Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination
Study region: The lower Athabasca River (LAR), Northern Alberta, Canada Study focus: The functionality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural waters largely depends upon its size and composition. Identifying the sources, associated properties and transport behavior of DOM is vital to understan...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581822000465 |
| _version_ | 1818288693750792192 |
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| author | Jin-Ping Xue Chad W. Cuss Tommy Noernberg Muhammad B. Javed Na Chen Rick Pelletier Yu Wang William Shotyk |
| author_facet | Jin-Ping Xue Chad W. Cuss Tommy Noernberg Muhammad B. Javed Na Chen Rick Pelletier Yu Wang William Shotyk |
| author_sort | Jin-Ping Xue |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Study region: The lower Athabasca River (LAR), Northern Alberta, Canada Study focus: The functionality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural waters largely depends upon its size and composition. Identifying the sources, associated properties and transport behavior of DOM is vital to understand its effects on downstream ecosystems. River mixing has great potential to alter DOM quality and transport, but the extent of these impacts is largely unknown in large boreal rivers. New hydrological insights for the region: Inputs of DOM from tributaries served as a major source and shifted DOM quantity and quality in the LAR towards higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and greater degrees of humification and aromaticity. Seasonal variations in DOM quality were observed during spring freshet, including elevated molecular mass (i.e., size), and proportions of protein-like components (i.e., tryptophan-like). The conservative and delayed mixing of DOM was apparent at three large confluences, and contrasting mixing patterns for different tributaries suggested that these patterns were governed by both hydrological conditions and river geomorphology. Results suggest that DOM may be generally useful as a conservative tracer at large confluences in boreal rivers, thus highlighting its potential importance as a tracer for source discrimination in mixing zones. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:00:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a075653da12f4b16b720ecdea12d9c42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-5818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:00:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-a075653da12f4b16b720ecdea12d9c422022-12-22T00:03:18ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182022-04-0140101033Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discriminationJin-Ping Xue0Chad W. Cuss1Tommy Noernberg2Muhammad B. Javed3Na Chen4Rick Pelletier5Yu Wang6William Shotyk7Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaCorrespondence to: Bocock Chair for Agriculture and the Environment, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 348B South Academic Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H1, Canada.; Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1, CanadaStudy region: The lower Athabasca River (LAR), Northern Alberta, Canada Study focus: The functionality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural waters largely depends upon its size and composition. Identifying the sources, associated properties and transport behavior of DOM is vital to understand its effects on downstream ecosystems. River mixing has great potential to alter DOM quality and transport, but the extent of these impacts is largely unknown in large boreal rivers. New hydrological insights for the region: Inputs of DOM from tributaries served as a major source and shifted DOM quantity and quality in the LAR towards higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and greater degrees of humification and aromaticity. Seasonal variations in DOM quality were observed during spring freshet, including elevated molecular mass (i.e., size), and proportions of protein-like components (i.e., tryptophan-like). The conservative and delayed mixing of DOM was apparent at three large confluences, and contrasting mixing patterns for different tributaries suggested that these patterns were governed by both hydrological conditions and river geomorphology. Results suggest that DOM may be generally useful as a conservative tracer at large confluences in boreal rivers, thus highlighting its potential importance as a tracer for source discrimination in mixing zones.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581822000465Dissolved organic matterRiver mixingCarbon transportSource discriminationAsymmetrical flow field-flow fractionationOptical properties |
| spellingShingle | Jin-Ping Xue Chad W. Cuss Tommy Noernberg Muhammad B. Javed Na Chen Rick Pelletier Yu Wang William Shotyk Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies Dissolved organic matter River mixing Carbon transport Source discrimination Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation Optical properties |
| title | Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination |
| title_full | Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination |
| title_fullStr | Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination |
| title_short | Size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing: Implications for carbon transport and source discrimination |
| title_sort | size and optical properties of dissolved organic matter in large boreal rivers during mixing implications for carbon transport and source discrimination |
| topic | Dissolved organic matter River mixing Carbon transport Source discrimination Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation Optical properties |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581822000465 |
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