Characterisation of dissolved organic matter from temperate wetlands: field dynamics and photoreactivity changes driven by natural inputs and diagenesis along the hydroperiod

Abstract

Wetlands store large amounts of C in biomass, sediments and water. A major C fraction is in the dissolved organic matter (DOM) with multiple regulatory functions. Patagonian wetlands undergo changes in the water cycle due to climate warming and lower precipitation, causing shorter hydroperiods and reduced landscape connectivity with effects on C budgets. This study focuses on the optical characterisation of the DOM of an ephemeral wetland of North Patagonia. Along the hydroperiod the DOM showed optical signatures indicating terrestrial inputs, degradation and internal production. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration ranged between ∼4 and ∼9 mg L−1. The DOM pool displayed high molecular weight/size and aromatic fingerprints. Humic components C1 (microbial and/or vegetation derived) and C2 (soil/sediment) prevailed in the DOM, whereas the non-humic component C3 (from aquatic processes) increased from early spring. Experimental exposure to PAR + UVR produced slight changes in DOC and reduction in DOM molecular weight/size. The components showed distinctive photoreactivity/lability: C1 > C3 > C2. Along the hydroperiod the relative contribution of the humic vs. non-humic components (C1 and C3) determined the reactivity/lability of the DOM. In Fantasma pond, the DOM pool fluctuates in response to hydrology and degradation processes, and the alternance between dry and flooded periods determines C dynamics.