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Evidence suggests that low cobalt (Co) may limit heterocyst frequency (HF) in filamentous diazotrophic cyanobacteria. Therefore, the effect of three Co concentrations on HF in four species in the genera Aphanizomenon and Dolichospermum was examined in N‐depleted (N was not added) culture. Long‐term HF data were also analysed in experimentally fertilised N‐limited Lake 227.HF ranges and means at 0.17, 17, and 170 nmol Co/L were 4.1%–5.7% (4.6%), 5.4%–7.4% (6.4%), and 5.9%–9.3% (7.4%), respectively, after 11 days of growth in batch cultures suggesting that Co plays a role in regulating HF. HF at 0.17 nmol/L was significantly different from HF at the two higher concentrations in all species implicating Co in heterocyst differentiation. However, growth rates and final biovolume yields were not significantly affected by Co in any of the species.Applying the ratio of total phosphorus (TP)/Co in culture media (106) at 0.17 nmol Co/L to an N‐limited system implies that dissolved Co would have to be less than 1 pmol/L to severely limit HF at 1 μmol TP/L. This Co concentration is much lower than dissolved Co in Lake 227 during an Aphanizomenon skujae bloom with 1 μmol TP/L in 2017. Furthermore, Co increased from 0.7 to 2.0 nmol/L simultaneously increasing with HF and cyanobacteria biomass suggesting that Co probably did not limit HF and bloom biomass in Lake 227.Mean summer HFs in Lake 227 during 2000–2020 were 3.4% (epilimnion) and 4.0% (metalimnion), similar to HF at the lowest Co in the cultures. However, HF was significantly higher after 2015 following a shift in dominant bloom species from A. schindlerii to the smaller A. skujae. Calculations suggest that the decrease in cell size may have prompted a higher HF in A. skujae in order to fix an amount of N per unit biomass similar to that fixed by the larger A. schindlerii. Thus, two previously unidentified factors, Co and cell size, can be added to the list of factors that affect HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrologic management of shallow lakes is often undertaken to prevent fluctuations in lake level, and to ensure sufficient water volume for economic, domestic, and recreational uses, but there is inconsistent evidence of whether lake‐level stabilisation through hydrological management promotes or hinders eutrophication.Here we used multi‐proxy paleolimnological assessments of water quality (sedimentary carbon, nitrogen, total phosphorus, fossil pigments), and zooplankton community ecology (fossil Cladocera assemblages), combined with Landsat‐derived estimates of lake surface area in two shallow eutrophic lakes, in the Prairies of southern Saskatchewan, Canada, to quantify how 8 decades of contrasting hydrological management strategies (continuous or intermittent) affect primary production and phytoplankton composition.Analysis revealed that irregular hydrological management of Pelican Lake led to sharp increases in primary production concomitant with lake‐level decline. In contrast, continuously managed Buffalo Pound Lake, a drinking water reservoir for regional cities, exhibited slow, persistent eutrophication over decades despite active regulation of water levels. In both lakes, strong correlations of δ 15N values with pigments from diazotrophic cyanobacteria (canthaxanthin) showed that N2‐fixation increased during eutrophication irrespective of the timing of change. Finally, variation in fossil cladoceran density and composition reflected changes in pelagic and littoral habitats (e.g., reduced macrophyte cover) due to changes in both lake level and water quality.Basin comparison shows that while hydrologic management can moderate water quality degradation due to lake‐level change, it does not prevent eutrophication when nutrient influx remains high.Given that regional water availability is forecast to decline in coming decades, we anticipate that continued hydrological management will be unavoidable and will be unable to improve water quality unless nutrient influx is also controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many physical, chemical, and biological processes in freshwater ecosystems mobilize the nutrient phosphorus (P) from sediments, which in turn may contribute to the formation of harmful algal blooms. Here, we critically reviewed internal P loading in Canadian fresh waters to understand the geographic patterns and environmental drivers of this important process. From 43 publications, we consolidated 618 estimates of internal P loading from Canadian freshwater ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal wetlands (n = 70). Expressed in terms of total P, short-term gross rates in sediment samples ([L.sub.gross]) ranged from -27 to 54 mg x [m.sup.-2] x [day.sup.-1] (n = 461), while long-term net rates in whole ecosystems ([L.sub.net]) ranged from -1694 to 10 640 mg x [m.sup.-2] x [year.sup.-1] (n = 157). The main environmental drivers of this variation were oxygen, pH, geology, and trophic state. Internal P loading tended to be higher during the open-water season and most prominent in small prairie lakes. Priorities for future research on internal P loading should include resolving methodological problems, assessing the relative importance of different mechanisms, examining the influence of anthropogenic activities, and quantifying rates in understudied ecosystems. Resume : De nombreux processus physiques, chimiques et biologiques dans les ecosystemes d'eau douce mobilisent le phosphore (P), un element nutritif, des sediments, ce qui peut favoriser la formation de fleurs d'eau nefastes. Nous avons effectue un examen critique de l'apport interne de P dans les plans d'eau douce canadiens afin de comprendre les motifs de repartition geographique et les facteurs environnementaux qui influent sur cet important processus. A la lumiere de 43 publications, nous avons collige 618 estimations de l'apport interne de P d'etangs, de lacs, de reservoirs et de milieux humides littoraux d'eau douce canadiens (n = 70). Exprimes en termes de P total, les taux d'apport de P a court terme pour les echantillons de sediments ([L.sub.gross]) vont de -27 a 54 mg x [m.sup.-2] x [jour.sup.-1] (n = 461), alors que les taux nets a long terme a l'echelle de l'ecosysteme ([L.sub.net]) vont de -1694 a 10 640 mg x [m.sup.-2] x [an.sup.-1] (n = 157). Les principaux facteurs environnementaux influant sur ces variations sont l'oxygene, le pH, la geologie et l'etat trophique. L'apport interne de P tend a etre plus eleve durant la periode d'eau libre et le plus marque dans les petits lacs de prairie. La priorite des travaux futurs sur l'apport interne de P devrait porter sur la resolution de problemes methodologiques, l'evaluation de l'importance relative de differents mecanismes, l'examen de l'influence des activites humaines et la quantification des taux dans les ecosystemes sous-etudies. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Globally, eutrophication is one of the key drivers of change in aquatic ecosystems (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005). Eutrophication causes poor water clarity, oxygen depletion, fish kills, and biodiversity loss, [...]

