Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau

Lei Zhou; Yongqiang Zhou; Yunlin Zhang; Yonghong Wu; Kyoung Soon Jang; Robert G.M. Spencer; Justin D. Brookes; Erik Jeppesen

doi:10.1021/acs.est.2c08257

Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau

Lei Zhou^*, Yongqiang Zhou, Yunlin Zhang^*, Yonghong Wu, Kyoung Soon Jang, Robert G.M. Spencer, Justin D. Brookes, Erik Jeppesen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

Alpine river and lake systems on the Tibetan Plateau are highly sensitive indicators and amplifiers of global climate change and important components of the carbon cycle. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) encompasses organic carbon in aquatic systems, yet knowledge about DOM variation throughout the river-lake aquatic continuum within alpine regions is limited. We used optical spectroscopy, ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry), and stable water isotopic measurements to evaluate linkages between DOM composition and hydrological connection. We investigated glacial influences on DOM composition throughout the watershed of Selin Co, including upstream glacier-fed rivers and downstream-linked lakes. We found that the dissolved organic carbon concentration increased, whereas specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA₂₅₄) decreased along the river-lake continuum. Relative to rivers, the downstream lakes had low relative abundances of polyphenolic and condensed aromatic compounds and humic-like substances but increased relative abundances of aliphatics and protein-like compounds. SUVA₂₅₄decreased while protein-like components increased with enriched stable water isotope δ²H-H₂O, indicating that DOM aromaticity declined while autochthonous production increased along the flow paths. Glacier meltwater contributed to elevated relative abundances of aliphatic and protein-like compounds in headwater streams, while increased relative abundances of aromatics and humic-like DOM were found in glacier-fed lakes than downstream lakes. We conclude that changes in hydrological conditions, including glacier melt driven by a warming climate, will significantly alter DOM composition and potentially their biogeochemical function in surface waters on the Tibetan Plateau.

Original language	English
Journal	Environmental Science & Technology
Volume	57
Issue	11
Pages (from-to)	4668-4678
ISSN	0013-936X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c08257
Publication status	Published - Mar 2023

Keywords

alpine lakes
dissolved organic matter (DOM)
FT-ICR MS, stable water isotopes

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10.1021/acs.est.2c08257

Cite this

Zhou, L., Zhou, Y., Zhang, Y., Wu, Y., Jang, K. S., Spencer, R. G. M., Brookes, J. D., & Jeppesen, E. (2023). Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(11), 4668-4678. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c08257

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title = "Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau",

abstract = "Alpine river and lake systems on the Tibetan Plateau are highly sensitive indicators and amplifiers of global climate change and important components of the carbon cycle. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) encompasses organic carbon in aquatic systems, yet knowledge about DOM variation throughout the river-lake aquatic continuum within alpine regions is limited. We used optical spectroscopy, ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry), and stable water isotopic measurements to evaluate linkages between DOM composition and hydrological connection. We investigated glacial influences on DOM composition throughout the watershed of Selin Co, including upstream glacier-fed rivers and downstream-linked lakes. We found that the dissolved organic carbon concentration increased, whereas specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254) decreased along the river-lake continuum. Relative to rivers, the downstream lakes had low relative abundances of polyphenolic and condensed aromatic compounds and humic-like substances but increased relative abundances of aliphatics and protein-like compounds. SUVA254decreased while protein-like components increased with enriched stable water isotope δ2H-H2O, indicating that DOM aromaticity declined while autochthonous production increased along the flow paths. Glacier meltwater contributed to elevated relative abundances of aliphatic and protein-like compounds in headwater streams, while increased relative abundances of aromatics and humic-like DOM were found in glacier-fed lakes than downstream lakes. We conclude that changes in hydrological conditions, including glacier melt driven by a warming climate, will significantly alter DOM composition and potentially their biogeochemical function in surface waters on the Tibetan Plateau.",

keywords = "alpine lakes, dissolved organic matter (DOM), FT-ICR MS, stable water isotopes",

author = "Lei Zhou and Yongqiang Zhou and Yunlin Zhang and Yonghong Wu and Jang, {Kyoung Soon} and Spencer, {Robert G.M.} and Brookes, {Justin D.} and Erik Jeppesen",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1021/acs.est.2c08257",

language = "English",

volume = "57",

pages = "4668--4678",

journal = "Environmental Science & Technology",

issn = "0013-936X",

publisher = "ACS American Chemical Society",

number = "11",

}

Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau. / Zhou, Lei; Zhou, Yongqiang; Zhang, Yunlin et al.
In: Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 57, No. 11, 03.2023, p. 4668-4678.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau

