Organic matter compositions and DOM release from the sediments of the shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River region, China

The contents of different organic matter components and dissolved organic matter (DOM) release kinetics of the sediments from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River region were investigated, and their relationships discussed. The results show that organic C (OC) ranged from 8.14 to 43.65 g kg−1, dissolved organic C (DOC) from 0.38 to 1.38 g kg−1, active organic C (AOC) from 1.12 to 4.45 g kg−1, heavy fraction organic C (HFOC) from 6.86 to 39.08 g kg−1, accounting for 2.42–9.34%, 8.66–29.72% and 84.29–93.18% of OC, respectively. With increasing of OC content the ratios of DOC to OC and AOC to OC decreased. The contents of AOC, DOC, light fraction organic C (LFOC) and their contribution ratios to OC in studied sediments were higher than those reported in soils. The DOM release process of the studied sediments includes rapid and slow stages, and the rapid release occurred within 30 min, mainly in 5 min. The DOM release kinetic data in this investigation can be best fitted by the Power Function model. The correlations between total N (TN), total P (TP), OC, DOC, AOC, LFOC, HFOC and the DOM release kinetic parameters (k, c, a, b, rate30) of the sediments were significant. There were also significant correlations between TN, TP, OC, DOC, LFOC and HFOC in sediments. So the DOM release from sediment was not only related to the OC content, but also related to the organic matter composition characteristics, especially the contents of DOC, AOC and LFOC.

► We confirm the contents of OC, DOC, AOC, HFOC and LFOC in studied sediments.
► The correlations between TN, TP, OC, DOC, AOC, LFOC, HFOC and the DOM release kinetic parameters of the sediments were significant.
► With the increasing of OC content the ratios of DOC to OC and AOC to OC decreased.
► The DOM release was related to the OC content.
► The DOM release was also related the organic matter composition characteristics.