We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Extreme water level decline effects sediment distribution and composition in Lake Alexandrina, South Australia.
- Authors
Skinner, Dominic; Oliver, Rod; Aldridge, Kane; Brookes, Justin
- Abstract
Water level decline affects the biophysical environment of shallow lakes. Unprecedented drought in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin resulted in extreme water level drawdown in the large, shallow Lake Alexandrina at the end of the River Murray. Surface sediment was collected from 22 sites in the lake before and after water levels declined to assess the integrated limnological changes over the period of drawdown. Results indicate an increase in the proportion of organic particles in profundal sediments, as well as an increase of fine particles (<19.9 μm) in peripheral sediments. These changes to sediment composition corresponded to higher concentrations of suspended particles at low water levels. Increased autochthony and a shift in primary production from macrophytes to phytoplankton in Lake Alexandrina support these findings. Inorganic carbon and other nutrients were lost from sandy sediments most likely through carbonate dissolution driven by a localized decrease in pore water pH from increased mineralisation of organic matter.
- Subjects
LAKE Alexandrina (S. Aust.); LAKE sediments; WATER levels; MACROPHYTES; PH effect; PHYTOPLANKTON
- Publication
Limnology, 2014, Vol 15, Issue 2, p117
- ISSN
1439-8621
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10201-013-0422-z