Objectives: The study examines how Loansome Doc services are implemented and used by libraries in the Southeast Region and describe end users' experiences with and attitudes toward Loansome Doc. Methods: 251 active DOCLINE libraries and 867 Loansome Doc users were surveyed. Results: Roughly one half of the libraries offered Loansome Doc services. Of those that did not, most indicated no plans to offer it in the future. The majority had a small number of end users and experienced minimal increases in interlibrary loan activity. Problems were relatively rare. Satisfaction with Loansome Doc was high among all types of libraries. End users were usually physicians or other health care professionals who requested articles for research and patient care. Most learned about Loansome Doc through PubMed or Internet Grateful Med. End users appeared to be largely self-taught or received informal instruction in Loansome Doc. Loansome Doc filled document requests in a timely manner, and end users reported being satisfied with the service. Conclusions: Greater promotion of what Loansome Doc is and how it can benefit libraries can increase the number of participating libraries. While satisfaction of Loansome Doc end users is high, satisfaction could be increased with more help on the PubMed screen, more library training, and faster delivery methods.

This study investigates the extent to which hospital librarians use and are satisfied with Loansome Doc. One hundred and ninety-two libraries in the southeast region were surveyed. Results indicate that hospital libraries using Loansome Doc were not overburdened with end-users or requests. Hospital libraries’ satisfaction with Loansome Doc was generally high. However, many libraries did not offer Loansome Doc services due to limited staff, fear of increased workload, cost/billing issues, and unfamiliarity with the system. Hospital librarians should consider offering Loansome Doc because of the potential for considerable timesaving benefits. Also, Loansome Doc can be an important promotional tool, fostering user confidence in the library’s ability to quickly and conveniently meet information needs.

Climate warming has been extensively documented over the last few decades, with northern environments experiencing greater increases in temperature than lower and mid-latitudes. Impacts of climate warming include: an increase in the rain to snow ratio, changes in precipitation magnitude and timing, increased soil warming, permafrost thaw, latitudinal and altitudinal expansion of tree-line, proliferation of tall shrubs into tundra, intensification of the freshwater cycle, and changes to stream volume and water quality. However, forecasting how these changes will affect northern, high latitude environments is difficult due to a lack of process-based research across scales. Wolf Creek Research Basin (WCRB) in Southern Yukon is a well-established mesoscale alpine catchment comprised of three ecozones and has hydrometric and meteorological records spanning 25 years. In this thesis, extensive field campaigns generated hydrochemical, stable isotope, and high-frequency in-situ datasets that were analyzed in conjunction with historical data from WCRB to refine and advance existing conceptual models. These distinct datasets were collected within a nested experimental design to more precisely describe relationships between catchment conditions, ecohydrological processes and stream water quantity and quality beginning at the headwater scale and with scaling to the outlet of WCRB. Optical data was combined with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations to assess source areas and in-stream dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality across landscape units. Headwater DOC concentrations and fluxes from 2015-2016 were compared to the previous decade to assess changing export. In situ sensors that record chromophoric DOM (CDOM) at high frequency were paired with discharge and conductivity measurements to assess concentration-discharge relationships at event, seasonal and annual scales. Conceptual models of conductivity and major ion transport were confirmed while high-frequency CDOM-Q insights refined our understanding of DOC movement. As vegetation community composition and characteristics change, it is expected that components of the water balance will be altered at both the canopy level and within the critical zone. Compartmentalization of water within the critical zone is increasingly important to provide insights into how water cycles within catchments. Dual isotope and lc-excess approaches showed that bulk and xylem water were significantly different from the LMWL and stream water isotopes of δ2H and δ18O. Meanwhile, an increasingly enriched xylem water isotope signal overlapped with bulk soil water values as the growing season continued, which suggests the opportunistic use of available mobile soil water. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Climate warming has been extensively documented over the last few decades, with northern environments experiencing greater increases in temperature than lower and mid-latitudes. Impacts of climate warming include: an increase in the rain to snow ratio, changes in precipitation magnitude and timing, increased soil warming, permafrost thaw, latitudinal and altitudinal expansion of trees and shrubs becoming taller and moving to new areas. Climate change has the capacity to then affect the cycling of water leading to differences in how much water is present in streams and possibly leading to decreasing in water quality. Models and other tools are used to forecast these changes but benchmarking outcomes is difficult because northern environments are less well studied than other, more accessible locations. New types of information, including water quality, isotope and optical datasets, were used to explore previous understanding of how processes interact in space and time.

