Cycles and Spirals of Nutrients

Rivers playa major role in global biogeochemicalcycling by transporting elements from terrestrialenvironments to the sea (Walling & Webb 1994).Many of these elements are essential nutrientsand are utilized by river biota. A number of themajor ions found in river water, such as Ca, Mg,K, Na, Si and Cl, are often present well in excessof any biological demands within the river, andmay pass through the river system virtuallyunaffected. Other elements - notably, carbon,phosphorus and nitrogen, or particular chemicalforms of these elements - may be in relativelyshort supply and undergo considerable utilizationas they pass downstream.

Publisher - Blackwell Science Publishers

Subjects - Chemical, Nutrients

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Citation: Newbold JD. 1992 In: Calow P, Petts GE, editors. The Rivers Handbook. I. Hydrological and Ecological Principles. Oxford (England): Blackwell Science Publishers. ISBN: 978-0632028327 Cycles and Spirals of Nutrients. p 379-408. http://www.limnology.uni-muenster.de/etc/experieco/lit/respiration/newbold_1992.pdf