[en] The Tana River basin (TRB) is the largest in Kenya (_120 000 km2). We conducted a survey during the dry season throughout the TRB, analyzing a broad suite of biogeochemical parameters. Biogeochemical signatures in
headwater streams were highly variable. Along the middle and lower river course, total suspended matter (TSM) concentrations increased more than 30-fold despite the absence of tributary inputs, indicating important resuspension events of internally stored sediment. These resuspended sediment inputs were characterized by a lower and 14C-depleted OC content, suggesting selective degradation of more recent material during sediment retention. Masinga Dam (a large reservoir on the upper river) induced a strong nutrient retention (_50% for inorganic N, _72% for inorganic phosphate,
and _40% for dissolved silicate). Moreover, while DOC pools and _13C signatures were similar above, in and below the reservoir, the POC pool in Masinga surface waters was dominated by 13C-depleted phytoplankton, which contributed to the riverine POC pool immediately below the dam, but rapidly disappeared further downstream, suggesting rapid remineralization of this labile C pool in the river system.
Despite the generally high turbidity, the combination of relatively high oxygen saturation levels, low _18O signatures of dissolved O2 (all <+24.2‰), and the relatively low pCO2 values suggest that in-stream primary production was significant, even though pigment data suggest that phytoplankton makes only a minor contribution to the total POC pool in the Tana River.
Research center :
FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Disciplines :
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Author, co-author :
Bouillon, S.
Abril, G.
Borges, Alberto ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Océanographie chimique
Dehairs, F.
Govers, G.
Hughes, H.
Merckx, R.
Meysman, F. J. R.
Nyunja, J.
Osburn, C.
Middelburg, J. J.
Language :
English
Title :
Distribution, origin and cycling of carbon in the Tana River (Kenya): a dry season basin-scale survey from headwaters to the delta
Publication date :
2009
Journal title :
Biogeosciences
ISSN :
1726-4170
eISSN :
1726-4189
Publisher :
European Geosciences Union, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
Volume :
6
Issue :
0
Pages :
2475-2493
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Name of the research project :
AFRIVAL
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
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