The effect of Littorella uniflora on nutrients in a groundwater fed lake

Lake Hampen is a Lobelia lake situated high up in the Jutland ridge and which lies close to the groundwater boundary. This means that the groundwater flow between the aquifer and the lake is not constant. Lake Hampen has a large discharge zone where the groundwater flows from the aquifer into the lake; and a smaller recharge zone where water from the lake flows back into the aquifer. This variable groundwater pattern combined with only minor surface inlets and outlets provides good conditions for studying the interactions between groundwater and Littorella uniflora.
Preliminary results from ongoing field studies indicate that Littorella uniflora clearly stimulate nitrification within the rhizosphere. Internal nitrate peaks formed within the sediments, in both the discharge and recharge zones of the lake. These peaks ranged from 0,009 to 0,47mg NO3-N L-1 in the discharge zone; and from 0,49 to 0,88mg NO3-N L-1 in the recharge zone. There are also indications that the plants have the capability to effectively reduce high nitrate concentrations within the rhizosphere (reduction of 30 to 0,1mg NO3-N L-1 was observed).