Interactions of land use and dynamic river conditions on sorption equilibria between benthic sediments and river soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations

Within-river cycling of P is a crucial link between catchment pollution sources and the resulting ecological impacts and integrates the biogeochemistry and hydrodynamics of river systems. This study investigates benthic sediment P sorption in relation to river soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations during high- to low-flow changes in a major mixed land use river system in NE Scotland. We hypothesised that sediments comprised P sinks during moderate to higher flows but became P saturated with loss of buffering function during prolonged baseflow. Sediment characteristics were evaluated and equilibrium P concentrations (EPC0) calculated using a standardised batch adsorption method (EPC0 values 0.04–1.75 μmol P l−1). Pollution-impacted tributaries (32–69% catchment agricultural land cover) had increased SRP concentrations (0.19–2.62 μmol P l−1) and maintained EPC0 < SRP values during changing flow conditions. Moorland-dominated tributaries and main stem sites had small SRP concentrations (0.03–0.19 μmol P l−1) but showed EPC0 > SRP values during summer baseflow so that sediments were indicated as P sources. This deviation from a geochemical sediment–water P equilibrium was attributed to biological accumulation of P from the water column into the sediments. In particular, large stores of sediment P accumulated in main stem reaches below agricultural tributaries and this may be consequential for sensitive downstream ecosystems. Hence, biogeochemical processes at the river bed may strongly influence river SRP cycling between geochemical and biotic pools. The nature of this internal reservoir of river P and its ecosystem interactions needs better understanding to enable best results to be attained from catchment mitigation actions designed to maintain/improve ecological status under the Water Framework Directive.