Inland waters are hotspots of greenhouse gas (GHG) cycling, with small water bodies particularly active in the production and consumption of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). However, wetland ponds are being replaced rapidly by small constructed reservoirs in agricultural regions, yet it is unclear whether these two water body types exhibit similar physical, chemical, and environmental controls of GHG content and fluxes. Here, we compared the content and regulatory mechanisms of all three major GHGs in 20 pairs of natural wetland ponds and constructed reservoirs in Canada's largest agricultural region. Carbon dioxide content was associated primarily with metabolic indicators in both water body types; however, primary production was paramount in reservoirs, and heterotrophic metabolism a stronger correlate in wetland ponds. Methane concentrations were correlated positively with eutrophication of the reservoirs alone, while competitive inhibition by sulfur‐reducing bacteria may have limited CH4 in both waterbody types. Contrary to expectations, N2O was undersaturated in both water body types, with wetlands being a significantly stronger and more widespread N2O sink. Varying regulatory processes are attributed to differences in age, depth, morphology, and water‐column circulation between water body types. These results suggest that natural and constructed water bodies should be modeled separately in regional GHG budgets. Plain Language Summary: Small inland water bodies, ponds and reservoirs, are hotspots of greenhouse gas (GHG) production. However, modern farming practices replace natural wetlands by artificial reservoirs, without consideration on the effects on landscape GHG fluxes. Here we measured concentrations and controls of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) in locally‐paired wetland ponds and agricultural reservoirs and found that while GHG concentrations were similar in the two waterbody types, underlying mechanisms differed, owing to the differences in shape, depth, and age of individual water bodies. Shallower wetland ponds were typically more fully mixed, exhibited more oxygen at depth, and had higher nutrients and organic carbon concentrations reflecting their ages. Findings suggest that the balance between wetland drainage and reservoir construction may have a pronounced effect on regional budgets of GHG fluxes, particularly in the face of forthcoming climate changes. Key Points: CO2 content was associated with metabolism; primary production in reservoirs, but bacterial respiration in wetlandsCH4 concentrations were correlated positively with either eutrophication (reservoirs) or competitive inhibition of methanogenesis (both)N2O undersaturation was ubiquitous, but wetlands were stronger and more widespread N2O sinks [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow management has the potential to significantly affect ecosystem condition. Shallow lakes in arid regions are especially susceptible to flow management changes, which can have important implications for the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. Here, we reveal water quality shifts associated with changing source water inflow management. Using in situ monitoring data, we studied a seven‐year time span during which inflows to a shallow, eutrophic drinking water reservoir transitioned from primarily natural landscape runoff (2014–2015) to managed flows from a larger upstream reservoir (Lake Diefenbaker; 2016–2020) and identified significant changes in cyanobacteria (as phycocyanin) using generalized additive models to classify cyanobacterial bloom formation. We then connected changes in water source with shifts in chemistry and the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms using principal components analysis. Phycocyanin was greater in years with managed reservoir inflow from a mesotrophic upstream reservoir (2016–2020), but dissolved organic matter (DOM) and specific conductivity, important determinants of drinking water quality, were greatest in years when landscape runoff dominated lake water source (2014–2015). Most notably, despite changing rapidly, it took multiple years for lake water to return to a consistent and reduced level of DOM after managed inflows from the upstream reservoir were resumed, an observation that underscores how resilience may be hindered by weak resistance to change and slow recovery. Environmental flows for water quality are rarely defined, yet we show that trade‐offs exist between poor water quality via elevated conductivity and DOM and higher bloom risk, depending on water source. Our work highlights the importance of source water quality, not just quantity, to water security, and our findings have important implications for water managers who must protect ecosystem services while adapting to projected hydroclimatic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, hydrological connectivity between rivers and their floodplains has been reduced by river flow management and land transformation. The Saskatchewan River Delta is North America's largest inland delta and a hub for fish and fur production. To determine the influence of connectivity on limnology within this northern floodplain, water chemistry and stable isotopes (δ][sup.18]O and δ²H) were analyzed during the winter of 2014 in 26 shallow lakes along a hydrological gradient. A total of five lake connectivity categories were determined by optical remote sensing imagary of surface water coverage area from years of varying flood intensities. Accuracy of categories was verified by degree of [sup.18]O and ²H enrichment within lakes. Both isotopes showed marked successional enrichment between connectivity categories, with more isolated lakes exhibiting greater enrichment. Water chemistry in lakes with greater connectivity to the main channel were characterized by higher pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and sulfates and lower total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and ammonium compared with more isolated lakes. These findings illustrate how connectivity influences water chemistry in northern floodplain lakes and how it might determine the suitability of these lakes as winter refuge for fishes. Additionally, our study provides supporting evidence for the effective use of optical remote sensing imagery, an inexpensive and accessible source of data for researchers, when determining connectivity characteristics of large northern floodplain systems. Additionally, this study provides further evidence that the inundation of floodplain lakes by river water during peak discharge has an impact on the conditions within the lakes long into the winter ice-cover season. Understanding the year-round influence of river-floodplain connection is imperative for assessing potential impacts of climate change and future water regulation on such ecosystems. A l'echelle planetaire, la gestion des debits des rivieres et la transformation du territoire ont entraine une diminution de la connectivite hydrologique entre les rivieres et les plaines inondables. Le delta de la riviere Saskatchewan est le plus grand delta interieur d'Amerique du Nord et une plaque tournante pour la production de poissons et de fourrures. Afin de determiner l'influence de la connectivite sur la limnologie dans cette plaine inondable septentrionale, la chimie de l'eau et ses isotopes stables (δ[sup.18]O et δ²H) ont ete analyses durant l'hiver 2014 dans 26 lacs peu profonds le long d'un gradient hydrologique. Cinq categories de connectivite des lacs ont ete etablies au total sur la base d'images optiques de teledetection des aires recouvertes par les eaux de surface pour des annees caracterisees par differentes intensites des crues. L'exactitude des categories a ete verifiee a la lumiere du degre d'enrichissement en [sup.18]O et ²H dans les lacs. Les deux isotopes presentaient un enrichissement progressif marque entre les categories de connectivite, les lacs plus isoles montrant un enrichissement plus important. La chimie de l'eau dans les lacs de plus grande connectivite au chenal principal etait caracterisee par un pH et des concentrations d'oxygene dissous, de nitrates et de sulfates plus eleves et des concentrations d'azote total, de phosphore total et d'ammonium plus faibles comparativement aux lacs plus isoles. Ces resultats illustrent l'influence de la connectivite sur la chimie de l'eau dans les lacs de plaines inondables septentrionales et comment elle pourrait determiner l'adequation de ces lacs comme refuges hivernaux pour les poissons. En outre, notre etude fournit des donnees temoignant de l'utilite de l'imagerie optique de teledetection, une source de donnees accessible et peu couteuse, pour la determination des caracteristiques de connectivite des grands systemes de plaines inondables nordiques. L'etude fournit aussi de nouvelles donnees appuyant la these voulant que l'inondation des lacs de plaines inondables par l'eau de riviere en periode de debits de pointe ait une incidence persistante sur les conditions dans les lacs durant la periode hivernale de couverture de glace. La comprehension de l'influence tout au long de l'annee de la connexion riviereplaine inondable est necessaire a l'evaluation des impacts potentiels des changements climatiques et de la regularisation future de l'eau sur de tels ecosystemes. