Landscape Control on the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Dissolved Organic Carbon in Large African Rivers
tropical rivers; dissolved organic matter; land cover
Abstract :
[en] The characteristics of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) as well as the concentrations and stable isotope composition (d 13 C) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were characterized in several large rivers of Africa including the Congo, Niger, Zambezi, and Ogooué basins. We compared the spatial and temporal patterns of dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity and quality along with various environmental gradients, including hydrology, river size, catchment vegetation, and connectivity to land. The optical proxies used include the absorption coefficient at 350 nm, the specific ultraviolet absorbance, and the spectral slope ratio (S R = 275–295-nm slope divided by 350–400-nm slope). Our results show that land cover plays a primary role in controlling both DOC concentration and optical properties of DOM in tropical freshwaters. A higher cover of dense forest in the catchment leads to a higher quantity of highly aromatic DOM in the river network, whereas an increasing savannah cover results in lower DOC concentrations and less absorptive DOM. In addition to land cover, the watershed morphology (expressed by the average slope) exerts a strong control on DOC and CDOM in tropical rivers. Our results also show that the percentage of C3 and C4 vegetation cover is not an accurate predictor for DOM and CDOM quality in rivers due to the importance of the spatial distribution of land cover within the drainage network. The comparison of our results with previously published CDOM data in temperate and high-latitude rivers highlights that DOM in tropical freshwa-ters is generally more aromatic, and shows a higher capacity for absorbing sunlight irradiance.
Research center :
FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Disciplines :
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Author, co-author :
Lambert, Thibault ; Université de Liège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Océanographie chimique
Darchambeau, François ; Université de Liège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Océanographie chimique
Bouillon, Steven; K.U. Leuven > Department Earth and Environmental Sciences
Alhou, Bassirou; University of Niamey
Mbega, Jean-Daniel; Institut de Recherches Agronomiques et Forestières du Gabon
Teodoru, Cristian; K.U. Leuven > Department Earth and Environmental Sciences
Nyoni, Frank; University of Zambia > Integrated Water Resources Management Center
Massicotte, Philippe; Université du Québec > Département des sciences de l’environnement
Borges, Alberto ; Université de Liège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Océanographie chimique
Language :
English
Title :
Landscape Control on the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Dissolved Organic Carbon in Large African Rivers
Publication date :
18 June 2015
Journal title :
Ecosystems
ISSN :
1432-9840
eISSN :
1435-0629
Publisher :
Springer Science & Business Media B.V.
Volume :
18
Issue :
-
Pages :
1224–1239
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
European Projects :
FP7 - 240002 - AFRIVAL - African river basins: catchment-scale carbon fluxes and transformations.
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