The variations in discharge and water chemistry among and within headwater catchments are not well understood. Developing a better understanding of the processes that control these variations is crucial to determining how headwater catchments will respond to changes in climate and land use. This dissertation explores how hydrologic processes in headwater catchments may be better understood by utilizing a hydropedological framework, where similar soils are grouped together and considered to be representative of and developed by similar hydrologic and biogeochemical processes. In the first chapter, soil groups, called hydropedological units (HPUs) are found to be indicative of distinct water table regimes characterized by the interquartile range and median of shallow groundwater levels, the percent time water table exists in the soil, and the level of catchment storage at which groundwater responds. The second chapter explores the hydrological processes that may lead to the formation of HPUs in the catchment. By examining water table records and unsaturated water potential from tensiometers we found that lateral unsaturated flow regimes may be partially responsible for the patterns of lateral translocation observed in HPUs. Finally, the third chapter identifies two HPUs in the catchment as sources of streamwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC). While near-stream areas have typically been found to be DOC sources in headwater catchments, the HPUs identified as sources occur at high elevations in the catchment, near channel heads. Overall, these findings will be useful to better explain runoff generation, soil formation, and DOC export from headwater catchments. Headwater streams source water to larger bodies of water that are valuable natural resources. Therefore, explaining these processes is critical to predicting and responding to changes in climate and land use that may affect important water supplies. / Ph. D.

Research efforts pertaining to natural organic material (NOM) have focused primarily on the dissolved portion of NOM since it is the most prevalent fraction. Numerous procedures have been developed to separate dissolved organic material (DOM) into fractions but methods were not fully refined in the areas of quantitative analysis, DOM recovery, and DOM isolation. This research chemically and physically characterized DOM using synthetic resin adsorption and ultrafiltration, respectively. A 0.45 μm filter separated the NOM into particulate and nonparticulate fractions prior to characterization. The DOM of two natural waters were fractionated into six separate organic fractions (hydrophobic bases, acids, neutrals and hydrophilic bases, acids, neutrals). Apparent molecular weight distributions were performed on the two natural waters and six organic fractions via ultrafiltration. The effects of pH on coagulation removal efficiency were investigated on four of the organic fractions (acidic and neutral). A procedure was developed to investigate the synergistic/antagonistic effects of the hydrophobic acid fraction and the hydrophobic neutral fraction on each other during coagulation. Ultrafilters (30K and 100K nominal molecular weight cutoff) were utilized to analyze the phase-change behavior of DOM during coagulation. Results indicated the coagulation pH affected the removal of the organic acidic fractions but not the neutral fractions. A further study showed poorer removal of the hydrophobic neutral fraction resulting from the greater presence of the hydrophobic acid fraction in a solution composed of the two fractions and vice versa. At less than enhanced doses of both alum and ferric chloride there existed the presence of colloidal metal bound organic material. This colloidal fraction can be effectively removed by the addition of a nonionic polymer, providing a cost effective alternative to the higher coagulant doses often required to achieve enhanced coagulation of surface waters. / Master of Science

Recent studies have focused on dissolved organic matter (DOM) cycling throughout river corridors or in reservoirs, but few have explored DOM cycling in commonplace but understudied run-of-river (ROR) reservoir systems. Impoundments disrupt river flow patterns, as they increase hydraulic residence time and alter the flow of DOM downstream. During storms when the majority of DOM loading occurs, impoundments become less likely to hold DOM and will increase export of DOM downstream. In this study, we quantified DOM bioavailability and composition, carbon flux, and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas evasion in a ROR reservoir system at baseflow conditions and during a 1.5-year storm event. This study used a combination of high frequency spatial sensor data geotagged to GPS coordinates along the river to reservoir transition, and grab samples of surface water taken at two U.S. Geological Survey stream gauges and three additional sites. The landscape and shallow flow paths to ROR reservoir