摘要：We examined the relationship between phosphorus (P) uptake length (S w ) measured by stable PO 4 additions and the level of PO 4 enrichment from the additions during summer and fall in a first order stream in the southwestern portion of the Ozark Plateaus in northeast Oklahoma, USA. The y-intercept of this relation was used to more closely approximate ambient S w and other metrics of P retention efficiency during summer and fall and determine the effect of leaf litter input on P retention efficiency and hydrological properties. Under similar discharge, the presence of the leaf litter during fall decreased water velocity and the dispersion coefficient, while the transient storage area increased compared to summer. An increase in S w was generally observed with an increase in the level of P enrichment, and the linear relation (y-intercept) estimated S w at 117 and 86 m during summer and fall. The slope of the linear relation was variable because a 5 μg L -1 increase in P enrichment resulted in a 27 and 5 m increase in S w estimation during summer and fall. Overall, the input of leaf litter into the stream had a relatively small effect on S w , but our results suggest P retention was slightly greater during fall compared to summer.
