RESEARCH FOR

RESEARCH OF NUTRIENTS MIGRATION OF SANDY
SEDIMENT AERATION ZONE OF THE RIVER BANK BUFFER AREA
by 1.9–7.1 times from 0.12–0.20 mg l -1 on the
surface and up to 0.02–0.10 mg l -1 in groundwater
collected by lysimeters Nos 1–3, and from 0.42–
0.54 mg l -1 to 0.02–0.03 mg l -1 in the 4th lysimeter
with concentrations of phosphates from the surface
to the ground water reducing by 22 times. In autumn
season, all lysimeters registered a reduction in
concentrations by 1.3–12 times from 0.03–0.17 mg l -1
on the surface to 0.01–0.11 mg l -1 in ground water.
In spring, increase in phosphates was registered in
lysimeters Nos 1–3 from 0.05–0.24 mg l -1 on the
surface to 0.04–0.22 mg l -1 in ground water, with
increase of phosphates in ground water amounting to
1.4 times if compared to the surface water. In the 4th
lysimeter, concentration of phosphates decreased by
1.7 times.
Andrius Litvinaitis,
Lina Bagdžiūnaitė-Litvinaitienė
conclusions
Subsequent to research on river banks with
sandy lithology, it was ascertained that reduction
in concentrations of ammonium ions is directly
dependent on the increase of the sediment infiltration
coefficient. Variation in ion concentrations of other
nitrogen compounds and phosphates depends on a
season. In spring, melting snow washes nitrates down
into sediments. Irrespective of the type of soil or sand
sediments, amounts of nitrates at 1 m depth increases
by 27%. In summer, herbaceous vegetation decreases
amounts of nitrate ions by 9%. Besides, in summer
season, irrespective of concentrations on the surface,
amounts of phosphate ions – in the layer from the
surface to 1 m in depth – reduce by 0.9 mg l -1 .
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