systems resulted in the export of both aromatic carbon and labile organic matter present within these waters, as water was mixed and exported downstream. Additionally, the reservoir was a net sink of DOC and BDOC flux, while also a source of DIC flux. Finally, CO2 evasion was magnified by high flow, with the reservoir changing from a sink to a source of CO2 to the atmosphere. ROR reservoirs may undergo "short-circuiting" during high flow, which alters DOM transformations and transport of carbon downstream. Our results provide critical insight on carbon dynamics in ROR reservoir systems and highlight the need to incorporate riverine DOM into carbon budgets, especially under variable flow conditions. / Master of Science / Recent studies have focused on dissolved organic matter (DOM) cycling through river corridors, as DOM provides energy to aquatic food webs and can be converted to carbon dioxide (CO₂) through microbial respiration. Few studies have explored DOM cycling in commonplace but understudied run-of-river (ROR) reservoir systems. ROR reservoirs are created by the implementation of a dam across a river channel and use the flow of the river to generate hydroelectric power. During storms, when the majority of DOM loading occurs, impoundments become less likely to hold DOM and will increase export of DOM downstream. In this study, we quantified DOM quality and composition, DOM transport, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas evasion in a ROR reservoir system at baseflow conditions and across a 1.5 year storm event. This study used a combination of high frequency spatial sensor data combined with GPS coordinates along the river to reservoir transition, and grab samples of surface water taken at two U.S. Geological Survey stream gauges and three additional sites. Results show that the landscape and shallow flow paths to ROR reservoir systems resulted in the export of both high and low quality carbon present within these waters, as water was mixed and exported downstream. Additionally, the reservoir was a net sink of DOM flux, retaining 40.7% of the total DOM loading for the storm event. Finally, CO₂ evasion was magnified by the storm event, with the reservoir changing from a sink to a source of CO₂ to the atmosphere. Our results provide critical insight on carbon dynamics in ROR reservoir systems and highlight the need to incorporate riverine DOM into carbon budgets, especially under variable flow conditions.

Boreal landscapes cover a large part of both Sweden and the northern hemisphere. The hydrology of the boreal landscape is complex, with several factors that can affect it in a physical and/or chemical manner. In the Krycklan catchment area, 68km2, located in northern Sweden close to Umeå, data has been collected at several sites giving both stream flow and water chemistry information. In 2017 samples from 34 sites were collected and analysed from ephemeral streams within the Krycklan catchment area for the first time ever.  In this project, data that has been collected from the ephemeral streams will be correlated with data from the perennial streams in the catchment area. There are several hypotheses at the start of this project that suggests that within the ephemeral streams the DOC will be lower, and the CO2 will be the same. The aim of the project is to find out if there are any patterns that differentiates the ephemeral streams from the perennial streams or if there are no patterns at all. Since there is not so much data available for the ephemeral streams, the conclusions that might be reached in this project won’t be completely reliable. However, if interesting patterns are found the project could expand in the future and more samples can be taken to use for more precise analyses. / Boreala landskap täcker en stor del av både Sverige och norra halvklotet. Det boreala landskapets hydrologi är komplext, med flera faktorer som kan påverka det på ett fysiskt och/eller kemiskt vis. I Krycklans avrinningsområde, 68 km2, beläget i norra Sverige nära Umeå, har data samlats in på flera platser som erbjuder data för både flöde och vattenkemi. År 2017 samlades prover från 34 efemära strömmar och analyserades för första gången inom Krycklans avrinningsområde. I det här projektet kommer data som samlats från de efemära strömmarna att korreleras med data från de konstanta vattendragen i avrinningsområdet. Det finns ett par hypoteser i början av detta projekt som tyder på att inom de efemära strömmarna kan DOC halter vara lägre och CO2 halter kommer att vara densamma. Syftet med projektet är att ta reda på om det finns några anmärkningsvärda skillnader mellan de efemära strömmarna och de konstanta vattendragen. Eftersom det inte finns så mycket data tillgänglig för de efemära strömmarna kommer de slutsatser som kan uppnås i detta projekt inte att vara helt tillförlitliga. Om intressanta mönster finns däremot kan projektet expandera i framtiden och fler prover kan tas för att användas för mer exakta analyser.

