Prediction of Phosphorus Release Rates from Total and Reductant-Soluble Phosphorus in Anoxic Lake Sediments

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Abstract
Release rates of phosphorus from anoxic sediment surfaces in seven North American lakes were determined from core tube incubations. These rates were compared with several P fractions within the 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers of the corresponding sediment. Regressions of release rates both on total sediment P and on reductant-soluble P were highly significant. Analysis of literature data from lakes worldwide also showed significant relationships between the release rates and total sediment P and citrate dithionite bicarbonate extractable P. Mass balance calculations for individual cores indicated that reductant-soluble P decreases in wet surficial sediments, while total P in the overlying water increases. The release rates of different P fractions in the water — total, soluble reactive, and total reactive P — were very similar, indicating the high biological availability of the released P.

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