Using the Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Phosphate as a Tracer for Nutrient Sources to Lake Erie

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Lake Erie's hypolimnion continues to undergo seasonally anoxic conditions, despite extensive efforts over the past 30 years to reduce phosphorus loads from known sources (Charleton, 1993; Charleton and Milne, 2005). In this study, I measured isotopic composition of oxygen in phosphate (d18Op) from twelve stations in and around Lake Erie in order to identify the sources of phosphorus loads in Lake Erie and constrain the cycling of phosphate within the lake. Lake Erie's West Basin has d18Op values that are strongly linked to riverine input values. Samples from the Central Basin have higher d18Op values than the West Basin, reflecting significant input from a source not measured in this study. Samples from the West Basin showed a greater degree of biological recycling than those in the Central Basin.

Type of resource	text
Date created	May 2006

Author	Elsbury, Kathryn Marie
Primary advisor	Paytan, Adina
Advisor	Fendorf, Scott
Degree granting institution	Stanford University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Subject	School of Earth Energy & Environmental Sciences
Subject	Lake Erie
Genre	Thesis

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/rq161jd7146

Use and reproduction: Theses courtesy of Stanford University Libraries. If you have questions, please contact the Branner Earth Science Library & Map Collections at brannerlibrary@stanford.edu.

Preferred Citation: Elsbury, Kathryn Marie. (2006). Using the Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Phosphate as a Tracer for Nutrient Sources to Lake Erie. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/rq161jd7146

Undergraduate Honors Theses, Doerr School of Sustainability

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