S. Findlay et Wv. Sobczak, VARIABILITY IN REMOVAL OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC-CARBON IN HYPORHEIC SEDIMENTS, Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 15(1), 1996, pp. 35-41
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is consumed by microbial metabolism as
streamwater perfuses through a lateral gravel bar of the East Branch o
f the Wappinger Creek. The rate of DOC removal was estimated from the
decline in DOC and travel time through the bar. Variability in DOC rem
oval together with potential regulatory factors was determined for 14
dates spanning more than a 2-y period. DOC removal was not correlated
with temperature, availability of oxygen, or residence time within hyp
orheic sediments. Hyporheic DOC could be predicted (r(2) = 0.68) from
streamwater DOC concentrations, with a surprisingly constant 57% (+/-9
% [1 SD]) removal of DOC. This pattern suggests an initial concentrati
on-dependent adsorption of DOC onto surfaces. This mechanism allows fo
r efficient retention of DOC within hyporheic sediments even under con
ditions (low temperature, high interstitial velocity) that might be ex
pected to minimize biotic consumption of DOC.