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Floodplains are among the most productive and threatened ecosystems on earth. As a result of anthropogenic river flow management and land transformation, 90% of floodplains within North America have [...]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cyanobacterial blooms present challenges for water treatment, especially in regions like the Canadian prairies where poor water quality intensifies water treatment issues. Buoyant cyanobacteria that resist sedimentation present a challenge as water treatment operators attempt to balance pre-treatment and toxic disinfection by-products. Here, we used microscopy to identify and describe the succession of cyanobacterial species in Buffalo Pound Lake, a key drinking water supply. We used indicator species analysis to identify temporal grouping structures throughout two sampling seasons from May to October 2018 and 2019. Our findings highlight two key cyanobacterial bloom phases – a mid-summer diazotrophic bloom of Dolichospermum spp. and an autumn Planktothrix agardhii bloom. Dolichospermum crassa and Woronichinia compacta served as indicators of the mid-summer and autumn bloom phases, respectively. Different cyanobacterial metabolites were associated with the distinct bloom phases in both years: toxic microcystins were associated with the mid-summer Dolichospermum bloom and some newly monitored cyanopeptides (anabaenopeptin A and B) with the autumn Planktothrix bloom. Despite forming a significant proportion of the autumn phytoplankton biomass (>60%), the Planktothrix bloom had previously not been detected by sensor or laboratory-derived chlorophyll-a. Our results demonstrate the power of targeted taxonomic identification of key species as a tool for managers of bloom-prone systems. Moreover, we describe an autumn Planktothrix agardhii bloom that has the potential to disrupt water treatment due to its evasion of detection. Our findings highlight the importance of identifying this autumn bloom given the expectation that warmer temperatures and a longer ice-free season will become the norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decades ago, Dr Noel Hynes eloquently summarized the inherent interconnectedness of a stream and its valley and made the case that human alteration of the valley would have direct negative consequences for freshwater systems. Currently, the freshwater biodiversity crisis extends across all continents and demands urgent attention from environmental planners, practitioners, and policymakers to protect streams and their valleys. As we work to slow losses of freshwater biodiversity and restore freshwater ecosystems, it is time to revisit the important messages from Hynes. One of the most obvious and immediate actions that could be undertaken is to "back off"—that is, to limit human activity and new development in floodplain and riparian areas immediately adjacent to freshwater systems, including streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands, while minimizing impacts and risks in areas with existing development. From reducing erosion and flood damage to maintaining cool water temperatures, filtering pollutants, protecting critical habitats, and enabling lateral connectivity, intact riparian zones mitigate many of the threats that degrade freshwater ecosystems. There has been much research to identify optimal setbacks and buffer-strip widths to protect against harm. As such, in many areas, our ability to protect the stream and its valley is not limited by natural science but rather our failure to consistently apply floodplain and riparian regulations and the absence of political will. We are too quick to trade off the environment for short-term economic development. In areas that are already developed, solutions are more complicated but, in many cases, represent a key priority for healing damaged ecosystems and for addressing economic and social risks of vulnerable development. We need to redefine our relationship with freshwater ecosystems, and the first step is to back off and give freshwater ecosystems the opportunity to heal while ensuring that as-of-yet intact riparian areas continue to support freshwater resiliency. In doing so, we will also gain climate adaptive benefits, given that maintaining intact riparian areas is an effective nature-based solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method for tabulating agricultural nitrous oxide ([N.sub.2]O) emissions suggests that aquatic ecosystems may be important [N.sub.2]O sources. However, estimates are highly uncertain, and the method to estimate emissions is rarely tested. The default IPCC emission factor for groundwater and surface drainage ([EF.sub.5-g]; defined as [N.sub.2]O-N:nitrate-N) has been lowered recently. Our data support further reduction. Notably, we present the first [EF.sub.5-g] data under ice, which reflects groundwater inputs not confounded by gas exchange. These under- ice data suggest an [EF.sub.5-g] of 0.13%, approximately half the current IPCC default value. Our data from the open-water season also suggest a reduction to 0.11% (based on annual means). The data highlight major problems with the IPCC method. [EF.sub.5-g] was extremely variable, with the highest values observed in a stream that was a net sink of [N.sub.2]O. Testing the overall method for freshwater emissions is more problematic because of the multidecade transit time from headwaters in our study region to the Atlantic Ocean and limited information on emissions from lakes. La methode couramment utilisee par le Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur revolution du climat (GIEC-IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) pour comptabiliser les emissions agricoles d'oxyde nitreux ([N.sub.2]O) indique que les ecosystemes aquatiques peuvent representer des sources significatives de [N.sub.2]O. Cependant, ces estimations sont tres incertaines et la methode pour calculer les emissions est rarement evaluee. Le facteur par defaut des emissions de l'IPCC pour les eaux phreatiques et les ecoulements de surface ([EF.sub.5-g] ; defini comme [N.sub.2]O-N:N-nitrate) a ete abaisse recemment. Nos donnees appuient une reduction additionnelle. En particulier, nous presentons les premieres donnees [EF.sub.5-g] sous la glace qui refletent les apports des eaux souterraines, sans l'effet confondant des echanges gazeux. Ces donnees sous la glace suggerent un [EF.sub.5-g] de 0,13 %, a peu pres la moitie de la valeur par defaut actuelle de l'IPCC. Nos donnees recoltees durant la saison d'eau libre suggerent aussi une reduction a 0,11 % (d'apres les moyennes annuelles). Ces donnees soulignent des problemes significatifs avec la methode de l'IPCC. Les valeurs d'[EF.sub.5-g] sont extremement variables et les valeurs les plus elevees ont ete observees dans un cours d' eau qui represente un puits net de [N.sub.2]O. La verification de la methode globale pour les emissions en eau douce pose des problemes supplementaires a cause du temps de transition de l'ordre de plusieurs decennies depuis les eaux d'amont dans notre region d'etude jusqu'al'Atlantique et du peu d'information disponible sur les emissions par les lacs. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Nitrous oxide ([N.sub.2]O) is a potent greenhouse gas, with 298 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide ([GWP.sub.100]; IPCC 2007, p. 212). It has contributed approximately 6% to increases [...]