Die vorliegende Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit den Faktoren, die das Wachstum und die Vertikalverteilung von Planktonalgen in extrem sauren Tagebaurestseen (TBS; pH 2-3) beeinflussen. Im exemplarisch untersuchten TBS 111 (pH 2.7; Lausitzer Revier) dominiert die Goldalge Ochromonas sp. in oberen und die Grünalge Chlamydomonas sp. in tieferen Wasserschichten, wobei letztere ein ausgeprägtes Tiefenchlorophyll-Maximum (DCM) ausbildet. Es wurde ein deutlicher Einfluss von Limitation durch anorganischen Kohlenstoff (IC) auf das phototrophe Wachstum von Chlamydomonas sp. in oberen Wasserschichten nachgewiesen, die mit zunehmender Tiefe von Lichtlimitation abgelöst wird. Im Vergleich mit Arbeiten aus neutralen Seen zeigte Chlamydomonas sp. erniedrigte maximale Wachstumsraten, einen gesteigerten Kompensationspunkt und erhöhte Dunkelrespirationsraten, was auf gesteigerte metabolische Kosten unter den extremen physikalisch-chemischen Bedingungen hinweist. Die Photosyntheseleistungen von Chlamydomonas sp. waren in Starklicht-adaptierten Zellen durch IC-Limitation deutlich verringert. Außerdem ergaben die ermittelten minimalen Zellquoten für Phosphor (P) einen erhöhten P-Bedarf unter IC-Limitation. Anschließend konnte gezeigt werden, dass Chlamydomonas sp. ein mixotropher Organismus ist, der seine Wachstumsraten über die osmotrophe Aufnahme gelösten organischen Kohlenstoffs (DOC) erhöhen kann. Dadurch ist dieser Organismus fähig, in tieferen, Licht-limitierten Wasserschichten zu überleben, die einen höheren DOC-Gehalt aufweisen. Da die Vertikalverteilung der Algen im TBS 111 jedoch weder durch IC-Limitation, P-Verfügbarkeit noch die in situ DOC-Konzentrationen abschließend erklärt werden konnte (bottom-up Kontrolle), wurde eine neue Theorie zur Entstehung der Vertikalverteilung geprüft. Grazing der phagotrophen und phototrophen Alge Ochromonas sp. auf der phototrophen Alge Chlamydomonas sp. erwies sich als herausragender Faktor, der über top-down Kontrolle die Abundanz der Beute in höheren Wasserschichten beeinflussen kann. Gemeinsam mit der Tatsache, dass Chlamydomonas sp. DOC zur Wachstumssteigerung verwendet, führt dies zu einer Akkumulation von Chlamydomonas sp. in der Tiefe, ausgeprägt als DCM. Daher erscheint grazing als der Hauptfaktor, der die beobachtete Vertikalschichtung der Algen im TBS 111 hervorruft. Die erzielten Ergebnisse liefern grundlegende Informationen, um die Auswirkungen von Strategien zur Neutralisierung der TBS auf das Nahrungsnetz abschätzen zu können. / In this thesis, I investigated the factors influencing the growth and vertical distribution of planktonic algae in extremely acidic mining lakes (pH 2-3). In the focal study site, Lake 111 (pH 2.7; Lusatia, Germany), the chrysophyte, Ochromonas sp., dominates in the upper water strata and the chlorophyte, Chlamydomonas sp., in the deeper strata, forming a pronounced deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM). Inorganic carbon (IC) limitation influenced the phototrophic growth of Chlamydomonas sp. in the upper water strata. Conversely, in deeper strata, light limited its phototrophic growth. When compared with published data for algae from neutral lakes, Chlamydomonas sp. from Lake 111 exhibited a lower maximum growth rate, an enhanced compensation point and higher dark respiration rates, suggesting higher metabolic costs due to the extreme physico-chemical conditions. The photosynthetic performance of Chlamydomonas sp. decreased in high-light-adapted cells when IC limited. In addition, the minimal phosphorus (P) cell quota was suggestive of a higher P requirement under IC limitation. Subsequently, it was shown that Chlamydomonas sp. was a mixotroph, able to enhance its growth rate by taking up dissolved organic carbon (DOC) via osmotrophy. Therefore, it could survive in deeper water strata where DOC concentrations were higher and light limited. However, neither IC limitation, P availability nor in situ DOC concentrations (bottom-up control) could fully explain the vertical distribution of Chlamydomonas sp. in Lake 111. Conversely, when a novel approach was adopted, the grazing influence of the phagotrophic phototroph, Ochromonas sp., was found to exert top-down control on its prey (Chlamydomonas sp.) reducing prey abundance in the upper water strata. This, coupled with the fact that Chlamydomonas sp. uses DOC for growth, leads to a pronounced accumulation of Chlamydomonas sp. cells at depth; an apparent DCM. Therefore, grazing appears to be the main factor influencing the vertical distribution of algae observed in Lake 111. The knowledge gained from this thesis provides information essential for predicting the effect of strategies to neutralize the acidic mining lakes on the food-web.

