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TECHNICAL REPORTS

Wetlands and Aquatic Processes

Relationships between Benthic Sediments and Water Column Phosphorus in Illinois Streams

^a Dep. of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, W-503 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801
^b School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana Univ., 1315 E. Tenth St., Bloomington, IN 47405
^c Current address: Dep. of Crop and Soil Sciences, Pennsylvania State Univ., Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, University Park, PA 16802

^* Corresponding author (mdm391{at}psu.edu).

Received for publication February 19, 2008. Sediments can be important in regulating stream water P concentrations, and this has implications for establishing nutrient standards that have not been fully investigated. We evaluated abiotic and biotic processes to better understand the role of sediments in determining stream water dissolved P concentrations. Sediment and stream water samples were collected during low discharge from 105 streams across Illinois and analyzed for equilibrium P concentration at zero release or retention (EPC₀), P sorption characteristics, stream water P concentration, and sediment particle size. In addition, four east-central Illinois streams were repeatedly sampled to examine temporal patterns in sediment P retention and biotic processing of P. Median dissolved reactive P (DRP) and total P concentrations across the state were 0.081 and 0.168 mg L^–1, respectively. Sediment EPC₀ concentrations were related to stream water DRP concentrations (r_s = 0.75). Sediment silt+clay (and co-correlated organic matter) was related to sorbed P (r_s = –0.49) and the reactive sediment pool of P (r_s = 0.76). However, for most sites this pool was small given the coarse textures present (median silt+clay was 5.7%). Repeated sampling at the four intensive sites showed little variation in EPC₀ values or alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting overall stream conditions regulated the biotic processing. Biotic retention of P was 32% of short-term P removal. We conclude that sediments in Illinois streams are a reflection of and partially affected by stream water P concentrations through both abiotic and biotic processes. Sediments seem unlikely to alter annual stream P loads, but may affect concentrations at low discharge.

Abbreviations: APA, alkaline phosphatase activity • BLS, Black Slough • DDW, distilled-deionized water • DRP, dissolved reactive phosphorus • EMC, Embarras at Camargo, IL • EMM, Embarras at Meander • EPC₀, equilibrium phosphate concentration at zero release or retention • LOI, loss on ignition • OM, organic matter • PSI, phosphorus adsorption index • Q, discharge • r_s, Spearman's correlation coefficient • RSP, reactive sediment pool of phosphorus • SF, Salt Fork in the Vermilion watershed • WWTP, wastewater treatment plant