Abstract
Shingal reservoir is a relatively small (211ha) and shallow impoundment, and approximately 25 ha of its sediment is exposed after spring drawdown. At least 14 vascular p13n1 species germinate on the exposed sediment, but Persimria vulgaris Webb et Moq. quickly dominates the vegetation. In order to estimate the role of the vegetation in the dynamics of heavy metal pollutants in the reservoir, Cu concentration of water, fallout particles, exposed sediment, and tissues of p. vulgaris, Ivas analyzed. Cu content in reservoir water decreased from $13.10mg/m^2$ on May 15 (before dralvdown) to $3.08mg/m^2$ in June 1 (after drawdown), mainly due to the loiwering of water level. Average atmospheric deposition of Cu by fallout particles was $10.84 {\mu}g/m^2/day$. Cu content in the surface 15cm of exposed sediment decreased from $5.094g1m^2$ right after drawdown, to $0.530g/m^2$ in 41 days, which is a 89.6% decrease. Therefore up to 99.7% of Cu in the reservoir appears to exist in the sediment. only 0.3% in water If the rate of atmospheric Input by fallout particles is assumed to have been the same since 1958, when the reservoir was completed, cumulative input of Cu during the 38 years would have been $150.35mg/m^2$, which is only 3.0% of Cu content in sediment right after drawdown. Therefore, most of Cu in the Shingal reservoir must have been transported by the Shingal-chun flowing into the reservoir, Standing crop of vegetation on the exposed sediment 41 days after drawdown was $730.67g/m^2$, of which 630.91g/m2 was p. vulgaris alone, and Cu content in P vulgaris at this time was $6.612mg/m^2$. This was only 0.13% of Cu in the exposed sediment, but was 50.5% of Cu in water before drawdown, or 167% of the average annual input of Cu by atmospheric deposition. If other plants were assumed to absorb Cu to the same concentration as p. vulgaris, total amount of Cu absorbed in 41 days by vegetation on the exposed sediment is estimated to be 1913.3 g, which is a considerable contribution to the purification of the reservoir water.