Phosphorus Species in the Surficial Sediments of Lakes of Eastern North America

Abstract

Species of phosphorus, total iron, and organic matter were determined from surficial profundal sediments of 66 lakes of eastern North America. The lakes represented a broad range of lake type, from oligotrophic to eutrophic and from soft water to moderately alkaline. The sediment characteristics were less variable than the lake characteristics. Highly significant correlations were found between percent loss on ignition and sedimentary organic phosphorus and between sedimentary iron and NH 4 Cl-extractable, NaOH-extractable, HCl-extractable, total inorganic, and total phosphorus in the sediments. There was no relationship between spring total phosphorus or alkalinity and any sediment character measured. The results suggest that lakes with high sedimentary iron have disproportionately higher concentrations of NH 4 Cl and NaOH-extractable phosphorus, two species that are most likely to contribute to internal loading of phosphorus.