Using Lagrangian sampling to study water quality during downstream transport in the San Luis Drain, California, USA

Volkmar, Emily C.; Dahlgren, Randy A.; Stringfellow, William T.; Henson, Solomon S.; Borglin, Sharon; Kendall, Carol; Nieuwenhuyse, Erwin E. Van

doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2011.01.029

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In addition, we used a survey method to estimate benthic substrate, macrophyte, and zebra mussel density, recorded as percent cover (%). On the next sampling pass, we only sampled for eDNA using a Lagrangian‐style approach (Volkmar et al., ), again sampling at river right, mid‐channel, and river left. By floating with the river, with only gentle corrections from an onboard motor, we effectively followed a parcel of water as it flowed downstream.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We sampled longitudinally, with distances increasing between transects as we travelled further downstream from Silkeborg Lake (0 m). Using a Lagrangian‐style sampling method (Kobayashi & Iwata, ; Volkmar et al., ), in which we follow a water parcel as it moved downstream over the natural gradient of zebra mussels (i.e. the eDNA source), we examined the decline in concentration as we travelled further from dense zebra mussel beds.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Riverine distribution of mussel environmental DNA reflects a balance among density, transport, and removal processes

et al. 2019

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Sampling water for environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging tool for documenting species presence without direct observation, allowing for earlier detection and faster response than conventional sampling methods in aquatic ecosystems. However, current understanding of how eDNA is transported in streams and rivers remains imprecise, with uncertainty of how the unique transport properties of eDNA may influence the interpretation of a positive detection. To test the utility of eDNA sensing in flowing waters, we compared quantitative eDNA analyses to zebra mussel density surveys in a Danish river. Although flowing water complicates the relationships between eDNA production, transport, and removal, we found weak but positive relationships between eDNA concentration, zebra mussels, and biophysical parameters. For example, while zebra mussel densities were only moderately predicted by eDNA concentrations, eDNA was most strongly influenced by nutrient concentrations and water velocity. These results may be used to inform future sampling strategies, where hydrological variables could better constrain eDNA fate. We also modelled estimates for net eDNA transport, retention, and degradation to estimate the relative importance of these processes for removing eDNA from the water column. In our study system, physical retention accounted for c. 70% of removal when compared to degradation alone, making it an important process to consider when assessing downstream eDNA transport.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Riverine distribution of mussel environmental DNA reflects a balance among density, transport, and removal processes

et al. 2019

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“…A Lagrangian sampling scheme was applied by which a specific object (here, the parcel of water moving downstream) is tracked through space and time rather than at a specific location through time (Eulerian approach). This is more useful to identify in-stream processes altering the chemical, physical, and biological properties during downstream transport [31,32]. For each campaign, the flow time of the water was calculated with the 1-dimensional hydrodynamic model HYDRAX [33] to minimize time-related biases in the calculations of the flow-time-concordant sampling sites and the input and output fluxes for the investigated river segment.…”

Section: Sampling and Laboratory Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Mass Balance of Nitrogen in a Large Lowland River (Elbe, Germany)

Ritz

Fischer

2019

Water

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Nitrogen (N) delivered by rivers causes severe eutrophication in many coastal waters, and its turnover and retention are therefore of major interest. We set up a mass balance along a 582 km river section of a large, N-rich lowland river to quantify N retention along this river segment and to identify the underlying processes. Our assessments are based on four Lagrangian sampling campaigns performed between 2011 and 2013. Water quality data served as a basis for calculations of N retention, while chlorophyll-a and zooplankton counts were used to quantify the respective primary and secondary transformations of dissolved inorganic N into biomass. The mass balance revealed an average N retention of 17 mg N m−2 h−1 for both nitrate N (NO3–N) and total N (TN). Stoichiometric estimates of the assimilative N uptake revealed that, although NO3–N retention was associated with high phytoplankton assimilation, only a maximum of 53% of NO3–N retention could be attributed to net algal assimilation. The high TN retention rates in turn were most probably caused by a combination of seston deposition and denitrification. The studied river segment acts as a TN sink by retaining almost 30% of the TN inputs, which shows that large rivers can contribute considerably to N retention during downstream transport.

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“…In coordination with the effluent diversion, we used a Lagrangian (parcel‐tracking) approach to track downstream chemical and biological changes in river‐water parcels that received WWTP effluent (+EFF) and water parcels that did not (−EFF). The Lagrangian approach offered advantages over an Eulerian (fixed‐point) sampling strategy by allowing us to assess the effects of effluent and its attendant high

{NH}_{4}^{+}

concentrations in situ, while minimizing the confounding effects of spatial and temporal variability in constituent concentrations, bidirectional flow, irradiance, and upstream inoculum (Welker and Walz , Scherwass et al , Volkmar et al ).…”

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confidence: 99%

A river‐scale Lagrangian experiment examining controls on phytoplankton dynamics in the presence and absence of treated wastewater effluent high in ammonium

Kraus

Carpenter

Bergamaschi

et al. 2017

Limnology & Oceanography

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Phytoplankton are critical component of the food web in most large rivers and estuaries, and thus identifying dominant controls on phytoplankton abundance and species composition is important to scientists, managers, and policymakers. Recent studies from a variety of systems indicate that ammonium (NH 1 4 ) in treated wastewater effluent decreases primary production and alters phytoplankton species composition. However, these findings are based mainly on laboratory and enclosure studies, which may not adequately represent natural systems. To test effects of effluent high in ammonium on phytoplankton at the ecosystem scale, we conducted whole-river-scale experiments by halting discharges to the Sacramento River from the regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and used a Lagrangian approach to compare changes in phytoplankton abundance and species composition in the presence (1EFF) and absence (2EFF) of effluent. Over 5 d of downstream travel from 20 km above to 50 km below the WWTP, chlorophyll concentrations declined from 15-25 to 2.5 lg L 21 , irrespective of effluent addition. Benthic diatoms were dominant in most samples. We found no significant difference in phytoplankton abundance or species composition between 1EFF and 2EFF conditions. Moreover, greatest declines in chlorophyll occurred upstream of the WWTP where NH 1 4 concentrations were low. Grazing by clams and zooplankton could not account for observed losses, suggesting other factors such as hydrodynamics and light limitation were responsible for phytoplankton declines. These results highlight the advantages of conducting ecosystem-scale, Lagrangian-based experiments to understand the dynamic and complex interplay between physical, chemical, and biological factors that control phytoplankton populations.

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Using Lagrangian sampling to study water quality during downstream transport in the San Luis Drain, California, USA

Cited by 7 publications

References 37 publications

Riverine distribution of mussel environmental DNA reflects a balance among density, transport, and removal processes

Riverine distribution of mussel environmental DNA reflects a balance among density, transport, and removal processes

A Mass Balance of Nitrogen in a Large Lowland River (Elbe, Germany)

A river‐scale Lagrangian experiment examining controls on phytoplankton dynamics in the presence and absence of treated wastewater effluent high in ammonium

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