The main aim of this work was to investigate the extent of uranium and radium -fixation and mobilization at the interface of mining influenced surface water and sub-hydric soils, sediment and plant detritus. A freshwater ecosystem (stream channels in an alder swamp forest – Alno-Lemnetum with low residence time shallow ponds) developed directly below a mining site (Neuensalz) and influenced by uranium containing water served as investigation site for the identification of possible fixation and mobilization mechanisms. In addition, investigations were carried out on sediments in a water reservoir downstream of the examined abandoned mining site. It could be shown, that radium concentrations of the examined surface water (2001 – 2004) are only slightly higher compared to the range of geogenic levels for German surface waters, and that its activity concentrations decreased along the investigated flow path. In contrast, uranium concentrations are well above geogenic levels and the concentration level stays high along the whole water pathway through the study area. The U-238:Ra-226 ratio of the examined surface water from the spring to a pond outflow significantly increased. The uranium chain activity concentrations in the sediments determined in this study partly exceeded considerably the regional geogenic level. For the sediment water the 238U: 226Ra ratio in the first part of the flow path is significantly shifted in favor of radium while in the second part the ratio is shifted in favor of uranium. There were indications that the dissolved uranium is transported in the form of soluble carbonate complexes. Radium however is rather fixed under dominantly oxidizing conditions along the mainly turbulent mixed shallow water pathway. The fixation of uranium and radium in the upper section of the pathway (direct below the spring) was found to be inorganically, whereas in the second part organic bonds are more indicated. The influence of allochthonous organic carbon as main metabolic energy source for low order lotic ecosystems on the fixation of uranium was investigated by analyzing, the effects of leaves (coarse particulate organic matter: CPOM) and their degradation products (mainly fine particulate organic matter: FPOM and biofilms etc.). It was found that the highly mobile fraction of uranium in the water pathway, preferably present under the given conditions in the form different uranyl-carbonato-complexes, is efficiently fixed on fresh organic plant material (plant litter, leaves) in the first steps of organic matter decomposition within a few days. But it also can be immobilized relatively stable. It was also found that CPOM is a temporary sink for uranium, which may be sedimented depending on the turbulence flow and discharge. This may contribute to the directional removal of uranium from the water into the sediment. Finally this work analyzed the conditions in the pelagic and benthic zone of the Neuensalz pre dam of the Pöhl reservoir, which is located downstream of the mining site. It presents a periodically stagnant water body with seasonally continuous sedimentation, a possible stable sink of uranium and products of radioactive decay in early diagenesis. Water samples of the pelagic zone and undisturbed sediment cores were taken and analyzed during winter stagnation. The results are discussed in front of seasonal changes in water chemistry and load data. U-238 and Ra-226 showed a culmination of activity concentrations in the sediment horizons from 25 to 35 cm depth, in particular at a centrally located sampling point (K3). At this point highest activity concentrations of 238U were found with a median value of 770 Bq*kg-1 at a depth of 30 cm. At the same location 226Ra shows activity concentrations of 250 Bq*kg-1(median). Based on the Cs-137 dating method a sedimentation rate of 1.5 cm*yr-1 was calculated for the pre-dam Neuensalz sediment. On average sedimentation rates for 238U of 3,7 ± 1,1 kBq*m-2*yr-1 and for 226Ra of 3,5 ± 0,5 kBq*m-2*yr-1 were calculated. Furthermore, a total uranium stock of 68 ± 6 kg per hectare in the sediment was estimated. In connection with a sedimentation period of 23 years, the uranium inventory in the sediments would correspond to a portion of approx. 