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The exceptional Oder Flood in summer 1997 nutrient concentrations in the Świna Strait during the years 1996 and 1997 - with emphasis on the flood event

Die außergewöhnliche Oderflut 1997. Nährstoffkonzentrationen im Swinakanal in den jahren 1996 und 1997 mit betonung des flutereignisses

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Summary

Annual variability in nutrient concentrations in the Swina Strait, draining about 75 % of the water from the Szczecin Lagoon, the latter being a recipient of the Oder waters, was found to arise from: the annual/ interannual variability in water/nutrient discharges from the river Oder and the biogeochemical processes taking place in the lower Oder estuary. The other factors influencing these distributions include the pulsating nature of the Swina outflow, and special events such as the flood ’97. A permanent increase in phosphate concentrations over August/September results from intensive phosphate regeneration in the Lagoon and limitation of primary production by low concentrations of nitrogen over the summer period in the region, and from a lower dilution factor during the summer periods. The average seasonal N:P ratios remained in consistent ranges in all seasons but spring, the spring values being, to a great extent, driven by variable Oder discharges. Nutrient limiting role in primary production in the lower Oder estuary switches from phosphorus in spring to nitrogen in the summer time. Great quantities of inorganic nitrogen discharged with the Oder waters are converted in the Lagoon into the organic forms, while organic phosphorus seems to be trapped in the sediments and converted into phosphates, the latter giving a well pronounced annual pattern, not seen in the Oder waters.

The flood ’97 event resulted in increased discharges of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus species, their concentrations, however, not exceeding the winter values. The consequences of the flood seem to be visible in autumn 1997, expressed particularly by nitrogen concentrations, being 2–3 times higher than the values of comparable time of 1996.

Zusammenfassung

Die jährliche Variabilität der Nährstoffkonzentrationen im Swinakanal, über den ca. 75 % des Wassers aus dem Oderhaff abgeführt werden, wird bestimmt durch annuelle/interannuelle Variabilität der Wasser- und Nährstofffrachten der Oder sowie durch biogeochemische Transformationsprozesse im Haff. Weitere Faktoren, die diese Verteilung beeinflussen, sind die pulsartigen Ausstromereignisse in der Swina sowie außergewöhnliche Hochwasserlagen wie im Sommer 1997. Ein stetiger Anstieg der Phosphatkonzentrationen über den gesamten August und September ist als Folge intensiver Phosphatregeneration im Haff, einer sommerlichen Stickstofflimitierung der Primärproduktion und eines geringeren Verdünnungseffektes im Sommer zu beobachten. Die mittleren saisonalen N:P-Verhältnisse bleiben außer im Frühjahr in vergleichbaren Größenordnungen, die Frühjahrswerte werden durch die auftretenden sehr variablen Oderabflüsse zu dieser Jahreszeit bestimmt. Die Nährstofflimitierung der Primärproduktion wechselt im Oderhaff von phosphatlimitiert im Frühjahr zu stickstofflimitiert im Sommer. Ein großer Teil der anorganischen Stickstofffracht der Oder wird im Oderhaff in organische Form umgewandelt, wobei organische Phosphorkomponenten im Sediment des Haffs zunächst verbleiben, um später in Phosphate umgewandelt zu werden. Diese Sedimentfreisetzung des Phosphats führt zu einem signifikanten Muster, das in der Oder nicht zu beobachten ist.

Das Oderhochwasser 1997 führte zu einem Anstieg der Frachten von anorganischem Stickstoff und Phosphorspezies, deren Konzentrationen die Winterkonzentrationen jedoch nicht überstiegen. Die Folgen der Flut scheinen auch noch im Herbst 1997 sichtbar. Stickstoffkonzentrationen waren 2–3 mal höher als die vergleichbaren Werte aus dem Jahr 1996.

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Pastuszak, M., Sitek, S. & Grelowski, A. The exceptional Oder Flood in summer 1997 nutrient concentrations in the Świna Strait during the years 1996 and 1997 - with emphasis on the flood event. Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift 50, 183–202 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02764486

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