While benthic algal biomass is one of the most commonly measured variables within littoral communities, it is also one of the most poorly characterized. The use of chlorophyll a as an estimate of biomass, while easy and inexpensive, can be affected by changes in environmental conditions and algal community composition. Biovolume-based measurements often have high variability and are affected by changes in cell volume due to preservation. Using 12 years of data from the Experimental Lakes Area (northwestern Ontario, Canada) as well as short-term surveys and experimental studies from the Experimental Lakes Area and the Canadian Rocky Mountains, we demonstrate that biovolume and chlorophyll a are often decoupled in the littoral zone of temperate oligotrophic lakes. We recommend that researchers revisit the limitations of both metrics and specifically caution against the use of chlorophyll a as a biomass indicator when light, temperature, or species composition vary significantly. Resume: Bien que la biomasse des algues benthiques soit l'une des variables les plus frequemment mesurees dans les communautes littorales, c'est aussi l'une des moins bien caracterisees. L'utilisation de la chlorophylle a pour l'estimation de la biomasse, bien que facile et peu couteuse, peut etre affectee par des changements des conditions du milieu et par la composition de la communaute algale. Les mesures basees sur le biovolume ont souvent une forte variabilite et sont affectees par les changements des volumes cellulaires causes par les methodes de conservation. Nous utilisons des donnees etalees sur 12 ans provenant de la Region des lacs experimentaux (Ontario, Canada) ainsi que des inventaires a court terme et des etudes experimentales a la Region des lacs experimentaux et dans les Rocheuses canadiennes pour demontrer que le biovolume et la chlorophylle a sont souvent decouples dans la zone littorale des lacs oligotrophes temperes. Nous recommandons aux chercheurs de tenir compte des limitations des deux metriques et nous les mettons en garde specifiquement contre l'utilisation de la chlorophylle a comme indicateur de la biomasse lorsque la lumiere, la temperature ou la composition specifique varient de facon significative. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction A cursory review of most aquatic journals will reveal that algal biomass is a variable of interest but one that is frequently measured indirectly. Chlorophyll a is routinely used [...]

Chemical recovery is hypothesized to promote rapid recovery of benthic algal communities in formerly acidified lakes; this expectation needs modification. We evaluated the hypothesis in a small lake (L302S) in the boreal forest of northwestern Ontario, Canada, during a decade of pH recovery following a prior decade of experimental acidification from pH 6.7 to 4.5. To account for regional changes during the study, we also studied a nearby reference lake (L239). Taxonomic changes in the epilithon (biofilm on rock surfaces) included persistently lower cyanobacterial biomass following its acidification-related decline and increases in both diatoms and greens. Epilithic metabolic recovery was incomplete because the acidification-induced increase in respiration continued, although the prior decline in photosynthesis was reversed. Unexpectedly, blooms of metaphytic filamentous green algae occurred at higher pH during recovery than during acidification. Although several community attributes recovered fully, recovery of many aggregate functional and taxonomic properties lagged improvements in pH. Divergence was greater at the taxonomic than at the functional level. Despite pH recovery, potential causes of incomplete algal recovery include incomplete chemical recovery and the persistent absence of functionally important biota. Our findings counter the assumption that ecological recovery mirrors the pathway of damage caused by a human stressor. Resume: Une hypothese veut que le retablissement chimique favorise le retablissement rapide des communautes d'algues dans les lacs anterieurement acidifies; cette prevision doit etre modifiee. Nous avons evalue l'hypothese dans un petit lac (L302S) de la foret boreale du nord-ouest de l'Ontario, Canada, durant une decennie de retablissement du pH suivant une decennie anterieure d'acidification experimentale de pH 6,7 a 4,5. Afin de tenir compte des changements regionaux au cours de l'etude, nous avons aussi observe un lac temoin (L239) a proximite. Les changements taxonomiques dans l'epilithon (biofilm a la surface des roches) comprenaient une biomasse constamment reduite de cyanobacteries a la suite de leur declin relie a l'acidification et un accroissement a la fois des diatomees et des algues vertes. Le retablissement metabolique de l'epilithon etait incomplet parce que l'accroissement de la respiration cause par l'acidification s'est maintenu, bien que le declin anterieur de la photosynthese ait ete renverse. De maniere inattendue, les foisonnements d'algues vertes filamenteuses metaphytes se sont produits a un pH plus eleve durant le retablissement que durant l'acidification. Bien que plusieurs caracteristiques de la communaute se soient retablies entierement, le retablissement de certaines proprietes fonctionnelles et taxonomiques globales a accuse un retard par rapport a l'amelioration du pH. La divergence etait plus important a l'echelle taxonomique qu'a l'echelle fonctionnelle. Malgre le retablissement du pH, les causes potentielles du retablissement incomplet des algues incluent un retablissement chimique incomplet et l'absence prolongee d'organismes fonctionnellement importants. Nos observations contredisent la presupposition qui veut que le retablissement ecologique reflete la voie des dommages causes par le facteur anthropique de stress. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Recovery from acidification is an important issue for aquatic ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere as the release of acidifying emissions into the atmosphere is substantially reduced (Galloway 2001). In [...]

