Abstract
DENITRIFICATION (biological conversion of nitrate and nitrite to nitrous oxide and molecular nitrogen) and nitrate reduction (assimilation of nitrate–nitrogen in microbial protoplasm) in lake sediments can play an important role in the nitrogen budgets of lakes. The hydrology of many lakes is such that ground water seepage through the floor constitutes a significant source of water income1. In such cases, nitrate in the incoming ground water must be considered when a nitrogen budget is calculated for the lake system. An excellent example is the estimate for Lake Mendota, Wisconsin2, in which nitrate in seepage water constituted nearly 36% of the nitrogen added to the lake.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hutchinson, G. E., A Treatise on Limnology, 231 (Wiley, New York, 1957).
Lee, G. F., Eutrophication, 17 (Univ. of Wisconsin Water Resources Center, Madison, 1970).
Allgeier, R. J., Peterson, J., Juday, W. H., and Birge, E. A., Intern. Review Hydrobiol., 26, 444 (1932).
Chamroux, M. S., Ann. L'Inst. Pasteur, 109, 424 (1965).
Konrad, J. G., Keeney, D. R., Chesters, G., and Chen, K., J. Water Poll. Contr. Fed., 42, 2094 (1970).
Goering, J. J., and Dugdale, V. A., Limnol. Oceanog., 11, 113 (1966).
Brezonik, P. L., and Lee, G. F., Environ. Sci. Technol., 2, 120 (1968).
Goering, J. J., Deep Sea Res., 15, 157 (1968).
Bremner, J. M., and Edwards, A. P., Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc., 29, 504 (1965).
Bremner, J. M., in Methods of Soil Analysis (edit. by Black, C. A.), 1256 (American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, 1965).
Keeney, D. R., Konrad, J. G., and Chesters, G., J. Water Poll. Contr. Fed., 42, 411 (1970).
Howard, D. L., Frea, J. L., Beeister, R. M., and Dugan, R. P., Science, 169, 61 (1970).
Brooks, R. H., Brezonik, P. L., Putman, H. D., and Keirn, M. A., Limnol. Oceanog. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
KEENEY, D., CHEN, R. & GRAETZ, D. Importance of Denitrification and Nitrate Reduction in Sediments to the Nitrogen Budgets of Lakes. Nature 233, 66–67 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/233066a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/233066a0
This article is cited by
-
The co-regulation of nitrate and temperature on denitrification at the sediment-water interface in the algae-dominated ecosystem of Lake Taihu, China
Journal of Soils and Sediments (2020)
-
Microbial Nitrogen Cycling in Estuaries: From Genes to Ecosystem Processes
Estuaries and Coasts (2018)
-
Current advances in molecular methods for detection of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing bacteria in natural environments
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2016)
-
Denitrification in Aquatic Environments: A Cross-system Analysis
Biogeochemistry (2006)
-
Denitrification measurements in aquatic sediments: A comparison of three methods
Biogeochemistry (1993)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
