Tuesday, May 19, 2009
267

Linking organic carbon cycling within hyporheic zone of a small lowland river and greenhouse gases emissions

Martin Rulik1, Václav Mach2, Lenka Brablcová2, Iva Buriánková2, and Jana Cupalová2. (1) Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic & Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), Korea, Šlechtitelů 11, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Mohyeon-myeon, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 449-791, Korea,, Olomouc, Czech Republic, (2) Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science,, Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, Šlechtitelů 11, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Our long-term study revealed that respiration of oxygen, nitrate, sulfate and methanogenesis may simultaneously coexist within the hyporheic zone and that coupling of anaerobic metabolism and methanogenesis appear to be an important pathway in organic carbon cycling in the unpolluted lowland stream Sitka sediments (Czech Republic). At least 80 % of sediment organic matter was respired via anaerobic respiration (denitrification, sulfate and CO2 reduction). In addition, these processes result in production of excess of the CO2, CH4, and N2O which make the interstitial water supersaturated of those gases with respect to atmosphere and allow their fluxes to overlying water and further to the atmosphere. Totally,  211 t of greenhouse gases were annually emitted to the atmosphere from the water level of the Sitka stream (~ 0.2 km2) with a dominant proportion being CO2. From the point of view of their ecological role we have suggested that hyporheic sediments represent a sink for some nutrients (e.g. nitrates), while sources of biodegradable DOC for surface stream and gases that are widely believed to affect global climate change.

 Research was supported by a grant NPV II 2B06101 (Czech Republic) and HUFS Faculty Research Grant (Korea).



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