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Dissolved organic carbon dynamics in an urban desert stream ecosystem in central Arizona-Phoenix

Publication date: 2005

Author(s):

  • Jennifer Edmonds, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
  • Nancy Grimm, Arizona State University

Abstract:

Variation in stream chemistry is a function of the strength of terrestrial-aquatic linkages, the extent to which surface and groundwater exchanges, and the rate of instream biotic processes. The importance of these variables may fluctuate as a function of climate regime, catchment geomorphology, or level of human impact. A mechanistic understanding of the influence of each of these variables on ecosystem functioning will increase understanding of the role of streams in global nutrient and carbon cycles. Of particular interest is dissolved organic carbon (DOC), an important source of carbon and energy for microbial processes. Respiration by heterotrophic bacterial communities has recently been linked to the quality (ability of microbes to utilize C source) of the DOC pool in streams. DOC not only influences stream nutrient supply, but also the transport of contaminants and the attenuation of UV radiation. This dissertation focused on DOC delivery to two arid-land stream ecosystems, one native desert (Sycamore Creek, AZ), and one urban (Phoenix, AZ). The overall objectives of this work were to (1) document patterns in DOC quantity and chemical composition in response to flooding and groundwater exchange, (2) generate and test hypotheses explaining variation in DOC quantity and quality and (3) relate this variation to microbial activity. In the native desert stream ecosystem, the climate regime influenced seasonal variation in the quantity and quality of DOC inputs, with higher complexity and higher concentrations of DOC in summer monsoonal runoff. In contrast, human alteration of geomorphology and hydrologic flowpaths in the Phoenix metropolitan area significantly influenced streamwater chemistry in comparison to low-impact streams in the Sonoran Desert. In the city, mechanisms of nutrient retention and transformation were often shifted from dominance by biotic to abiotic ones, severely dampening the influence of climate regime and substituting instead the maintenance of food production and waste management as the dominant large-scale controlling factors. Patterns of microbial respiration and extracellular enzyme production indicate that the community's ability to react to changes in DOM composition may create shifts in extracellular enzyme production while maintaining relatively consistent levels of community respiration.


Keywords:


Temporal Coverage:

2000-02-04 to 2001-12-17

Geographic Coverage:

Geographic Description: Rivers and canals throughout the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan area
Bounding Coordinates:
Longitude:-112.776052 to -112.251819
Latitude:33.397673 to 33.223536

Contact:

Information Manager, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, 
Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, POB 875402,TEMPE
 caplter.data@asu.edu

Methods used in producing this dataset: Show


Data Files (9) :

Tabular: 80_artificial_substrate_porosity_1.csv

Description: parallel measurement to determine porosity of the artificial substrate

Column Description Type Units
replicate ID of parallel within experiment
float
wet_mass wet mass of the sediment
float gram
dry_mass dry mass of the sediment
float gram
porosity Difference in mass before and after heating sediments in glass vial in water volume. Unit is percent water per sediment volume
float dimensionless

Tabular: 80_bulk_density_1.csv

Description: data to calculate bulk density of soil samples

Column Description Type Units
ID Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
integer
site site name
string
replicate ID of parallel within experiment
float
dry_sed dry mass of sediment
float gram
bulk_density Bulk density is mass of dry sediment divided by volume of core taken
float kilogramPerLiter
wet_sed wet mass of sediment
float gram
porosity Difference in mass before and after heating sediments in glass vial in water volume. Unit is percent water per sediment volume
float dimensionless