The neurotoxic alkaloid β-N-methyl-amino-l-alanine (BMAA) and related isomers, including N-(2-aminoethyl glycine) (AEG), β-amino-N-methyl alanine (BAMA), and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB), have been reported previously in cyanobacterial samples. However, there are conflicting reports regarding their occurrence in surface waters. In this study, we evaluated the impact of amending lake water samples with trichloroacetic acid (0.1 M TCA) on the detection of BMAA isomers, compared with pre-existing protocols. A sensitive instrumental method was enlisted for the survey, with limits of detection in the range of 5–10 ng L−1. Higher detection rates and significantly greater levels (paired Wilcoxon's signed-rank tests, p < 0.001) of BMAA isomers were observed in TCA-amended samples (method B) compared to samples without TCA (method A). The overall range of B/A ratios was 0.67–8.25 for AEG (up to +725%) and 0.69–15.5 for DAB (up to +1450%), with absolute concentration increases in TCA-amended samples of up to +15,000 ng L−1 for AEG and +650 ng L−1 for DAB. We also documented the trends in the occurrence of BMAA isomers for a large breadth of field-collected lakes from Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Data gathered during this overarching campaign (overall, n = 390 within 45 lake sampling sites) indicated frequent detections of AEG and DAB isomers, with detection rates of 30% and 43% and maximum levels of 19,000 ng L−1 and 1100 ng L−1, respectively. In contrast, BAMA was found in less than 8% of the water samples, and BMAA was not found in any sample. These results support the analyses of free-living cyanobacteria, wherein BMAA was often reported at concentrations of 2–4 orders of magnitude lower than AEG and DAB. Seasonal measurements conducted at two bloom-impacted lakes indicated limited correlations of BMAA isomers with total microcystins or chlorophyll-a, which deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instrumented buoys are used to monitor water quality, yet there remains a need to evaluate whether in vivo fluorometric measures of chlorophyll a (Chl a) produce accurate estimates of phytoplankton abundance. Here, 6 years (2014–2019) of in vitro measurements of Chl a by spectrophotometry were compared with coeval estimates from buoy‐based fluorescence measurements in eutrophic Buffalo Pound Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada. Analysis revealed that fluorometric and in vitro estimates of Chl a differed both in terms of absolute concentration and patterns of relative change through time. Three models were developed to improve agreement between metrics of Chl a concentration, including two based on Chl a and phycocyanin (PC) fluorescence and one based on multiple linear regressions with measured environmental conditions. All models were examined in terms of two performance metrics; accuracy (lowest error) and reliability (% fit within confidence intervals). The model based on PC fluorescence was most accurate (error = 35%), whereas that using environmental factors was most reliable (89% within 3σ of mean). Models were also evaluated on their ability to produce spatial maps of Chl a using remotely sensed imagery. Here, newly developed models significantly improved system performance with a 30% decrease in Chl a errors and a twofold increase in the range of reconstructed Chl a values. Superiority of the PC model likely reflected high cyanobacterial abundance, as well as the excitation–emission wavelength configuration of fluorometers. Our findings suggest that a PC fluorometer, used alone or in combination with environmental measurements, performs better than a single‐excitation‐band Chl a fluorometer in estimating Chl a content in highly eutrophic waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue Canadienne des Ressources Hydriques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Here, we explore how people entangled in natural resource conflicts employ and discuss data. We draw on ethnographic research with two cases of conflict: salmon fisheries in Alaska, USA, and agricultural water management in Saskatchewan, Canada. Both cases illustrate how data, through the scientization of environmental governance, can become a means of empowerment and disempowerment: empowering those with access and influence over data and disempowering those without such access. In both locales, people find it necessary to perform their expertise, justify the veracity of their data, and discount the data held by others if they wish to achieve or maintain standing. We call this "datamentality" and draw lessons from these cases for how we can structure environmental governance such that it benefits from robust data and science while meeting the needs of individuals, avoiding or managing power struggles, and protecting the rights of all involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molot LA, Schiff SL, Venkiteswaran JJ, Baulch HM, Higgins SN, Zastepa A, Verschoor MJ, Walters D. 2021. Low sediment redox promotes cyanobacteria blooms across a trophic range: implications for management. Lake Reserv Manage. 37:120–142. Field observations and experimental manipulations with different oxidizing agents including nitrate demonstrate that high sediment redox prevents cyanobacteria blooms in eutrophic freshwaters. Conversely, low sediment redox caused by depletion of dissolved oxygen and nitrate allows blooms to form. This explains why bloom risk increases with phosphorus levels: Higher productivity increases the spatial and temporal extent of low sediment redox. The intermediate link between low redox and cyanobacteria blooms appears to be internal loading of ferrous iron (Fe2+) from reduced sediments with diffusion to depths accessible to migrating cyanobacteria, providing a source for their high iron demand. Regardless of whether Fe2+ release is the intermediate link, the concept of "low sediment redox as promoter" has major potential to improve bloom management if managers consider the impact of their nutrient management choices, nutrient targets, and in-lake methods on sediment redox. Phosphorus input targets can be adjusted as climate change alters the extent of anoxia, and short-term bloom prediction models that incorporate the sediment redox concept could predict onset of blooms earlier than current models that depend on detection of photosynthetic pigments associated with blooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate‐driven decreases in ice‐cover duration have the potential to impact lake ecosystems, yet we have only partial understanding of the effects of winter conditions on physical, chemical, and biological properties of lakes. We used 39 years of monitoring data to examine under‐ice changes in nutrients, oxygen, and phytoplankton in a shallow drinking‐water reservoir. Two phases of winter were identified. Early winter was characterized by declining oxygen. In this phase, there were increases in specific conductance and concentrations of ammonium (NH4+‐N) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP). In the month prior to ice off these trends reversed themselves and phytoplankton began to increase. Specific conductance declined as meltwater entered the lake. Nutrients (SRP and NH4+‐N) declined, concurrent with increases in chlorophyll a and oxygen during late winter. This work demonstrates that chemical and biotic changes through winter are highly time dependent and differ between early and late winter phases. The late winter phase is often unstudied because of unsafe ice conditions, but here, the "spring" bloom commonly occurs in late winter under ice. The phases of winter, which are likely driven by changes in light, must be considered as we work to understand how diverse lakes will respond to declining periods of ice cover, and what drives differences in the spring ecology of diverse ice‐covered lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific Significance Statement: Metabolic stoichiometry predicts that dissolved oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in aquatic ecosystems should covary inversely; however, field observations often diverge from theoretical expectations. Here, we propose a suite of metrics describing this O2 and CO2 decoupling and introduce a conceptual framework for interpreting these metrics within aquatic ecosystems. Within this framework, we interpret cross‐system patterns of high‐frequency O2 and CO2 measurements in 11 northern lakes and extract emergent insights into the metabolic behavior and the simultaneous roles of chemical and physical forcing in shaping ecosystem processes. This approach leverages the power of high‐frequency paired O2–CO2 measurements, and yields a novel, integrative aquatic system typology which can also be applicable more broadly to streams and rivers, wetlands and marine systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With changes in ice cover duration, nutrient loading, and anoxia risk, it is important to understand the mechanisms that control nitrogen cycling and oxygen depletion in lakes through winter. Current understanding is largely limited to description of changes in chemistry, with few measurements of the processes driving winter changes, how they differ across lakes, and how they are impacted by under-ice conditions. Nitrification is a process which consumes oxygen and ammonium (NH4+), and supplies nitrate (NO3–). To date, nitrification has been measured under ice cover in only two lakes globally. Here, we used 15NH4+ enrichment to measure rates of pelagic nitrification in thirteen water bodies in two ecozones. Our work demonstrates ecologically important rates of nitrification can occur despite low water temperatures, impacting NH4+, NO3– and, most importantly, oxygen concentrations. However, high rates are not the norm. When, where and why is nitrification important in winter? We found that nitrification rates were highest in a eutrophic lake chain downstream of a wastewater treatment effluent (mean: 226.5 μg N L-1 d-1), and in a semi-saline prairie lake (110.0 μg N L-1 d-1). In the boreal shield, a eutrophic lake had nitrification rates exceeding those of an oligotrophic lake by 6-fold. Supplementing our results with literature data we found NH4+ concentrations were the strongest predictor of nitrification rates across lentic ecosystems in winter. Higher nitrification rates were associated