Particulate Organic Carbon in the Tropical Usumacinta River, Southeast Mexico: Concentration, Flux, and Sources

Cuevas-Lara, Daniel; Alcocer, Javier; Cortés‐Guzmán, Daniela; Soria-Reinoso, Ismael; García‐Oliva, Felipe; Sánchez-Carrillo, Salvador; Oseguera, Luis A.

doi:10.3390/w13111561

Cited by 5 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 79 publications

(121 reference statements)

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“…Lower nitrate‐N concentrations in floodplain lakes than in the Usumacinta mainstem has been documented in previous studies, suggesting nitrogen removal in the floodplain (Castillo, 2020). Similarly, organic carbon retention have been evidenced for the Lower Usumacinta, estimating that 20% of the particulate organic carbon is retained downstream from Site 6 (Cuevas‐Lara et al, 2021). Thus, a portion of the nitrogen and phosphorus transported by the Usumacinta at Site 6 likely is being retained in the river floodplain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Transport of nutrients into the southern Gulf of Mexico by the Grijalva–Usumacinta rivers

Castillo-Uzcanga

Carrillo

Jarquín-Sánchez

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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Nutrient transport by rivers strongly influences ecosystem productivity and hypoxia zone formation in coastal areas. In this study, we estimated the transport of nitrogen and phosphorus by the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers that combined represent the second largest source of fresh water into the Gulf of Mexico. Water samples were collected monthly within an annual cycle at different sites (mainstem and tributaries) in the Lower Grijalva and Usumacinta basins to encompass the seasonal variation in discharge. Nitrogen (total nitrogen, nitrate-N, ammonium-N, and nitrite-N), phosphorus (total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus), and chlorophyll concentrations were determined, and annual loads estimated using the Beale ratio approach. Nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations were greater in the Grijalva than in the Usumacinta River. Stronger seasonal patterns in nutrient concentrations and discharge were identified in the Usumacinta, evincing the flow regulation experimented by the Grijalva. In the Grijalva, higher nutrient concentrations were measured at the De la Sierra and Pichucalco rivers, compared to the regulated Carrizal. TN:TP ratios were greater during the dry season in both rivers, and higher TN:TP occurred in the Usumacinta than in the Grijalva.The Usumacinta showed greater nutrient loads (nitrogen, 26790.6 Â 10 3 kg year À1 ; phosphorus, 3056.9 Â 10 3 kg year À1 ) than the Grijalva (nitrogen 19974.7 Â 10 3 kg year À1 ; phosphorus, 1941.8 Â 10 3 kg year À1 ). However, the Grijalva River showed higher soluble reactive phosphorus and ammonium-N loads and yields than the Usumacinta, likely explained by greater delivery of urban wastewater in the lower Grijalva Basin. The Grijalva-Usumacinta represents an important source of nitrogen compared to other rivers draining into the Gulf of Mexico, even though more disturbed rivers can exceed the phosphorus load. This study can contribute to the modelling of nutrient delivery into the Gulf of Mexico and to better understand the influence of tropical rivers in the formation of coastal hypoxia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Transport of nutrients into the southern Gulf of Mexico by the Grijalva–Usumacinta rivers

Castillo-Uzcanga

Carrillo

Jarquín-Sánchez

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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“…En otros momentos de alto caudal exportaron menos posiblemente por el agotamiento de dichos reservorios. En general, la condición exportadora de las cuencas en estudio tiene implicaciones importantes para ríos de mayor tamaño por la cantidad de carbono que se moviliza a través del transporte del material (Bunte et al, 2016;Cuevas-Lara et al, 2021;Turowski et al, 2016).…”

Section: Resultsunclassified

Efecto de la deforestación ribereña sobre la materia orgánica particulada gruesa en quebradas con influencia ganadera de la región Andina de Colombia

et al. 2022

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Introduction: Coarse particulate organic matter originated in riparian vegetation is the main source of energy in many headwater streams. However, the transfer of such material is altered by the destruction of forests. Objective: To assess flow differences of this organic matter in streams with forests and grasslands. Methods: We compared input, storage and export of this organic matter in the riparian belts of streams with forests, and streams with grasslands, in the central Andean region of Colombia. For each stream, we measured vertical and lateral litter with baskets; stream bed litter with a quadrant, and matter export with drift nets, in a 100 m reach. Results: The streams with riparian forest received an average of 915 g m-2 of coarse particulate organic matter annually, exported a total of 334 g m-3 and stored 732 g m-2, values that were significantly higher than in grassland streams, where the corresponding values were: 125.4 g m-2; 128 g m-3 and 205.5 g m-2. Conclusions: The removal of tree cover from the riparian zone reduced the organic matter in these headwater streams of Colombia.

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“…Since the mid-20th century, land use change has followed different routes in the middle and lower basins of these rivers [46,47]. Recent reports indicate that these contrasts are relevant to nutrient dynamics, affecting ecological processes in the plain [48][49][50][51]. Furthermore, the Grijalva (660 km in length) is regulated by four impoundments (hydroelectric dams) on its main channel (La Angostura, Chicoasén, Malpaso and Peñitas) [52,53].…”

Section: Hydrological Regimenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flocculation Patterns Related to Intra-Annual Hydrodynamics Variability in the Lower Grijalva-Usumacinta System

Izquierdo-Ayala¹,

García-Aragón²,

Castillo-Uzcanga

et al. 2023

Water

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Particle aggregation modifies sediment dynamics, which is a determining factor for morphodynamic and ecological processes in deltaic plains. Here, we investigated the link between intra-annual hydrodynamics variability and flocculation in the Grijalva-Usumacinta system. Monthly (2016–2017) and seasonal (2021–2022) river data was processed using analytical methods and the simplified sonar equation. Flocs were reformed and characterized in the laboratory, validating the in situ settling velocities (0.5–3.8 mm/s) and the existence of large low-density macro-flocs (>300 μm). We verified that flocculation prevailed, exhibiting seasonal patterns; (1) the highest aggregation rates matched the increase in total suspended solids at rising-flow (>100 mg/L), (2) periods of high-flow showed stable aggregation rates, and (3) an influence of marine conditions occurred at low-flow. Particulate phosphorous and organic fraction showed seasonal patterns linked to flocculation. Due to damming, the shear rates varied slightly (7–11 L/s) in the Grijalva, leading to high flocculation intensities affecting the diffusivity ratio. In the Usumacinta, aggregation was limited by shear rates that normally exceed 15 1/s. We found seasonal Rouse parameters representative of sediment dynamics.

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Particulate Organic Carbon in the Tropical Usumacinta River, Southeast Mexico: Concentration, Flux, and Sources

Cited by 5 publications

References 79 publications

Transport of nutrients into the southern Gulf of Mexico by the Grijalva–Usumacinta rivers

Transport of nutrients into the southern Gulf of Mexico by the Grijalva–Usumacinta rivers

Efecto de la deforestación ribereña sobre la materia orgánica particulada gruesa en quebradas con influencia ganadera de la región Andina de Colombia

Flocculation Patterns Related to Intra-Annual Hydrodynamics Variability in the Lower Grijalva-Usumacinta System

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