Tabular: 80_gw_chemisty_1.csv

Description: ground water chemistry

Column Description Type Units
ID Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
integer
category catagory of well
string
bid_well_name well name assigned by Buckeye Irrigation District
string
adwr_number Arizona Department of Water Resources registered well number
float
cadastral cadastral of well (unique id)
string
well_depth_ft well depth
float foot
ln_well_depth_ft natural log of well depth
float foot
well_depth_m well depth
float meter
well_use type of well use
string
issue_date issue date
float Format: YYYY
owner owner of well
string
date_sampled date sampled
float Format: DD-Month-YY
water_temp_1 water temperature first measurement
float celsius
water_temp_2 water temperature second measurement
float celsius
water_temp_3 water temperature third measurement
float celsius
water_ph_1 pH of water first measurement
float dimensionless
water_ph_2 pH of water second measurement
float dimensionless
water_ph_3 pH of water third measurement
float dimensionless
water_cond_ms_cm_1 water conductivity first measurement
float millisiemensPerCentimeter
water_cond_ms_cm_2 water conductivity third measurement
float millisiemensPerCentimeter
water_cond_ms_cm_3 water conductivity third measurement
float millisiemensPerCentimeter
srp_ug_l_1 soluble reactive phosphorus content of first measurement (microgramsPerLiterasP)
float microgramsPerLiter
srp_ug_l_2 soluble reactive phosphorus content of second measurement (microgramsPerLiterasP)
float microgramsPerLiter
srp_ug_l_3 soluble reactive phosphorus content of third measurement (microgramsPerLiterasP)
float microgramsPerLiter
cl_mg_l_1 chloride content of first measurement (microgramsPerLiterasCl)
float milligramsPerLiter
cl_mg_l_2 chloride content of second measurement (microgramsPerLiterasCl)
float milligramsPerLiter
cl_mg_l_3 chloride content of third measurement (microgramsPerLiterasCl)
float milligramsPerLiter
doc_mg_l_1 dissolved organic carbon content of first measurement (microgramsPerLiterasC)
float milligramsPerLiter
doc_mg_l_2 dissolved organic carbon content of second measurement (microgramsPerLiterasC)
float milligramsPerLiter
doc_mg_l_3 dissolved organic carbon content of third measurement (microgramsPerLiterasCl)
float milligramsPerLiter
uva_mg_ l_1 ultra violet absorbancy content of first measurement (absorbancy per cm)
float milligramsPerLiter
uva_mg_ l_2 ultra violet absorbancy content of second measurement (absorbancy per cm)
float milligramsPerLiter
uva_mg_ l_3 ultra violet absorbancy content of third measurement (absorbancy per cm)
float milligramsPerLiter
suva_ mg_l_1 specific ultra violet absorbancy content of first measurement (absorbancy per cm per mg DOC)
float milligramsPerLiter
suva_ mg_l_2 specific ultra violet absorbancy content of second measurement (absorbancy per cm per mg DOC)
float milligramsPerLiter
suva_ mg_l_3 specific ultra violet absorbancy content of third measurement (absorbancy per cm per mg DOC)
float milligramsPerLiter
nh4_mg_l_1 ammonium content in first measurement (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
nh4_mg_l_2 ammonium content in second measurement (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
nh4_mg_l_3 ammonium content in third measurement (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
no3_mg_l_1 nitrate content in first measurement (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
no3_mg_l_2 nitrate content in second measurement (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
no3_mg_l_3 nitrate content in third measurement (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter

Tabular: 80_respiration_data_1.csv

Description: sediment respiration measurements

Column Description Type Units
ID Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
integer
site site name
string
sample_date date sample was taken in the field
datetime Format: DD-Mounth-YY
substrate_type substrate type (natural or artificial)
string
chamber_num chamber number
float
initial_do_mg_l Initial dissolved oxygen
float milligramsPerLiter
final_do_mg_l Final dissolved oxygen
float milligramsPerLiter
initial_temp_c Initial temperature
float celsius
final_temp_c final temperature
float celsius
dur_incubation_hr duration of incubation
float hour
vol_h2o volume of water
float liter
mg_do_h dissolved oxygen consumed per hour
float milligramsPerHour
wet_mass wet mass
float gram
wet_mass_biolog_ctc wet mass used for extracting bacteria to use for Biolog plates and CTC analysis. CTC stands for5-cyano-2,3,-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride; CTC dye is used to determine the percentage of the bacterial population that is actively respiring
float gram
porosity Difference in mass before and after heating sediments in glass vial in water volume. Unit is percent water per sediment volume
float dimensionless
dry_mass_g dry mass
float gram
do_day_dry_m dissolved oxygen consumed per day per gram dry mass
float milligramPerDayPerGram
do_day_dry_m_l_2mm dissolved oxygen per day per gram dry mass for sediments with less than 2mm diameter
float milligramPerDayPerGram
bulk_density_kg_l Bulk density is mass of dry sediment divided by volume of core taken
float kilogramPerLiter
do_day dissolved oxygen per day per gram dry mass of sediment
float milligramPerDayPerGram
do_day_l_2mm dissolved oxygen per day per gram dry mass of sediment that is less than 2 millimeters in diameter
float milligramPerDayPerGram
mass_dry_sed_g mass of dry sediment. For Ash Free Dry Mass Determination
float gram
mass_ashed_sed_g mass of ashed sediment
float gram
per_om_sed percent organic matter in sediment
float dimensionless
do_hour_afdm dissolved oxygen per hour per gram Ash Free Dry Mass
float milligram
g_oc_m2 organic carbon per meters squared of sediment. Assuming a depth of 5 cm into the hyporheic (sediment) zone
float gramsPerMeterSquared