18 % of the uranium feed by the water influx estimated for the same period. This estimation did not take into account a geogenic portion and other sources like fertilizer. For radium, the situation is reversed. An extrapolation of the cumulative load for the same period results in a lower value by almost a factor of 100 compared to uranium. This compares with a radium inventory in the sediment, which is about 15 times higher than the projected load. This leads to the conclusion that in addition to the supply from the mining legacy also the geogenic background and/or discontinuous particulate import (via storm water stream runoff etc.) has to be considered. The analysis of the bonding stability and related potential mobilization of the sedimentary uranium using sequential chemical extraction shows that most of the uranium is found in the organic fraction over the entire sediment layer, which may be identified as organically bound or as uraninite. In conclusion not only radium is immobilized near to the source but also a relevant share of uranium is permanently fixed even in/on durably deposited organic matter despite eu-trophic conditions with high nitrate load, traceable in deeper sediment layers due to e.g intensive land use. / Hauptziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Untersuchung des Umfangs der Festlegung bzw. Mobilisierung von Uran und Radium an der Grenzfläche von Bergbau beeinflußtem Oberflächenwasser und subhydrischen Böden, Sedimenten sowie Bestandsabfall (Detritus). Als Untersuchungsgebiet zur Identifizierung entsprechender Fixierungs- und Mobilisierungsmechanismen diente ein Süßwasser - Ökosystem (Bach in einem Erlenbruchwald – Alno-Lemnetum – und integrierte flache Teiche mit geringer Verweilzeit) unterhalb eines ehemaligen Uranerzbergbau-Gebietes (Neuensalz), das von uranhaltigem Wasser durchströmt ist. Darüber hinaus Sedimentanalysen eines periodisch stagnierenden Wasserkörpers (Vorsperre der Talsperre Pöhl) im Abstrombereich der untersuchten Bergbaualtlast vorgenommen. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Radiumkonzentration des Oberflächenwassers (2001-2004) geringfügig über der des geogenen Niveaus für deutsche Oberflächenwässer liegt und dass die entsprechende Aktivitätskonzentration von Radium entlang der untersuchten Fließstrecke beginnend mit einer Quelle an einem Tailingdamm deutlich abnimmt. Dagegen liegen die Urankonzentrationen des Oberflächenwassers deutlich über dem geogenen Hintergrund. Seine Aktivitätskonzentrationen bleiben entlang der Fließstrecke weitgehend stabil. Das 238U:226Ra-Verhältnis des Oberflächenwassers wird sich entlang der Fließstrecke von der Quelle unterhalb des Tailingdammes bis zum Abfluss aus der ersten, schwächer durchflossenen kleinen Senke (Forellenteich) erhöht. Die in dieser Arbeit ermittelten Aktivitätskonzentrationen der untersuchten Nuklide der Sedimente lagen zum Teil erheblich über dem geogenen Niveau der Region. Das 238U:226Ra-Verhältnis des Bachsediments ist im ersten Teil der Fließstrecke deutlich zugunsten des Radiums verschoben, während es im zweiten Teil zugunsten von Uran verschoben ist. Dies weist darauf hin, dass das gelöste Uran in Form carbonatischer Komplexe transportiert wird. Radium wird dagegen unter den vorherrschenden oxidierenden Bedingungen entlangder Fließstrecke eher fixiert. Für die Festlegung von Uran und Radium wurde im oberen Teil der Fließstrecke (direkt unterhalb der Quelle) eher auf anorganische Bindungen geschlossen, während die Fixierung im zweiten Teil der Fließstrecke eher organischer Natur ist. Da im Oberlauf von Fließgewässern allochthoner organischer Kohlenstoff die wesentliche die Energiequelle