with higher concentrations of NH4+, NO3– and nitrous oxide (N2O). While more work is required to understand the switch between high and low nitrification rates and strengthen our understanding of winter nitrogen cycling, this work demonstrates that high nitrification rates can occur in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small farm reservoirs are abundant in many agricultural regions across the globe and have the potential to be large contributing sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) to agricultural landscapes. Compared to natural ponds, these artificial waterbodies remain overlooked in both agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and inland water global carbon (C) budgets. Improved understanding of the environmental controls of C emissions from farm reservoirs is required to address and manage their potential importance in agricultural GHG budgets. Here, we conducted a regional-scale survey (∼ 235 000 km 2) to measure CO2 and CH4 surface concentrations and diffusive fluxes across 101 small farm reservoirs in Canada's largest agricultural area. A combination of abiotic, biotic, hydromorphologic, and landscape variables were modelled using generalized additive models (GAMs) to identify regulatory mechanisms. We found that CO2 concentration was estimated by a combination of internal metabolism and groundwater-derived alkalinity (66.5 % deviance explained), while multiple lines of evidence support a positive association between eutrophication and CH4 production (74.1 % deviance explained). Fluxes ranged from -21 to 466 and 0.14 to 92 mmol m -2 d -1 for CO2 and CH4 , respectively, with CH4 contributing an average of 74 % of CO2 -equivalent (CO2 -e) emissions based on a 100-year radiative forcing. Approximately 8 % of farm reservoirs were found to be net CO2 -e sinks. From our models, we show that the GHG impact of farm reservoirs can be greatly minimized with overall improvements in water quality and consideration to position and hydrology within the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold agricultural regions are important sites of global food production. This has contributed to widespread water quality degradation influenced by processes and hydrologic pathways that differ from warm region analogues. In cold regions, snowmelt is often a dominant period of nutrient loss. Freeze–thaw processes contribute to nutrient mobilization. Frozen ground can limit infiltration and interaction with soils, and minimal nutrient uptake during the nongrowing season may govern nutrient export from agricultural catchments. This paper reviews agronomic, biogeochemical, and hydrological characteristics of cold agricultural regions and synthesizes findings of 23 studies that are published in this special section, which provide new insights into nutrient cycling and hydrochemical processes, model developments, and the efficacy of different potentially beneficial management practices (BMPs) across varied cold regions. Growing evidence suggests the need to redefine optimum soil phosphorus levels and input regimes in cold regions to allow achievement of water quality targets while still supporting strong agricultural productivity. Practices should be considered through a regional and site‐specific lens, due to potential interactions between climate, hydrology, vegetation, and soils, which influence the efficacy of nutrient, crop, water, and riparian buffer management. This leads to differing suitability of BMPs across varied cold agricultural regions. We propose a systematic approach ("CUPCAKE"), to achieve water quality objectives in variable and changing climates, which combines nutrient transport process Conceptualization, Understanding BMP functions, Predicting effects of variability and change, Consideration of producer input and agronomic and environmental tradeoffs, practice Adaptation, Knowledge mobilization, and Evaluation of water quality improvement. Core Ideas: Processes and controls on nutrient export in cold regions differ from warmer zones.The nongrowing season is a key period of phosphorus and nitrogen loss.Management practices show varied efficacy across different cold regions.Nutrient mitigation should consider cold region processes and local context.Nutrient management practices merit revisiting in cold regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of cover crops and crop residues is a common strategy to mitigate sediment and nutrient losses from land to water. In cold climates, elevated dissolved P losses can occur associated with freeze–thaw of plant materials. Here, we review the impacts of cover crops and crop residues on dissolved P and total P loss in cold climates across ∼41 studies, exploring linkages between water‐extractable P (WEP) in plant materials and P loss in surface runoff and subsurface drainage. Water‐extractable P concentrations are influenced by plant type and freezing regimes. For example, WEP was greater in brassica cover crops than in non‐brassicas, and increased with repeated freeze–thaw cycles. However, total P losses in surface runoff and subsurface drainage from cropped fields under cold climates were much lower than plant WEP, owing to retention of 45 to >99% of released P by soil. In cold climatic regions, cover crops and crop residues generally prevented soil erosion and loss of particle‐bound P during nongrowing seasons in erodible landscapes but tended to elevate dissolved P loss in nonerodible soils. Their impact on total P loss was inconsistent across studies and complicated by soil, climate, and management factors. More research is needed to understand interactions between these factors and plant type that influence P loss, and to improve the assessment of crop contributions to P loss in field settings in cold climates. Further, tradeoffs between P loss and the control of sediment loss and N leaching by plants should be acknowledged. Core Ideas: Winter crop covers reduce soil erosion but may enhance dissolved P loss under cold climates.In cold climates, freeze–thaw cycles increase dissolved P release from plants and soils.Plant water‐extractable P varies with crop species, hardiness, and freeze regimes.Phosphorus losses in runoff and leaching are complicated by soil, hydrology, and management.Assessment of crop impacts on P loss should consider tradeoffs and future climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing P export from agricultural land is critical to address freshwater eutrophication. However, soil P management, and options to draw down soil P have received little attention in snowmelt‐dominated regions because of limited interaction between soil and snowmelt. Here, we assessed the impacts of soil P drawdown (reducing fertilizer P inputs combined with harvest removal) on soil Olsen P dynamics, runoff P concentrations, and crop yields from 1997 to 2014 in paired fields in Manitoba, Canada. We observed that Olsen P concentrations in the 0‐ to 5‐cm soil layer were negatively correlated with the cumulative P depletion and declined rapidly at the onset of the drawdown practice (3.1 to 5.4 mg kg−1 yr−1 during 2007–2010). In both snowmelt runoff and rainfall runoff, concentrations of total dissolved P (TDP) were positively correlated with the concentrations of soil Olsen P. Soil P drawdown to low to moderate fertility levels significantly decreased mean annual flow‐weighted TDP concentrations in snowmelt runoff from 0.60 to 0.30 mg L−1 in the field with high initial soil P and from 1.17 to 0.42 mg L−1 in the field with very high initial soil P. Declines in TDP concentration in rainfall runoff were greater. Critically, yields of wheat (Triticum spp.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) were not affected by soil P depletion. In conclusion, we demonstrate that relatively rapid reductions in P loads are achievable at the field scale via managing P inputs and soil P pools, highlighting a management opportunity that can maintain food security while improving water security in cold regions. Core Ideas: Reducing or ceasing soil P input decreased soil Olsen P rapidly.Soil Olsen P concentrations were negatively correlated with cumulative P depletion.Declining soil P led to decreases in flow‐weighted mean dissolved P concentrations.Improved water quality can be achieved with management of soil P.Agricultural productivity can also be maintained with lower soil P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As more hydroelectric dams regulate rivers to meet growing energy demands, there is ongoing concern about downstream effects, including impacts on downstream benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities. Hydropeaking is a common hydroelectric practice where short‐term variation in power production leads to large and often rapid fluctuations in discharge and water level. There are key knowledge gaps on the ecosystem impacts of hydropeaking in large rivers, the seasonality of these impacts, and whether dams can be managed to lessen impacts. We assessed how patterns of hydropeaking affect abundance, taxonomic richness, and relative tolerance of BMIs in the Saskatchewan River (Saskatchewan, Canada). Reaches immediately (<2 km) downstream of the dam generally had high densities of BMIs and comparable taxonomic diversity relative to upstream locations but were characterized by lower ratios of sensitive (e.g., Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) to tolerant (e.g., Chironomidae) taxa. The magnitude of effect varied with seasonal changes in discharge. Understanding the effects of river regulation on BMI biodiversity and river health has implications for mitigating the impacts of hydropeaking dams on downstream ecosystems. Although we demonstrated that a hydropeaking dam may contribute to a significantly different downstream BMI assemblage, we emphasize that seasonality is a key consideration. The greatest differences between upstream and downstream locations occurred in spring, suggesting standard methods of late summer and fall sampling may underestimate ecosystem‐scale impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue Canadienne des Ressources Hydriques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ARISING FROM Cardinale, B. J. Nature 472, 86-89 (2011) The influence of biodiversity on ecosystem function has been of interest to community ecologists for decades. Recently, Cardinale (1) reported that [...]

