Riparian alder fens — Source or sink for nutrients and dissolved organic carbon? — 1. Effects of water level fluctuations

AbstractThe biogeochemistry of riparian alder wetlands was studied from 1995 to 1997. Nutrient and DOC chemistry was related to water level changes. The spatial and temporal patterns of nutrients (P and N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured in the surface water flowing through a riparian alder fen and in the adjacent creek. Nutrient and DOC concentrations were extremely variable temporally but not spatially within the wetland. In the wetland and the adjacent creek concentrations of NO3-N, PO4-P and DOC were homogenous during high-flow periods and frozen conditions. After low-flow conditions water bodies were isolated from the creek. The concentration of NH4-N, PO4-P and DOC in these isolated water bodies was significantly higher than in the adjacent creeks due to low oxygen levels.Enclosures of different sizes were installed in the wetland to study possible release rates. A large enclosure experiment in the flooded alder fen showed the same concentrations as after high-flood conditions except for DOC. The DOC concentrations were enriched in the large enclosure after decomposition from leaf litter during fall season. Small enclosures with low oxygen levels confirmed data obtained from low-flow conditions. The release rates were calculated for low-flow conditions from small enclosure experiments for 2 months a year when the alder fen is not flooded. The rates for July and August were 11.6 kg/ha NH4-N, 8.6 kg/ha PO4-P and 57.6 kg/ha DOC. The DOC concentrations for fall estimated from the large enclosure-experiments were 168.2 kg/ha for the months September and October.This means possible output rates of N, P and DOC during the summer and DOC during fall in the adjacent river system. This can cause eutrophication and organic pollution depending on the length of the low-flow conditions and the size of the alder fen. Water level changes must be regarded as important for the management of riparian wetlands such as alder fens. The riparian alder system may vary from a nutrient sink to a nutrient source at different times of a year depending on high or low water levels