Climatic controls on phosphorus concentrations in The Loch, Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA since the last glacial maximum

• DOI: 10.1017/qua.2022.19
• Publication Date: 2022-05-26T08:14:42Z
• Authors: Jason R. Price; David W. Szymanski; Krista E.H. Slemmons; Mackenzie Eskey; Edward Johnson; Suzanne Bricker
• Keywords: Authigenic; Deglaciation

Abstract The alpine–subalpine Loch Vale watershed (LVW) of Colorado, USA, has relatively high natural lithogenic P 5+ fluxes to surface waters. For 1992–2018, the largest number stream samples with concentrations ([P ]) above detection limits occurred in 2008, corresponding highest frost-cracking intensity (FCI). Therefore, cold winters and warm summers a comparatively low mean annual temperature partly influence [P ]. Sediment cores were collected from Loch, an outlet lake LVW. Iron-, Al-, Mn-oxide-bound phosphorus (adsorbed authigenic phosphates; NP) serves as proxy measurement for paleolake NP core during dry Allerød interstade. lowest climatically very wet periods Late Pleistocene Early Holocene. ] are followed by summers, temperatures, little rainfall and/or cryospheric melting. Currently LVW is experiencing warming melting permanent cryosphere rapidly declining FCI since 2008. This potential dramatically decrease water ecosystems LVW, reducing biological productivity, enhancing P-limitation, increasing ecosystem reliance on aeolian .