrasting land uses: a <sup>15</sup>N tracer study