Source, transport and deposition of atmospheric phosphorus over the Northwestern Mediterranean

Abstract

Atmospheric concentrations and total deposition (wet+dry) of phosphorus were measured over the northwestern Mediterranean between april 1985 and march 1988. A seasonal cycle of both atmospheric concentrations and total deposition is observed, the higher values being recorded during the dry season. Air-mass trajectory analyses allow an identification of the major sources of atmospheric phosphorus: soil-derived dust from desert areas of north Africa and anthropogenic emissions from european countries. The impact of the atmospheric input as a source of phosphorus for surface Mediterranean waters is tentatively assessed on both annual and seasonal time scales. The results suggest that the atmospheric input of phosphorus could be significant to Mediterranean oligotrophic zones, especially during summer when phosphorus input from deeper waters into the photic layer is minimum.

Atmospheric P deposition to the subtropical North Atlantic: sources, properties, and relationship to N deposition

“…Previous studies in a variety of other locations similarly report higher P solubility in combustion-derived aerosols than in dust (e.g., Bergametti et al [1992], Graham and Duce [1982], Herut et al [1999], Baker et al [2006b]). Although it is possible that marine sea spray particles mixed in with the pollution samples enhanced the apparent solubility, samples where this effect would be greatest were excluded from the analysis (i.e.…”

“…[23] The correlation between dust and TP has been observed by others using Al as a proxy for dust [Anderson et al, 2010;Bergametti et al, 1992;Graham and Duce, 1982;Migon and Sandroni, 1999;Özsoy, 2003;Tsukuda et al, 2006]. However, in Miami and Barbados, the relationship between TP and dust is particularly clear.…”

Is the atmosphere an important source of phosphorus in northern Poland?

“…The atmospheric P mostly comes from soil-derived dusts and anthropogenic emissions: agricultural activity (fertilizers, animals breeding) and industrial sources (burning, automobile pollution) (Bergametti et al 1992;Kopacek et al 1997;Ahn & James 2001;Pollman et al 2002;Nyaga et al 2013). Additionally forest fires may also sporadically contribute to P deposition (Bergametti et al 1992;Zhai et al 2009). Mahowald et al (2008) estimated that dust may be responsible for about 80% of P deposition, other sources for about 20%.…”

“…Kopacek et al (1997) (Czech Republic) also deciphered the annual TP deposition between 0.12 and 0.31 kg/ha. Bergametti et al (1992) found a higher deposition rate (about 0.4 kg P/ha) in the island of Corsica (northwestern Mediterranean) and Dammagen et al (1994) reported TP annual bulk deposition of 0.68 kg/ha in south Germany grassland ecosystems. As shown by Winter et al (2002), atmospheric deposition was the largest source in annual TP budget of Lake Simcoe (Canada), and amounted 0.56 kg/ha.…”

Response of the Phytoplankton Community in an Alpine Lake to Drought Conditions: Colorado Rocky Mountain Front Range, U.S.A

“…This effect is certainly relevant in Sierra Nevada, the southernmost mountain range in Europe with elevations above 3000 m a.s.l., which contains numerous oligotrophic mountain lakes. Geographic location (altitude and latitude) of Sierra Nevada lakes makes them especially vulnerable to atmospheric deposition as they are within 1000 km of the Sahara Desert (Lö ye- Pilot et al, 1986;Bergametti et al, 1992). It is accepted that 70% of Saharan dust is deposited within 2000 km (Schü tz et al, 1981).…”