The ice‐covered period on lakes in the northern hemisphere has often been neglected or assumed to have less importance relative to the open water season. However, recent studies challenge this convention, suggesting that the winter period is more dynamic than previously thought. In this review, we synthesize the current understanding of under‐ice carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) dynamics, highlighting the annual importance of CO2 and CH4 emissions from lakes at ice‐melt. We compiled data from 25 studies that showed that the ice‐melt period represents 17% and 27% of the annual CO2 and CH4 emissions, respectively. We also found evidence that the magnitude and type of emission (i.e., CO2 and CH4) varies with characteristics of lakes including geographic location, lake morphometry, and physicochemical conditions. The scarcity of winter and spring carbon data from northern lakes represents a major gap in our understanding of annual budgets in these lakes and calls for future research during this key period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended severe dry and wet periods are frequently observed in the northern continental climate of the Canadian Prairies. Prairie streamflow is mainly driven by spring snowmelt of the winter snowpack, whilst summer rainfall is an important control on evapotranspiration and thus seasonality affects the hydrological response to drought and wet periods in complex ways. A field-tested physically based model was used to investigate the influences of climatic variability on hydrological processes in this region. The model was set up to resolve agricultural fields and to include key cold regions processes. It was parameterized from local and regional measurements without calibration and run for the South Tobacco Creek basin in southern Manitoba, Canada. The model was tested against snow depth and streamflow observations at multiple scales and performed well enough to explore the impacts of wet and dry periods on hydrological processes governing the basin scale hydrological response. Four hydro-climatic patterns with distinctive climatic seasonality and runoff responses were identified from differing combinations of wet/dry winter and summer seasons. Water balance analyses of these patterns identified substantive multiyear subsurface soil moisture storage depletion during drought (2001-2005) and recharge during a subsequent wet period (2009-2011). The fractional percentage of heavy rainfall days was a useful metric to explain the contrasting runoff volumes between dry and wet summers. Finally, a comparison of modeling approaches highlights the importance of antecedent fall soil moisture, ice lens formation during the snowmelt period, and peak snow water equivalent in simulating snowmelt runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few beneficial management practices (BMPs) with demonstrated efficacy in snowmelt-dominated regions. Small reservoirs are a BMP that can help mitigate flooding and reduce sediment transport, while reducing export of dissolved nutrients. To understand controls on nitrate removal and assess how this ecosystem service can be optimized, denitrification activity was measured in reservoirs and stream pools of the Tobacco Creek Model Watershed (Manitoba, Canada) via the chloramphenicolamended acetylene block technique. Denitrification activity was positively correlated with nitrate and sediment organic carbon (SOC), and negatively correlated with sediment particle size and pH. Reservoirs exhibited higher denitrification activity than stream pools and were associated with higher levels of SOC, higher nitrate in early summer, and lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen. Nitrate was added to a set of samples to test for nitrate saturation, an indicator of poor ecological status, where nitrate concentrations exceed the denitrification capacity of microbes. Forty-nine percent of measurements demonstrated nitrate saturation, indicative of the need for additional remediation activity. Findings from this research suggest this BMP has higher capacity for nitrogen removal than stream pools because of higher denitrification rates and a higher apparent threshold for nitrate saturation, coupled with increased residence times. Results also inform the construction of additional reservoirs, which have been identified as a priority BMP in this region. Siting reservoirs in areas where conditions contribute to buildup of fine sediments and planting riparian vegetation to foster high organic C availability may help optimize denitrification, although tradeoffs in terms of other ecosystem services must be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter conditions are rapidly changing in temperate ecosystems, particularly for those that experience periods of snow and ice cover. Relatively little is known of winter ecology in these systems, due to a historical research focus on summer 'growing seasons'. We executed the first global quantitative synthesis on under-ice lake ecology, including 36 abiotic and biotic variables from 42 research groups and 101 lakes, examining seasonal differences and connections as well as how seasonal differences vary with geophysical factors. Plankton were more abundant under ice than expected; mean winter values were 43.2% of summer values for chlorophyll a, 15.8% of summer phytoplankton biovolume and 25.3% of summer zooplankton density. Dissolved nitrogen concentrations were typically higher during winter, and these differences were exaggerated in smaller lakes. Lake size also influenced winter-summer patterns for dissolved organic carbon ( DOC), with higher winter DOC in smaller lakes. At coarse levels of taxonomic aggregation, phytoplankton and zooplankton community composition showed few systematic differences between seasons, although literature suggests that seasonal differences are frequently lake-specific, species-specific, or occur at the level of functional group. Within the subset of lakes that had longer time series, winter influenced the subsequent summer for some nutrient variables and zooplankton biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1. Diel variation in metabolism contributes to variation in oxygen (O2) concentrations in streams. This variation in O2 and other parameters (e.g. pH) can in turn affect the rates of microbial nitrogen (N) processing, concentrations of nitrogenous solutes and production of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). We investigated diel variability in emissions of N2O and the magnitude of short-term variability in N solutes across 10 streams. 2. Nitrous oxide fluxes varied on average 2.3-fold over diel cycles. Concentrations would be underestimated by sampling around noon, but N2O fluxes would not show a consistent bias. Time-weighted mean daily N2O flux was strongly related to nitrate concentration ( r2 = 0.58). Diel patterns in N2O and dissolved N species were often complex (rather than simple sinusoidal curves), probably reflecting complex underlying processes. 3. Reliance on samples obtained around noon would overestimate daily mean nitrate concentrations by 5% and underestimate ammonium by 32% (average bias across all streams and dates). 4. Dissolved organic N did not show consistent day-night variation. However, the magnitude of diel variability was similar to that observed for dissolved inorganic N. Organic and inorganic N concentrations were often similar. Both appear to be dynamic components of stream N budgets. 5. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) relies upon an emission factor to estimate indirect agricultural N2O emissions from streams and ground water. The measured emission factor (defined as the ratio of concentrations of N2O-N to -N) was typically below the recently revised IPCC default figure. Measured values varied on average 1.8-fold over approximately 24-h periods and were slightly higher at night than by day. The emission factor was actually highest in streams that were net sinks for N2O, highlighting a conceptual problem in the current IPCC method. 