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Floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) deployments are increasing globally as the switch to renewable energy intensifies, representing a considerable water surface transformation. FPV installations can potentially impact aquatic ecosystem function, either positively or negatively. However, these impacts are poorly resolved given the challenges of collecting empirical data for field or modelling experiments. In particular, there is limited evidence on the response of phytoplankton to changes in water body thermal dynamics and light climate with FPV. Given the importance of understanding phytoplankton biomass and species composition for managing ecosystem services, we use an uncertainty estimation approach to simulate the effect of FPV coverage and array siting location on a UK reservoir. FPV coverage was modified in 10 % increments from a baseline with 0 % coverage to 100 % coverage for three different FPV array siting locations based on reservoir circulation patterns. Results showed that FPV coverage significantly impacted thermal properties, resulting in highly variable impacts on phytoplankton biomass and species composition. The impacts on phytoplankton were often dependent on array siting location as well as surface coverage. Changes to phytoplankton species composition were offset by the decrease in phytoplankton biomass associated with increasing FPV coverage. We identified that similar phytoplankton biomass reductions could be achieved with less FPV coverage by deploying the FPV array on the water body's faster-flowing area than the central or slower flowing areas. The difference in response dependent on siting location could be used to tailor phytoplankton management in water bodies. Simulation of water body-FPV interactions efficiently using an uncertainty approach is an essential tool to rapidly develop understanding and ultimately inform FPV developers and water body managers looking to minimise negative impacts and maximise co-benefits.

Freshwaters are a significant yet understudied component of the global nitrous oxide (N2O) budget. Despite the potential importance of the Laurentian Great Lakes in the freshwater N2O budget, studies have been extremely limited to date. This study evaluated the production pathways, concentrations, and atmospheric emissions of N2O across the two trophic extremes of the Great Lakes: the deep oligotrophic waters of Lake Superior and shallow eutrophic zones of western Lake Erie. Production pathways via denitrification and nitrification were evaluated through stable isotope analysis, and atmospheric emissions were determined from surface concentrations and wind speed. Across all sites and dates, N2O saturation ranged from 98 to 129% in Lake Superior and 93 to 676% in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, indicating these lakes are net sources of N2O to the atmosphere. Isotopic site preference values (SP) suggest a mix of production pathways, with nitrification dominating most time periods and denitrification occurring under conditions of high nutrient availability and microbial activity. N2O atmospheric emissions were strong but highly variable in Lake Erie, and emissions in Lake Superior were consistently low (− 0.26 to 33.03 and − 0.14 to 1.41 μmol N m−2 day−1, respectively). Our findings highlight two paradigms of N2O production and emissions: low, wind-driven rates in deep oligotrophic zones and temporally dynamic rates driven by N loading in shallow eutrophic zones. Offshore regions likely make up the majority of the N2O budget for the Great Lakes, yet nearshore regions have a greater capacity for increased N2O emissions in the face of increased nutrient loading.

Restoration of freshwater wetlands presents a potential water quality benefit via removal of nutrients, but complex and unresolved changes in nutrient cycling can occur following restoration. In this study, we evaluated N removal and release in a deltaic wetland under scenarios of hydrologic reconnection and sediment dredging, and we modeled potential downstream impacts of these restoration activities in a Bayesian framework. Denitrification, N2O production, and anammox were measured via the isotope pairing technique in intact sediment cores. Anammox was not detected. Denitrification rates in the control scenario (78.2–87.2 μmol N m−2 h−1) were significantly higher than those under hydrologic reconnection and dredging scenarios (14.7–56.0 μmol N m−2 h−1). N2O production rates were typical of wetland environments. Denitrification and N2O production were stimulated shortly following simulated dredging, indicating a short-term response to sediment disturbance. Under hydrologic reconnection, NH4 + availability was decreased, inhibiting coupled nitrification-denitrification. Despite a decrease in denitrification activity, the wetland has the capacity to remove up to 10% of stream NO3 − following hydrologic reconnection. Restoration is predicted to fully mitigate NH4 + delivery to a downstream eutrophic lake, yet permanent N removal may be reduced due to the decoupling of nitrification and denitrification.