AU - Zhou, Lei

AU - Zhou, Yongqiang

AU - Zhang, Yunlin

AU - Wu, Yonghong

AU - Jang, Kyoung Soon

AU - Spencer, Robert G.M.

AU - Brookes, Justin D.

AU - Jeppesen, Erik

PY - 2023/3

Y1 - 2023/3

N2 - Alpine river and lake systems on the Tibetan Plateau are highly sensitive indicators and amplifiers of global climate change and important components of the carbon cycle. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) encompasses organic carbon in aquatic systems, yet knowledge about DOM variation throughout the river-lake aquatic continuum within alpine regions is limited. We used optical spectroscopy, ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry), and stable water isotopic measurements to evaluate linkages between DOM composition and hydrological connection. We investigated glacial influences on DOM composition throughout the watershed of Selin Co, including upstream glacier-fed rivers and downstream-linked lakes. We found that the dissolved organic carbon concentration increased, whereas specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254) decreased along the river-lake continuum. Relative to rivers, the downstream lakes had low relative abundances of polyphenolic and condensed aromatic compounds and humic-like substances but increased relative abundances of aliphatics and protein-like compounds. SUVA254decreased while protein-like components increased with enriched stable water isotope δ2H-H2O, indicating that DOM aromaticity declined while autochthonous production increased along the flow paths. Glacier meltwater contributed to elevated relative abundances of aliphatic and protein-like compounds in headwater streams, while increased relative abundances of aromatics and humic-like DOM were found in glacier-fed lakes than downstream lakes. We conclude that changes in hydrological conditions, including glacier melt driven by a warming climate, will significantly alter DOM composition and potentially their biogeochemical function in surface waters on the Tibetan Plateau.

AB - Alpine river and lake systems on the Tibetan Plateau are highly sensitive indicators and amplifiers of global climate change and important components of the carbon cycle. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) encompasses organic carbon in aquatic systems, yet knowledge about DOM variation throughout the river-lake aquatic continuum within alpine regions is limited. We used optical spectroscopy, ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry), and stable water isotopic measurements to evaluate linkages between DOM composition and hydrological connection. We investigated glacial influences on DOM composition throughout the watershed of Selin Co, including upstream glacier-fed rivers and downstream-linked lakes. We found that the dissolved organic carbon concentration increased, whereas specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254) decreased along the river-lake continuum. Relative to rivers, the downstream lakes had low relative abundances of polyphenolic and condensed aromatic compounds and humic-like substances but increased relative abundances of aliphatics and protein-like compounds. SUVA254decreased while protein-like components increased with enriched stable water isotope δ2H-H2O, indicating that DOM aromaticity declined while autochthonous production increased along the flow paths. Glacier meltwater contributed to elevated relative abundances of aliphatic and protein-like compounds in headwater streams, while increased relative abundances of aromatics and humic-like DOM were found in glacier-fed lakes than downstream lakes. We conclude that changes in hydrological conditions, including glacier melt driven by a warming climate, will significantly alter DOM composition and potentially their biogeochemical function in surface waters on the Tibetan Plateau.

KW - alpine lakes

KW - dissolved organic matter (DOM)

KW - FT-ICR MS, stable water isotopes

U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.2c08257

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.2c08257

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36892554

AN - SCOPUS:85149789409

SN - 0013-936X

VL - 57

SP - 4668

EP - 4678

JO - Environmental Science & Technology

JF - Environmental Science & Technology

IS - 11

ER -

Hydrological Controls on Dissolved Organic Matter Composition throughout the Aquatic Continuum of the Watershed of Selin Co, the Largest Lake on the Tibetan Plateau

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Keywords

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