Widespread and persistent oligotrophication of northern rivers

Phosphorus (P) is often a limiting nutrient in freshwaters and most management actions aim to reduce eutrophication associated with excess anthropogenic P inputs. Here, we report on the opposite problem, persistent and widespread oligotrophication (i.e., declining P concentrations) in northern river...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2024-12, Vol.955, p.177261, Article 177261
Main Authors: Nilsson, Jenny L., Camiolo, Sara, Huser, Brian, Agstam-Norlin, Oskar, Futter, Martyn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alkalinity
calcium
Climate change
Ecological quality ratio
environment
eutrophication
Forest growth
forests
Oligotrophication
organic carbon
Phosphorus
Recovery from acidification
runoff
surface water
temperature
Terrestrial greening
water management
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Summary:Phosphorus (P) is often a limiting nutrient in freshwaters and most management actions aim to reduce eutrophication associated with excess anthropogenic P inputs. Here, we report on the opposite problem, persistent and widespread oligotrophication (i.e., declining P concentrations) in northern rivers (56o-66o N) that appears unrelated to reductions in anthropogenic loading. Over the past forty years, P concentrations and fluxes in rivers draining forest dominated Swedish catchments have declined by nearly 50 %, with steeper declines in nutrient poor locations. Trends are negatively correlated with forest growth, temperature, pH and alkalinity. They are unrelated to trends in calcium, organic carbon and runoff. Declining P trends were strongest in locations draining catchments with shallow, nutrient poor soils and P concentrations in most locations are currently below estimated reference levels. These widespread and ongoing P declines highlight the need for new surface water management paradigms addressing the consequences of both nutrient scarcity and surplus. [Display omitted] •Phosphorus (P) concentrations have declined by close to half in many Swedish rivers•P concentrations are now below reference (background) levels in many rivers•Declining P concentrations may be related to increased forest growth•A “less is better” paradigm is not always appropriate for nutrient management
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177261