Understanding the magnitude of nitrogen (N) loss and recycling pathways is crucial for coastal N management efforts. However, quantification of denitrification and anammox by a widely-used method, the isotope pairing technique, is challenged when dissimilatory NO3− reduction to NH4+ (DNRA) occurs. In this study, we describe a revised isotope pairing technique that accounts for the influence of DNRA on NO3− reduction (R-IPT-DNRA). The new calculation procedure improves on previous techniques by (1) accounting for N2O production, (2) distinguishing canonical anammox from coupled DNRA-anammox, and (3) including the production of 30N2 by anammox in the quantification of DNRA. This approach avoids the potential for substantial underestimates of anammox rates and overestimates of denitrification rates in systems where DNRA is a significant NO3− reduction pathway. We apply this technique to simultaneously quantify rates of anammox, denitrification, and DNRA in intact sediments adjacent to a seagrass bed in subtropical Australia. The effect of organic carbon lability on NO3− reduction was also addressed by adding detrital sources with differing C:N (phytoplankton- or seagrass-derived). DNRA was the predominant pathway, contributing 49–74% of total NO3− reduction (mean 0.42 µmol N m−2 h−1). In this high C:N system, DNRA outcompetes denitrification for NO3−, functioning to recycle rather than remove N. Anammox exceeded denitrification (mean 0.18 and 0.04 µmol N m−2 h−1, respectively) and accounted for 64–86% of N loss, a rare high percentage in shallow coastal environments. Owing to low denitrification activity, N2O production was ∼100-fold lower than in other coastal sediments (mean 7.7 nmol N m−2 h−1). All NO3− reduction pathways were stimulated by seagrass detritus but not by phytoplankton detritus, suggesting this microbial community is adapted to process organic matter that is typically encountered. The R-IPT-DNRA is widely applicable in other environments where the characterization of co-existing NO3− reduction pathways is desirable.

Many lacustrine systems, despite management efforts to control eutrophication, are hypoxic during stratified periods. Hypoxia is a major concern, not only for its impact on aquatic life but also for its potential to stimulate production of the greenhouse gases, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). We investigated the drivers of hypoxia in Muskegon Lake, a temperate dimictic freshwater estuary that experiences frequent hypolimnetic mixing due to atmospheric forces, riverine inputs, and intrusion of oxic water from coastal upwelling in Lake Michigan. Primary production and respiration (R) rates obtained from a δ18O mass balance model were similar to other mesotrophic environments (0.56–26.31 and 0.57–13.15 mmol O2 m−3 day−1, respectively), although high P/R (≥2 in mid-summer) indicated there is sufficient autochthonous production to support hypoxia development and persistence. The isotopic enrichment factor for respiration (eobs) varied markedly and was least negative in August of both sampling years, consistent with high R rates. Hypoxic conditions were associated with accumulation of N2O but not CH4, and emissions of N2O are among the highest reported from lakes. The average N2O site preference value of 25.4‰ indicates that the majority of N2O was produced by nitrification via hydroxylamine oxidation, despite the presence of resilient hypoxia. While it has been hypothesized that denitrification acts as a sink for N2O in hypoxic lakes, it is clear that Muskegon Lake functions as a strong source of N2O via nitrification. Further considerations of lakes as global sources of N2O thus warrant a closer evaluation of nitrification-fueled N2O production.

Excess nitrogen (N) loading in the Mississippi River basin is a major water quality issue, encompassing large spatial scales and feedbacks between social and biophysical entities. Effective management depends on reductions in agricultural N loading, mainly from the Corn Belt region in the upper reaches of the basin. In this study, we evaluated the role of federal Nutrient Task Force policy on N management from 2000 to 2015. We analyzed trends in nitrate (NO3 - ) concentrations from monitoring data in 148 priority watersheds. We compared water quality trends with state nutrient reduction strategies, monitoring efforts, and land use. Of the 148 watersheds, 13 displayed a significant decrease in NO3 - concentrations, 24 displayed a significant increase, 51 displayed a nonsignificant trend, and 60 had insufficient data to analyze. We demonstrate that policy efforts on a large scale are slow to establish, but states and watersheds that showed signs of policy acting successfully could serve as examples for improved N management moving forward. Despite considerable variability, states with the most comprehensive strategies, evidenced by word count and presence of recommended elements, were almost exclusively located in the Corn Belt region. States with more thorough nutrient reduction strategies also tended to have a larger number of monitoring sites in priority watersheds (R = .42), demonstrating the potential for adaptive management. States with the most consistent improvements in NO3 - concentrations tended to have the most comprehensive policies, whereas variation in water quality trends was partly attributed to land use factors including slope and dominance of corn (Zea mays L.) and soy [Glycine max (L.) Merr.].

