Title: Modeling feedbacks between substance flows and flood plain lake ecosystem functioning

Primary Researcher: Caroline Moermond
Email address: caroline.moermond@rivm.nl
Submitted on: October 3, 2006

Start date: 01 July 2000
End date: 01 July 2005

Introduction:

Eutrophication and contamination have been the main problems in water quality management in the past decades. Both problems are traditionally treated separately, but there are numerous feedbacks between these two. For example, acutely toxic chemicals may affect the food web structure which in turn changes the fate of the chemical. The research is performed in three parallel projects. This project (project 1) focusses on the modeling of the mentioned feedbacks as they occur in contaminated flood plain lakes. Parallel project 2 (Alterra) focusses on experiments with modelecosystems and project 3 (UvA) focusses on benthic-pelagic coupling.

Aim:

The aim of this project is to analyse and model the complex interactions anticipated in flood plain lake ecosystems by the analysis of data from field surveys, in situ field enclosure experiments, model ecosystem experiments and laboratory experiments. For this, deterministic ecosystem models as well as mini-models will be used.

Research:

Models-The modeling of substance flows and ecosystem responses for the field study and the model ecosystem studies is performed using the ecosystem model AQUATOX, which is an integrated ecosystem model covering nutrient, carbon and toxicant cycles, contaminant trophic transfer and toxicity.
Using Monte Carlo simulation based sensitivity analysis, the most important system components and processes are identified. These are then used to produce mini-models. The results are used to formulate new hypotheses that can be tested in field and lab experiments. Also models like CATS-COSM (developed by RIVM), OMEGA (RIZA) and VoivO (RIZA) may be used.
Data collection – Besides the data generated in projects 2 and 3, within this project a fieldsurvey will be performed which covers both chemical and biological factors. A series of flood plain lakes is selected in cooperation withRIZA (OER-project). Concentrations and biomasses of the most important(a)biotic compartments will be determined. Further, PAHs, PCBs and heavy metals will be analyzed in these compartments.

Funding via University

Yes

External Funding Sponsors

NWO, RIZA

Research Group

RUG - Centrum voor Energie en Milieukunde (IVEM)