Tabular: 80_sediment_particle_size_om_1.csv

Description:

Column Description Type Units
ID Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
integer
site site name
string
sample_date date sample was taken
datetime Format: MM/DD/YYYY
rep ID of parallel within experiment
string
seive_pore_size sieve pore size in millimeters
string
wgt_empty_sieve weight of empty sieve
float gram
mass_sieve_1 mass of sediments in sieve number one plus weight of empty sieve
float gram
mass_sieve_2 mass of sediments in sieve number two plus weight of empty sieve
float gram
mass_sieve_3 mass of sediments in sieve number three plus weight of empty sieve
float gram
mass_sieve_4 mass of sediments in sieve number four plus weight of empty sieve
float gram
mass_sieve_5 mass of sediments in sieve number five plus weight of empty sieve
float gram
mass_sieve_6 mass of sediments in sieve number six plus weight of empty sieve
float gram
cor_mass_seive_1 corrected mass of sediments in sieve number one (total mass minus mass of empty sieve)
float gram
cor_mass_seive_2 corrected mass of sediments in sieve number two
float gram
cor_mass_seive_3 corrected mass of sediments in sieve number three
float gram
cor_mass_seive_4 corrected mass of sediments in sieve number four
float gram
cor_mass_seive_5 corrected mass of sediments in sieve number five
float gram
cor_mass_seive_6 corrected mass of sediments in sieve number six
float gram
t_mass_sample total mass in all sieves
float gram
per_sed_2mm percent of sediments with a diameter of greater than 2mm
float dimensionless
per_sed_1mm percent of sediments with a diameter of greater than 1mm
float dimensionless
per_sed_0_5mm percent of sediments with a diameter of greater than 0.5 mm
float dimensionless
per_sed_0_246mm percent of sediments with a diameter of greater than 0.246 millimeters
float dimensionless
per_sed_0_061mm percent of sediments with a diameter of greater than 0.061 millimeters
float dimensionless
per_sed_l_0_061mm percent of sediments with a diameter of less than 0.061 millimeters
float dimensionless
sed_l2mm fraction of sediments with a diameter of less than 2 millimeters
float dimensionless
sedi_l2mm average fraction of sediments with a diameter of less than 2 millimeters
float dimensionless
size size of sediments
float dimensionless

Tabular: 80_sedimentfromgilariverat115_1.csv

Description: Sediment From Gila River At Site 115

Column Description Type Units
replicate ID of parallel within experiment
float
wet_mass wet mass of sediments
float gram
dry_mass dry mass of sediments
float gram
porosity Difference in mass before and after heating sediments in glass vial in water volume. Unit is percent water per sediment volume
float dimensionless

Tabular: 80_sites_1.csv

Description: sites at which samples were taken

Column Description Type Units
site_id site id number
integer
site_name site name
string

Tabular: 80_tss_data_tds_1.csv

Description: Total Suspended Solids and total dissolved solids data

Column Description Type Units
ID Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
integer
site site name
string
sample_date date sampled
datetime Format: DD-Month-YY
rep ID of parallel within experiment
string
ashed_beaker_only_g weight of ashed beaker only
float gram
beaker_with_sample_g weight of ashed beaker with sample
float gram
tds_g_L total dissolved solids
float gramsPerLiter
ashed_filter_g weight of ashed filter
float gram
dry_mass_p_fil_g dry mass and ashed filter weight
float gram
dry_mass_g dry mass
float gram
vol_water_fil_ml volume of filtered water
float milliliter
tss_mg_l Total Suspended Solids
float milligramsPerLiter
div_fil_p_dry_mass_g divided filter weight and dry mass
float gram
dry_mass_div_fil_g dry mass on divided filter
float gram
ash_mass_p_fil_g ashed mass plus filter weight
float gram
afdm_g Ash Free Dry Mass
float gram
om_per_tss percent organic matter in Total Suspended Solids
float dimensionless

