Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2002TX63B

The Role of Suspended Clays in Phosphrus Processing by Lotic Periphyton

Institute: Texas
Year Established: 2002 Start Date: 2002-03-01 End Date: 2003-02-01
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,000

Principal Investigators: June Wolfe III, Owen Lind

Project Summary: Throughout much of Texas, human activities have increased nutrient and sediment loadings to reservoirs, thus presenting water quality problems. When increased sediment loads contain significant amounts of clay, they interfere with the ability of biological organisms such as attached algae, bacteria, and protozoans to effectively filter nutrients. This project will explore a number of issues, including the role of clay in the nutrient linkage between watersheds and reservoirs; how suspended clays can affect the ability of periphyton to process phosphorus; and the impacts of clay concentrations on the uptake and release of phosphorus. Studies will be carried out in simulated streams within controlled greenhouse environments at the Blackland Research Center at Temple, Texas. These simulated streams will be "seeded" with benthic organisms from local streams and will be established over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. These "cultured" organisms within these artificial streams will be exposed to a variety of artificially imposed conditions, including variations of light, pH, streamflows, and clay loads. The mass balance of phosphorus will be obtained on a regular basis. The anticipated outcome of this project will be to provide information on the role of clay particles and periphyton play in the nutrient cycling process that affects surface water quality. Results will yield considerable insights into water quality and nutrient issues likely to be encountered in watersheds with widespread clay soils.