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- Title
Unexpected declines in stream phosphorus concentrations across southern Ontario.
- Authors
Raney, Shanel M.; Eimers, M. Catherine
- Abstract
Long-term trends (1975-2010) in total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were evaluated at 113 stream stations across southern Ontario. Declines in TP were evident at the majority of sites (68%), including those both with ( n = 49) and without ( n = 64) upstream municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTP). Although declines in TP at stream stations downstream of MWWTPs may be attributed to improvements in P removal from treated effluent, declines at the remaining streams must be attributed to other causes. During the same time period, increases in chloride (Cl−) were observed at almost all (95%) of the 64 MWWTP-free stations. Over the past 35 years, urban land cover has increased at the expense of agricultural land area in Ontario, with the majority of these changes occurring in southern Ontario. The coincidence of declines in TP and increases in Cl− at the 64 MWWTP-free streams suggests that the two may be related, with P-rich agricultural fields being replaced with impervious surfaces and therefore increased road salt applications.
- Subjects
SOUTHERN Ontario; SEWAGE purification; LAND cover; PHOSPHORUS &; the environment; PHOSPHORUS in agriculture
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences, 2014, Vol 71, Issue 3, p337
- ISSN
0706-652X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1139/cjfas-2013-0300