Tabular: 80_water_chemistry_1.csv

Description: concentration of chemical in water

Column Description Type Units
ID Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
integer
site site name
string
sample_date date sampled
datetime Format: DD-Month-YY
rep ID of parallel within experiment
string
day julian day of year
float
num_gw_wells number of groundwater wells pumping on a given sampling date
integer
dischage water discharge
integer cubicMetersPerSecond
doc dissolved organic carbon
integer milligramsPerLiter
doc_k dissolved organic carbon to potassium ratio. Units milligramPerliter over milligrams PerLiter
integer dimensionless
doc_per_flow dissolved organic carbon as a percent at the DOC concentration at the head of flowpath
integer dimensionless
doc_dec_flow decrease in dissolved organic carbon along the flowpath as a percent of the DOC concentration at head of flowpath
integer dimensionless
doc_dec_rel_flow dissolved organic carbon decrease relative to head of flowpath
integer milligramsPerLiter
uva ultra violet absorbancy. Unit per centimeter
integer dimensionless
arti_sub_resp Artificial Substrate Respiration. Units milligram dissolved oxygen per day per gram Artificial Substrate
integer dimensionless
suva specific ultra violet absorbancy. units are per cm per mg Dissolved Organic Carbon
integer dimensionless
tdp total dissolved phosphorus (milligramsPerLiterasP)
integer milligramsPerLiter
tdn total dissolved nitrogen (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
don dissolved organic nitrogen (milligramsPerLiterasN)
integer milligramsPerLiter
don_per dissolved organic nitrogen percentage of total dissolved nitrogen. Units milligramsPerLiter over milligramsPerLiter
integer dimensionless
dop dissolved organic phosphorus (milligramsPerLiterasP)
integer milligramsPerLiter
dop_per dissolved organic phosphorus percentage of total dissolved phosphorus. Units milligramsPerLiter over milligramsPerLiter
integer dimensionless
dom_c_n_dom molarity ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the dissolved organic nitrogen pool
integer dimensionless
dom_c_p_dom molarity ratio of carbon to phosphorus in the dissolved organic nitrogen pool
integer dimensionless
dom_n_p molarity ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus in the water
integer dimensionless
din_dip molarity ratio of dissolved Inorganic nitrogen to dissolved Inorganic phosphorus in the water
float dimensionless
nh4 ammonium concentration (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
no3 nitrate ion found (milligramsPerLiterasN)
float milligramsPerLiter
po4_ug_l phosphate ion found (milligramsPerLiterasP)
integer microgramsPerLiter
po4__mg_l phosphate concentration
float milligramsPerLiter
bromide_mg_l bromide concentration
float milligramsPerLiter
sulfate_mg_l sulfate ion found (milligramsPerLiterasSO4)
float milligramsPerLiter
per_so4_flow sulfate in a sample as a percentage of the sulfate concentration at head of flowpath. Unit milligramsPerLiterover milligramsPerLiter
integer dimensionless
cl_mg_l Chloride concentration
float milligramsPerLiter
per_cl_flow percent chloride in sample as a function of the chloride concentration at the head of flowpath. Unit milligramsPerLiterover milligramsPerLiter
integer dimensionless
calcium calcium found
integer milligramsPerLiter
na sodium found
integer milligramsPerLiter
k potassium found
integer milligramsPerLiter
per_k_flow percent potassium in a sample as a function of the K concentration at the head of flowpath. Unit milligramsPerLiterover milligramsPerLiter
integer dimensionless
mg Magnesium found
integer milligramsPerLiter
so4_cl_mol_ratio molar ratio of sulfate to chloride
integer dimensionless
so4_mg_mol_ratio molar ratio of sulfate to magnesium
integer dimensionless
mg_cl_mol_ratio molar ratio of magnesium over chloride
integer milligramsPerLiter
mg_k_mol_ratio molar ratio of magnesium to potassium
integer milligramsPerLiter
so4_k_mol_ratio molar ratio of sulfate to potassium
integer milligramsPerLiter
cl_k_mol_ratio molar ratio of chloride to potassium
integer milligramsPerLiter
pco2 partial pressure of CO2 in water
integer microatmosphere
int450 intensity of a sample at 450 nm wavelength when excited in a fluorometer at an excitation wavelength of 370
integer candela
int500 intensity of a sample at 500 nm wavelength when excited in a fluorometer at an excitation wavelength of 370
integer candela
f1 fluorometeric index; it is the ratio of the intensity at 450 nm divided by the intensity at 500 nm
integer dimensionless
unfil_cod Chemical oxygen demand for unfiltered water samples
integer dimensionless
fil_cod Chemical oxygen demand for water samples filtered through a Whatman GF/F filter The result is expressed in grams of Chemical oxygen demand per gram of tested substance
integer dimensionless
adj_unfil_cod Chemical oxygen demand for unfilterd water samples. The result is expressed in grams of Chemical oxygen demand per gram of tested substance
integer dimensionless
adj_fil_cod adjusted chemical oxygen demand for water samples filtered through a Whatman GF/F. The result is expressed in grams of Chemical oxygen demand per gram of tested substance
integer dimensionless
pos_flowpath position along flowpath
integer dimensionless

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