Phytoplankton blooms respond to multiple drivers, including climate change and nutrient loading. Here we examine a long-term dataset from Lake 227, a site exposed to a fertilization experiment (1969–present). Changes in nitrogen:phosphorus loading ratios (high N:P, low N:P, P-only) did not impact mean annual biomass, but blooms exhibited substantial inter- and intra-annual variability. We used a process-oriented lake model, MyLake, to successfully reproduce lake physics over 48 years and test if a P-limited model structure predicted blooms. The timing and magnitude of blooms was reproduced during the P-only period but not for the high and low N:P periods, perhaps due to N acquisition pathways not currently included in the model. A model scenario with no experimental fertilization confirmed P loading is the major driver of blooms, while a scenario that removed climate-driven temperature trends showed that increased spring temperatures have exacerbated blooms beyond the effects of fertilization alone.Significance StatementHarmful algal blooms and eutrophication are key water quality issues worldwide. Managing algal blooms is often difficult because multiple drivers, such as climate change and nutrient loading, act concurrently and potentially synergistically. Long-term datasets and simulation models allow us to parse the effects of interacting drivers of blooms. The performance of our model depended on the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus inputs, suggesting that complex biological dynamics control blooms under variable nutrient loads. We found that blooms were dampened under a “no climate change” scenario, suggesting that the interaction of nutrient loading and increased temperature intensifies blooms. Our results highlight successes and gaps in our ability to model blooms, helping to establish future management recommendations.Data Availability StatementData and metadata will be made available in a GitHub repository (https://github.com/biogeochemistry/Lake-227). Upon manuscript acceptance, the repository will be made publicly available and a DOI will be provided. We request that data users contact the Experimental Lakes Area directly, per their data use policy (http://www.iisd.org/ela/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Data-Terms-And-Conditions.pdf).

Recent global water quality crises point to an urgent need for greater understanding of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) and their drivers. Nearshore areas of Lake Erie such as Sandusky Bay may become seasonally limited by nitrogen (N) and are characterized by distinct cHAB compositions (i.e., Planktothrix over Microcystis). This study investigated phytoplankton N uptake pathways, determined drivers of N depletion, and characterized the N budget in Sandusky Bay. Nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) uptake, N fixation, and N removal processes were quantified by stable isotopic approaches. Dissimilatory N reduction was a relatively modest N sink, with denitrification, anammox, and N2O production accounting for 84, 14, and 2 % of sediment N removal, respectively. Phytoplankton assimilation was the dominant N uptake mechanism, and NO3- uptake rates were higher than NH4+ uptake rates. Riverine N loading was sometimes insufficient to meet assimilatory and dissimilatory demands, but N fixation alleviated this deficit. N fixation made up 23.7–85.4 % of total phytoplankton N acquisition and indirectly supports Planktothrix blooms. However, N fixation rates were surprisingly uncorrelated with NO3- or NH4+ concentrations. Owing to temporal separation in sources and sinks of N to Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay oscillates between a conduit and a filter of downstream N loading to Lake Erie, delivering extensively recycled forms of N during periods of low export. Drowned river mouths such as Sandusky Bay are mediators of downstream N loading, but climate-change-induced increases in precipitation and N loading will likely intensify N export from these systems.

Recent global water quality crises point to an urgent need for greater understanding of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) and their drivers. Nearshore areas of Lake Erie such as Sandusky Bay may become seasonally limited by nitrogen (N) and are characterized by distinct cHAB compositions (i.e., Planktothrix over Microcystis). This study investigated phytoplankton N uptake pathways, determined drivers of N depletion, and characterized the N budget in Sandusky Bay. Nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+) uptake, N fixation, and N removal processes were quantified by stable isotopic approaches. Dissimilatory N uptake was a relatively modest N sink, with denitrification, anammox, and N2O production accounting for 84, 14, and 2 % of N removal, respectively. Phytoplankton assimilation was the dominant N uptake mechanism, and NO3− uptake rates were higher than NH4+ uptake rates. Riverine DIN loading was sometimes insufficient to meet assimilatory and dissimilatory demands, but N fixation alleviated this deficit. N fixation made up 23.7–85.4 % of total phytoplankton N acquisition and indirectly supports Planktothrix blooms. However, N fixation rates were surprisingly uncorrelated with NO3− or NH4+ concentrations. Owing to temporal separation in sources and sinks of N to Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay pendulums between acting as a strong and weak source of downstream N loading to Lake Erie. Estuarine systems such as Sandusky Bay are mediators of downstream N loading, but climate change-induced increases in precipitation and N loading will likely intensify the swings of the N pendulum in favor of N export.