Study of phytopigments in river bed sediments: effects of the organic matter, nutrients and metal composition

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 153; no. 1-4; pp. 147 - 159
• Main Authors: Devesa-Rey, R., Moldes, A. B., Díaz-Fierros, F., Barral, M. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2009; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algae; Algal growth; Aluminum; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquaculture; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biofilms; Biological and medical sciences; Carotenoids; Carotenoids - analysis; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll - analysis; Chlorophyll A; Contamination; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental science; Eutrophication; Exact sciences and technology; Fluvial sediments; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Heavy metals; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Inland water environment; Iron; Metabolism; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals - analysis; Mineral nutrients; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - analysis; Nutrients; Organic matter; Oxalic acid; Phaeophytin; Phosphorus; Phosphorus - analysis; Phytoplankton; Pigments, Biological - analysis; Plankton; Pollutants; Pollution sources; Pollution, environment geology; River beds; Riverbeds; Rivers; Sediment; Sediment samples; Sedimentation & deposition; Sediments; Spain; Studies; Synecology; Synergistic effect; Zinc; Iberian Peninsula; Southern Europe; Europe; Spain; Chlorophyll; Carotenoids; Phaeophytin; Sediments; Phytopigments; impact statements; stream transport; minerals; oxalates; carotenoids; regression analysis; algae; metals; pollution; nutrients; environment impact; phytoplankton; copper; plankton; Thallophyta; phosphorus; rivers; pigments; fresh-water environment; eutrophication; nitrogen; Plantae; chlorophyll; organic minerals; organic materials; metabolism
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-008-0345-z

Phytopigment estimation has a considerable interest in the evaluation of freshwater bodies’ quality, because it takes into account the synergistic effect of nutrients like phosphorus or nitrogen on algal growth producing eutrophication. Furthermore, their increasing concentration constitutes the first step in the formation of biofilms on the surface sediments, adding a new and very important element to the dynamic nature of the surface sediments. In this study the distribution of phytoplankton—in terms of chlorophyll- a , chlorophyll- b , phaeophytin- a , phaeophytin- b , total carotenoids, total chlorophyll, and total phaeophytin—was evaluated in river bed sediments. Samples collected at sites with low levels of nutrients (P,N) and metal concentrations showed lower phytopigment concentrations than those collected at the sampling sites affected by sources of pollution. Phytoplankton concentrations were directly and highly related to the organic matter concentrations—in particular to the humic fraction—as well as to the total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus ( P T ) and available phosphorus ( P A ) concentrations in sediments. In addition, phytoplankton also correlates positively with Cu, Zn, Fe and Al extracted in oxalate, being Cu the variable that most influences the phytopigment growth. These are essential metals for the metabolism of the phytoplankton, so therefore the increase in metal concentrations can increase algal growth, unless they reach toxic levels.