A stable isotope investigation of the seasonal variability of nutrients and organic matter in the Zenne river
Ping, G. (2001). A stable isotope investigation of the seasonal variability of nutrients and organic matter in the Zenne river. MSc Thesis. VUB: Brussel. 84 pp.
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Document type: Dissertation
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| Abstract |
The Zenne River is one of the main tributaries of Rupel, which is the major tributary of the Scheldt. Therefore, the Zenne river can directly affect organic matter load of the Scheldt estuary. Zenne River receives waste water from the city of Brussels without treatment. During low river discharge, the sewage flow represents about one-half of the total flow (Abril et al., 2000). Many sources contribute to the present load in the Zenne River, hence determining the origin of the organic matter by using stable C and N isotope signature is one of the major objectives of this study. Results indicated that in winter almost all riverine organic matter is derived from terrestrial matter. In summer, in situ production is low, with terrestrial matter still being the main component of SPOM for the largest part of the Zenne in the north of Brussels. In situ phytoplankton production is only detectable after the Zenne merges with the Dijle and with the Rupel. Generally, no clearly seasonal variation was observed in the stable isotope signature of delta13CDIC, delta13CSPOM and delta15NSPOM. |
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