H The amounts of isotopically exchangeable inorganic phosphate in a range of Wisconsin lake sediments were measured in two contrasting (long-and short-term) equilibration systems. The systems differed in equilibration times, oxidation-reduction conditions, and the degree of agitation. Levels of total exchangeable inorganic P were similar for the two systems, indicating that the simplified short-term equilibration method was suitable for routine measurements of exchangeable inorganic P. Differences between the two systems in the distribution of exchangeable P between the solid and solution phases were apparently related to differences in oxidation-reduction conditions. Exchangeable inorganic P ranged from 18-65% of the total inorganic P in the sediments investigated.The role of phosphorus in lake eutrophication is of widespread concern because of the importance of P as an essential and often limiting plant nutrient. Lake eutrophication is in part a problem of the presence of a sufficient quantity of available P to allow lakes to reach a high level of productivity of algae and high plants, The interchange of P between sediments and lake water may play an important role in determining the available P status of lakes. The uptake and release of P by sediments is a function of interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes (Syers et al., 1973) and cannot be accurately predicted a t the present time. The ability of sediments to sorb inorganic P is well documented (Harter, 1968; Williams et al., 1970; Shukla et al., 1971).The direction of net P transport is generally from the lake water to the sediments (Megard, 1973), presumably due to particle settling and sorption processes. However, the direction of transport of dissolved inorganic P will often be from the sediments to the overlying water due to direct biological uptake and the higher levels of inorganic P in the sediment interstitial water than in the overlying lake water (see review by Syers et al., 1973). Exchangeable inorganic P represents the pool of sediment inorganic P characterized by a high potential for interaction with the sediment interstitial water and the overlying lake water (Li et al., 1972).Exchangeable P, as determined by isotope dilution has been used as an index of available P in soils (Baker, 1964; Tandon and Kurtz, 1968). Recently, exchangeable sediment inorganic P was investigated under controlled conditions (oxygen status, pH, and temperature) in a long-term equilibration system (Li et al., 1972). Although the longterm system provided information on the exchangeable sediment inorganic P under certain limnological conditions, the method was time-consuming and not well suited for the routine determination of exchangeable inorganic P in lake sediments. This investigation was conducted to evaluate the applicability of a relatively simple short-term equilibration system for exchangeable P measurements.
Sediments. The sediments were obtained from eightWisconsin lakes. The methods of sampling and storage of the sediments used in this in...