für alle Ökosystemfunktionen bildet und eine besondere Funktion mit Blick auf Untersuchungsziel vermutet werden kann, wurde die Wirkung von Laub (grob- organisches Material: CPOM) und seinen Abbauprodukten (fein-partikuläres organisches Material: FPOM, Biofilm usw.) auf die Fixierung von Uran analysiert. Es wurde festgestellt, dass das im Wasserpfad sehr mobile Uran, welches unter den gegebenen Bedingungen vorzugsweise in verschiedenen Uranyl-Carbonato-Komplexen vorliegt, nicht nur an frischer organischer Substanz pflanzlichen Ursprungs (Bestandesabfall, Laub) im Verlauf biologischen Abbaus effizient gebunden und festgelegt wird, sondern auch sehr stabil immobilisiert werden kann. Es wurde auch ermittelt, dass CPOM ein temporärer Speicher für Uran ist, welcher je nach Fließgeschwindigkeit sedimentieren und damit zum gerichteten Transfer von Uran aus dem Wasser in das Sediment beitragen kann. Der anteilige Austrag über das verstärkt gebildete DOC über den Laubeintrag ist relativ gering. Schließlich wurden die Verhältnisse mit Bezug zur Fragestellung in der pelagischen und benthischen Zone der Vorsperre Neuensalz der Talsperre Pöhl analysiert, die stromabwärts des Bergbaugebietes anschießt. Die Vorsperre stellt einen periodisch stagnierenden Wasserkörper mit saisonaler kontinuierlicher Sedimentation dar und damit eine mögliche stabile Senke für Uran und seine radioaktiven Zerfallsprodukte in der Frühdiagenese. Wasserproben der pelagischen Zone und ungestörte Sedimentkerne wurden in der Phase der Winterstagnation entnommen, analysiert und unter Berücksichtigung saisonaler Unterschiede bezüglich Wasserchemie und Frachtdaten disskutiert. Für U-238 und Ra-226 zeigt sich eine Kulmination der Aktivitätskonzentration in den mittleren Sediment- Horizonten von 25-35 cm Tiefe, insbesondere an der Probenahmestelle K3. Dort fanden sich auch die höchsten Aktivitätskonzentrationen der Vorsperre für 238U mit einem Medianwert von 770 Bq*kg-1 in einer Tiefe von 30 cm. Für Ra-226 fand sich am selben Ort eine Aktivität von 250 Bq*kg-1 (Median). Anhand der Datierung mithilfe der Cs-137 Methode wurde für das Sediment der Vorsperre Neuensalz eine Sedimentationsrate von 1,5 cm*a-1 errechnet. Für Uran ergab sich eine Sedimentationsrate von 3,7 ± 1,1 kBq*m-2*a-1 und für Ra-226 eine solche von 3,50 ± 0,5 kBq*m-2*a-1. Darüber hinaus wurde die im Schnitt ca. 40 cm mächtigen Sedimente ein Uranvorrat von 68 ± 6 kg pro Hektar bilanziert. In Verbindung mit der Dauer des Bilanzzeitraumes der Sedimentation (23 Jahre) entspräche das in der Vorsperre vorgefundene Uraninventar einem Anteil von ca. 18 % der für diesen Zeitraum abgeschätzten Uranfracht im Wasserzufluss, wobei der geogene Anteil des Urans und die Ausbringung von Phosphatdüngemitteln in den Sedimenten noch nicht berücksichtigt ist. Für Radium sind die Verhältnisse umgekehrt. Wenn aus den gegenwärtigen Aktivitätskonzentrationen im Zufluss auf eine kumulative Fracht für den 23-jährigen Bilanzierungs- bzw. Betrachtungszeitraum hochgerechnet wird, ergibt sich ein fast um den Faktor 100 geringerer Wert, verglichen mit Uran. Dem steht ein Radiuminventar im Sediment gegenüber, welches etwa 15-mal größer als diese hochgerechnete Fracht ist. Daraus ist abzuleiten, dass neben der relativ geringen wassergelösten Zufuhr aus der Bergbaualtlast dem gegogenen Hintergrund im sedimentierenden Substrat sowie diskontinuierlich Partikel (über Regenwasserabfluss) Bedeutung beizumessen ist. Bei der Analyse der Bindungsverhältnisse des sedimentären Urans (sequentielle Extraktion) wurde der größte Anteil des Urans im Sediment als Uraninit bzw. als organisch gebunden identifiziert. Insgesamt ist zu schließen, dass nicht nur Radium in der Nähe von Quellen immobilisiert wird, sondern auch Uran eine dauerhafte Fixierung in ständig abgelagertem organischem Material erfährt. Diese Fixierung ist trotz eutropher Bedingungen mit hoher Niratbelastung stabil und in tieferen Sedimentschichten nachweisbar.

