In our project, we look at sediment transport and deposition in a lowland river and on the adjacent floodplain, which means most of the work happens during and after flood events in winter and spring. On this, I have written several blog posts (Ecohydrology and MSc work in 2012; Ecosystem services of sedimentation; Unexpected early flooding in January and a second flood peak in April). However, what is the use of characterizing sediment and attached nutrient input is you have nothing to relate it too? During dry phases, the imported nutrients are made available for plant growth. This was the topic of my summer field campaign beginning of August and hence the rationale behind the title as now I completed the Four Seasons of Olszowa Droga, one of my sampling locations.
The previous time, in 1993, Aat sampled interstitial (pore) water from the thick mud layer in oxbows (former river beds) and made a vegetation decription. These oxbows are numerous in the Biebrza floodplains and are thought of as important nutrient sinks and Aat wanted to repeat the measurements to see how nutrient content has changed over the course of 20 years and compare the oxbow vegetation. In the Biebrza floodplains, the oxbows can be found from the river until the edge of the floodplain.