Global Warming Enhances Nitrogen-Limitation in a Temperate Reservoir System Under Continued External Load

DOI zum Zitieren der Version auf EPub Bayreuth: https://doi.org/10.15495/EPub_UBT_00009441
URN to cite this document: urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-9441-4

Title data

As, Karel ; Münch, Melanie A. ; Trommer, Gabriele ; Pudelko, Anna ; Behrends, Thilo ; Peiffer, Stefan:
Global Warming Enhances Nitrogen-Limitation in a Temperate Reservoir System Under Continued External Load.
In: Water Resources Research. Vol. 62 (2026) Issue 2 . - e2025WR040978.
ISSN 1944-7973
DOI der Verlagsversion: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025WR040978

	Format: PDF Name: Water Resources Research - 2026 - As - Global Warming Enhances Nitrogen‐Limitation in a Temperate Reservoir System Under.pdf Version: Published Version Available under License Creative Commons BY 4.0: Attribution
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Project information

Project title:	Project's official title Project's id Open Access Publizieren No information
Project financing:	7. Forschungsrahmenprogramm für Forschung, technologische Entwicklung und Demonstration der Europäischen Union

Abstract

Climate change impacts hydrology and biogeochemistry of reservoirs. Thereby, processing of the essential nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is affected. Clarifying the compounded long-term impact of changed nutrient inputs and effects of climate change on internal nutrient processing requires long-term data sets with sufficient detail. This study evaluates monitoring data from 2000 to 2019 in the German Franconian Lake District, which consists of one shallow (hypertrophic) and three deep reservoirs (meso-to eutrophic), interconnected by a transfer canal. The cascade configuration and continued external load buffer catchment variations, making nutrient trends attributable to internal processing. Mass balances were set up and statistical trends analyses performed for nutrient concentrations, duration of stratification and hypolimnetic anoxia. Across reservoirs, mean water temperature (range: +0.35 to +1.0°C decade−1), stratification (+7 to +18 days decade−1) and hypolimnetic anoxia (+15 to +35 days decade−1) increased significantly. Total phosphorus increased in deep reservoirs (+0.006 to +0.01 mg P L−1 decade−1) and total nitrogen (TN) decreased in all reservoirs (−0.2 to −0.4 mg N L−1 decade−1). Increased rates of nitrate loss could be attributed to enhanced denitrification and earlier algal uptake. Increased total phosphorus concentrations were attributable to increased sediment P-release, induced by prolonged stratification and hypolimnetic anoxia. Primarily, the decrease in TN drove a strong decrease in TN:TP ratio (−4 to −15 mol:mol decade−1), triggering a shift toward N-limitation, associated with proliferation of harmful algae blooms. Identified impacts emphasize the need to consider the potential disruptive effects of intensifying climate change on health and restoration efforts for temperate, eutrophic lakes worldwide.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Keywords:	climate change; nutrient limitation; reservoir management; eutrophication; nutrient processing
DDC Subjects:	500 Science > 550 Earth sciences, geology
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences > Chair Hydrology > Chair Hydrology - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stefan Peiffer Faculties Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Earth Sciences > Chair Hydrology
Language:	English
Originates at UBT:	Yes
URN:	urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-9441-4
Date Deposited:	18 Jun 2026 10:28
Last Modified:	18 Jun 2026 10:29
URI:	https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/9441

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