Name
Hydrological Controls on Phosphorus Source–Sink Dynamics in a Freshwater Mineral Wetland in Eastern Ontario
Date & Time
Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Description
Nutrient management in minerotrophic freshwater wetlands is critical for sustaining ecosystem function, like long-term carbon burial and water purification. Agricultural inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) shift wetland biogeochemistry. P is the limiting nutrient for primary production in freshwater ecosystems, therefore disproportionately increasing risk of cultural eutrophication, altering vegetation structure, and influencing greenhouse gas emissions. Improved spatiotemporal understanding of wetland P export informs risks and solutions, safeguarding ecosystem services. This study investigates dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) surface-water concentrations across six months in a freshwater mineral wetland embedded in an agriculturally dominated landscape in Eastern Ontario. The objectives are to evaluate how hydrological controls, and vegetation interact with surface water nutrient patterns; and understand how these variables affect source–sink behaviour. From May–November 2024, surface-water samples were collected quasi-daily at the inlet and outlet using an automated sampler. Chemical analyses (ICP-OES, colorimetry) quantify total and bioavailable P fractions, while vegetation P concentrations were estimated with bi-weekly sampling using X-ray fluorescence. Water-table height and soil-moisture on-site measurements provide hydrological context. Precipitation data is collected from the nearest weather station. Statistical analyses compare nutrient–hydrology–vegetation dynamics across seasons and between inlet-outlet. Preliminary results suggest contrasting behaviours where DRP exhibits net sink dynamics, while TDP indicates net source dynamics, highlighting internal loading processes and seasonally variable biogeochemical controls. Significant lagged correlations between higher soil moisture at deeper soil depths followed by higher P surface water concentrations suggest legacy P may play a role in P pulses.
Location Name
DSU 307
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
400
Speaker Organization
McGill
Session Name
IAH-7 (2 of 2)
Co-authors
Shir Gruber¹*, Christian von Sperber¹, Lev Stefanovich-Thomson¹, Henry Bain¹, Julie Cagnard¹ *Presenting author ¹ Department of Geography, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
Presenting Author
Shir Gruber