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Gas Production in Sediments of Lake Mendota, Wisconsin¹

ABSTRACT

Nitrate added to Lake Mendota sediment samples incubated under anoxic conditions disappeared rapidly. When ¹⁵NO₃ was added, ¹⁵N₂ appeared in the atmosphere within 24 hours. Gas collected from sediments in situ contained from 24 to 50% N₂ and from 45 to 75% CH₄. Sediment samples from three sites in the lake varying in depth of water column were incubated under He in the laboratory. Production of N₂ and CH₄ increased with time at a low (2 ppm) level of NO₃-N addition, but CH₄ production was inhibited for at least 27 days by addition of 100 to 1000 ppm NO₃-N. Production of N₂ was less at 1000 than at 500 ppm NO₃-N added, probably due to suppression of the nitric oxide reductase enzyme system. Evidence was obtained that the denitrification pathway in lake sediments is the same as that reported for submerged soils. namely: NO₃^– NO₂^– N₂O N₂.

Key Words: nitrogen gas • CH₄ gas • denitrification

¹ Research supported by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and by a research grant from the Federal Water Quality Administration, no. 16010 EHR. Presented before Div. S-2, S-3 and S-4, Soil Science Society of America, Tucson, Ariz., Aug. 26, 1970.

² Research Assistant, Associate Professor, Project Associate, Department of Soil Science; Visiting Professor, Department of Bacteriology; and Project Associate, Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, respectively. The third and fourth authors are currently Research Analyst, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, and Senior Lecturer, Department of General Bacteriology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, respectively.

Received for publication May 12, 1971.