POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(Pol. J. Ecol.)

51

2

143-154

2003

 

 

 

Precipitation of phosphorus in the zone of river and lake water mixing: r. Hańcza and Lake Wigry (North-East Poland)

 

Bogusław Zdanowski

 

Department of Hydrobiology, The Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute, Oczapowskiego 10, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland email: bzdanowski@infish.com.pl

 

Abstract: 

Studies on physico-chemical parameters  of  water in Czarna Hańcza River and lakes Hańcza and Wigry (North-East Poland) were carried out in 1991–1994 i.e. in the period of maximal pollution of this river-lake system. Basic information were obtained enabling explanation of high resistance of Lake Wigry to eutrophication. It was shown that co-precipitation of phosphates on calcite in the ecotone zone of Hańczańska Bay, where river waters mixed with lake waters, was an important process. Sedimentation of these substances in this lake part resulted in lower lake loading with phosphorus by as much as about 50%. The mechanisms were operating most of all during the vegetation season, when water pH exceeded 8.3. Availability of phosphorus to phytoplankton depended also on phosphate release from bottom sediments. The lowest rate of this release was observed in Hańczańska Bay. On the other hand, in autumn and winter the increase of organic matter decomposition and lowering of water pH enabled free spreading of pollutants over the whole lake.

 

Key words: phosphorus, calcium, river-lake system, ecotone, decalcification, precipitation, loading, eutrophication