UVR induce optical changes and phosphorous release of lake water and macrophyte leachates in shallow Andean lakes

We carried out laboratory experiments in order to study the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on optical features and phosphorous release of Dissolved Organic Mater (DOM) from lake water and macrophyte leachates. Lake water samples were obtained from lakes Escondido and El Trébol, and macrophytes (Potamogeton linguatus and Schoenoplectus californicus) from their littoral zones. After UVR exposure, DOM from lake El Trébol seemed to react more quickly than that from Lake Escondido and this seems to be related with the degree of lability or aromaticity in the DOM bulk of each lake. Leachates from both macrophytes showed different absorbance spectra with differences in photochemical transformations after UVR exposure: S. californicus leachates exhibited the highest photodegradation. A significant Soluble Reactive Phosphorus (SRP) release was observed in lake water after UVR exposure. Lake El Trébol showed the highest SRP concentrations, suggesting that the release of orthophosphate was favored by low molecular weight DOM. P. linguatus leachates have more dissolved phosphorus content than S. californicus ones and after UVR exposure, P. linguatus leachate did not react to UVR while S. californicus exhibited a decrease in SRP. However both macrophyte leachates showed the higher P release in darkness. The obtained results indicated that macrophyte leachates could contribute significantly to changes in the optical characteristics and in the nutrient content in shallow Andean lakes. An increasing input of P. linguatus leachates would produce DOM of high molecular size and a higher P release than S. californicus.