Processes and their explanatory factors governing distribution of organic phosphorous pools in lake sediments

The amount of organic phosphorus (OP) and its distribution among different pools in lake sediments depends on biotic and abiotic processes driving the OP fractionation. Key environmental factors governing these transformations processes between OP fractionations in sediments were studied on the basis of geochemical characteristics of OP pools in relation to environmental factors in the sediments. The results illustrate that the factors influencing the accumulation or depletion of different OP pools were intrinsically dependent on the composition of the deposited organic matter (OM). During the mineralization of the OM the microorganisms excrete the enzyme alkaline phosphatase, accelerating the OP hydrolysis, and thereby setting the grounds for the bacterially-mediated oxidation of OM. There are two main degradation products of the labile OP pool (LOP) and the moderately labile OP pool (MLOP): Either the OP is transformed to a dissolved organic or inorganic P form, and thereby released to water column, or OP is transformed to a non-labile OP pool and stored in the sediments. A comparative study showed that oxy-hydroxides of iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) only played an important role in influencing OP fractionation in Lake Wuliangsuhai, while the complexation reactions of OP with calcium ions and sorption to its minerals are key factors governing the OP fractionation in the two alkaline lakes. It is worth noting that a significant correlation between the Fe–P pool and the pools of LOP and MLOP indicates that the degradation of the rather labile OP pools are highly dependent on the iron redox reaction. [Display omitted] •We examine biotic and abiotic processes driving organic phosphorus fractionation.•Organic matter composition and microorganisms play the most key roles.•Calcium ions govern the dominant fraction by forming organic phosphate salts.•Effects of iron and aluminum oxy-hydroxides relate to their concentration levels.•There are two fates for labile organic phosphorus pools during degradation process.