6. Typical sampling programmes rely on daytime-only sampling, which might cause bias in results. In our study streams, the bias was generally small. Diel variation in nitrate concentrations was related to mean temperature; variation in ammonium and N2O concentrations was greatest at low concentrations of nitrite and ammonium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method for tabulating agricultural nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions suggests that aquatic ecosystems may be important N2O sources. However, estimates are highly uncertain, and the method to estimate emissions is rarely tested. The default IPCC emission factor for groundwater and surface drainage (EF5-g; defined as N2O-N:nitrate-N) has been lowered recently. Our data support further reduction. Notably, we present the first EF5-g data under ice, which reflects groundwater inputs not confounded by gas exchange. These under-ice data suggest an EF5-g of 0.13%, approximately half the current IPCC default value. Our data from the open-water season also suggest a reduction to 0.11% (based on annual means). The data highlight major problems with the IPCC method. EF5-g was extremely variable, with the highest values observed in a stream that was a net sink of N2O. Testing the overall method for freshwater emissions is more problematic because of the multidecade transit time from headwaters in our study region to the Atlantic Ocean and limited information on emissions from lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas produced during nitrogen cycling. Global nitrogen enrichment has resulted in increased atmospheric N2O concentrations due in large part to increased soil emissions. There is also a potentially important flux from streams, rivers and estuaries; although measurements of these emissions are sparse, and role of aquatic ecosystems in global N2O budgets remains highly uncertain. Using the longest-term measurements of N2O fluxes from streams to date, we found annual fluxes from 14 sites in five streams of south-central Ontario, Canada varied widely-from net uptake of 3.2 ± 0.2 (standard deviation) μmol N2O m-2 d-1 to net release of 776 ± 61 μmol N2O m-2 d-1. N2O consumption was associated with very low nitrate concentrations (<2.7 μM). Mean annual (log-transformed) N2O emissions from our study streams (across sites and years) were positively related to nitrate concentrations (r2 = 0.59).This nitrate-N2O relationship can be generalized across all 20 streams (in Canada, Japan, Mexico, and the midwestern United States) for which published data now exist and could provide a new basis for the IPCC to calculate agricultural emissions from streams. In addition to predicting annual emissions, we present the first measurements of N2O concentrations under ice in streams. Nitrate was a strong predictor of N2O % saturation during periods of ice cover (r2 = 0.89), when gas exchange is negligible. Given the small surface area of streams within a catchment and the fact our measured areal fluxes are comparable to reported fluxes from agricultural soils, this suggests streams are a small regional N2O source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global models have indicated agriculturally impacted rivers and streams may be important sources of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). However, there is significant uncertainty in N2O budgets. Isotopic characterization can be used to help constrain N2O budgets. We present the first published measurements of the isotopic character of N2O emitted from low (2-4) order streams. Isotopic character of N2O varied seasonally, among streams, and over diel periods. On an annual basis, δ 18O of emitted N2O (+47.4 to +51.4‰; relative to VSMOW) was higher than previously reported for larger rivers, but δ 15N of emitted N2O (-16.2 to +2.4‰ among streams; relative to atmospheric N2) was similar to that of past studies. On an annual basis, all streams emitted N2O with lower δ 15N than tropospheric N2O. Given these streams have elevated nitrate concentrations which are associated with enhanced N2O fluxes, this supports the hypothesis that streams are contributing to the accumulation of 15N-depleted N2O in the troposphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue focuses on the effects of ice cover on surface water bodies, specifically rivers and lakes. Background information on the motivation of addressing this topic is first introduced with some selected references highlighting key points in this research field. A summary and synthesis of the eleven contributions is then provided, focusing on three aspects that provide the structure of the special issue: Physical processes, water quality, and sustainability. We have placed these contributions in the broader context of the field and identified selected knowledge gaps which impede our ability both to understand current conditions, and to understand the likely consequences of changing winters to the diversity of freshwater ecosystems subject to seasonal ice cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen science projects have a long history in ecological studies. The research usefulness of such projects is dependent on applying simple and standardized methods. Here, we conducted a citizen science project that involved more than 3500 Swedish high school students to examine the temperature difference between surface water and the overlying air (Tw-Ta) as a proxy for sensible heat flux (QH). If QH is directed upward, corresponding to positive Tw-Ta, it can enhance CO2 and CH4 emissions from inland waters, thereby contributing to increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The students found mostly negative Tw-Ta across small ponds, lakes, streams/rivers and the sea shore (i.e. downward QH), with Tw-Ta becoming increasingly negative with increasing Ta. Further examination of Tw-Ta using high-frequency temperature data from inland waters across the globe confirmed that Tw-Ta is linearly related to Ta. Using the longest available high-frequency temperature time series from Lake Erken, Sweden, we found a rapid increase in the occasions of negative Tw-Ta with increasing annual mean Ta since 1989. From these results, we can expect that ongoing and projected global warming will result in increasingly negative Tw-Ta, thereby reducing CO2 and CH4 transfer velocities from inland waters into the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The link between under ice processes and open water eutrophication dynamics has been proven in the field. Water quality models still lack the capability to capture the connection between both environments. The hydrodynamic-ecological model CE-QUAL-W2 is being applied to a eutrophic drinking water reservoir on the Canadian Prairies as part of larger collaborative research project. CE-QUAL-W2 is one of the few water quality models that includes an ice algorithm, yet is restricted by a fixed albedo coefficient. Field studies have shown albedo to change through the ice cover season – varying the solar radiation that reaches the ice-water interface as a result. In order to better represent the light and heat environment during the under ice periods we modify the ice algorithm to incorporate a variable albedo rate. While assessing the modified version of CE-QUAL-W2 on the reservoir we encounter a number of challenges during the calibration process. These challenges pertain to difficulties with modelling the under ice environment, and with modelling shallow lakes and reservoirs. We recommend a targeted monitoring program to supplement available data that will reduce the uncertainty associated with the results of the reservoir model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]