Mercury, Hg, is found in Arctic biota in alarming quantity, posing a potential health risk for the local population. It is believed that the large Arctic rivers contribute to this. The Mackenzie River annually transports approximately 325 km3 water to the Arctic Ocean, which is ca 10% of the freshwater received. The annual water flow also transports ca 2 ton of Hg. In order to investigate the source of Hg within the Mackenzie River Basin and the path of transport, a hydro-chemical river mixing model is constructed using field data gathered in summer 2018 and publicly available data. However, since the Hg concentration is very low in the river water and it is known that Hg binds very strongly to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC), both DOC and POC are utilized instead as proxies for Hg. The purpose of the model is to allow for estimations to be made of the relative contributions of different sub-basins and effluents to the total outflow of (e.g.) DOC at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, based on limited hydrographic and riverine water quality data. The model was used to estimate the mixing of DOC and POC sources for summer 2018 as an initial test of its performance. It performs adequately as it can estimate the amount of water discharge and DOC/TOC (total organic carbon) load that each node contributes to the Mackenzie River. The results from the model suggest that the contribution of organic carbon from each sub-watershed is not solely dependent on either drainage area size or water discharge; additionally, it appears to be determined by the local environment and geology. Water from catchment areas containing peatlands have high DOC content, and water passing through regions with coal layers have high POC content. The loss of POC towards the end of the model coincides well with the expected deceleration of the water discharge entering the Mackenzie River delta. It is concluded that the model should be useful for the study of Hg origin and transport in the Mackenzie River. Also, it has the potential for being a starting point for a more advanced or predictive model. / Varje år levereras stora mängder kvicksilver till det Arktiska havet. Kvicksilver är ett välkänt miljögift, tungmetall, och har kapaciteten att ackumuleras i näringskedjan.Kring Arktiska havet finns det ett flertal bosättningar där innevånarna får sin näring främst från havet och denna befolkning riskerar att bli påverkad av kvicksilverhalten i deras mat.Mackenziefloden mynnar ut i det Arktiska havet i norra Kanada. Med ett vattenflöde av ca 325 km3 vatten per år och ett avrinningsområde på 1.8 miljoner km2 bidrar Mackenziefloden med ca 10% av färskvattentillförseln till Arktiska havet. Det är också uppskattat att ca 2 ton av kvicksilver transporteras via Mackenziefloden.För att kartlägga flödet och ursprunget av kvicksilver används prover tagna i fält 2018 och allmänt tillgängliga data. Från det konstrueras en modell som kartlägger flödet och ursprung av partikulärt och kemiskt löst kol. Förekomsten av partikulärt och kemiskt löst kol är relaterat till förekomst av kvicksilver och är betydligt enklare att mäta.Tillsammans med data på flödeshastighet, tagna från existerande mätstationer, används provresultaten till att etablera en serie av punkter som kommer att representera de olika delarna av Mackenzieflodens dräneringsområde. På detta sätt kan de olika förgreningarna som mynnar ut i Mackenziefloden observeras var och en för sig, vilket gör det lättare att se vilka områden som tillför partikulärt och kemiskt löst kol och i vilka mängder.Det är föga förvånande att de stora floderna, så som Liardfloden och Peelfloden, är bland de största bidragarna av kol, både partikulärt och kemiskt löst. Nära Mackenzieflodens utlopp kan man se att mängden partikulärt kol i suspension avtar, i samband med att flödeshastigheten minskar och partiklar börjar att fällas ut då floden mynnar ut i deltat.Resultaten i den här studien visar en väldigt hög masstransport (i kg/km2/31d), gentemot tidigare observationer. Detta är dock orsakat av att fältproverna som använts här är tagna under en kort period väldigt nära vårfloden, vilket får de dagliga värdena att se väldigt stora ut. Dessa värden är dock bara aktuella en kortare tid och avtar resten av året.Denna modell utgör en potentiell bas för vidare studie av kol och kvicksilverförekomst i Mackenzieflodens avrinningsområde och eventuellt även för andra floder givet tillgängliga data.