## 3 Results  
### Sample Characterization  
The investigated reservoir sediments (RS) and stream sediments (SS) have a mostly silty texture and variously pronounced organoleptic characteristics of anoxic conditions. This also applies to the sediments of the Einsiedel and Lehnmuhle reservoirs, which were drained shortly before sampling. The investigated catchment soils (CS) of terrestrial slope areas were predominantly classified as Dystric Cambisols. Sporadically, Cambic Leptosos were also encountered. In the semi-terrestrial areas of the valley bottoms, the soils were classified as different variants of Fluvic Gleysols and Gleyic or Eutric Fluvisols. As a special feature, in the catchment area of the Steinbach Reservoir, the soil type Dystric Histosol was also found in some cases at semi-terrestrial sites. The grain size of CS corresponds mostly to sandy silt. On average, SS are slightly coarser grained, being mostly classified as silty sand, while RS are characterized by the finest texture and mostly correspond to pure silt (Table 2). The concentrations of TOC do not reveal any overarching patterns, and they are highly variable within all sample groups. The obviously high variability of TOC in CS is connected with the heterogeneity of the studied soil types. Maximal values of TOC are present within the Gleysols and Histosols of the Steinbach Reservoir catchment. The concentrations of N\({}_{t}\) are on average highest within RS, while N\({}_{t}\) in RS has a lower variability than in SS or CS. The C/N ratio is consistently lowest in mean values and variability within RS. It reaches significantly higher mean values and variability in SS and CS, without any apparent regularity. In a comparison among the sample groups, in almost all study areas the highest pH values occur in RS. Usually, a slightly lower pH occurs in SS, while CS show significantly stronger acidic conditions. In the case of all elements investigated, the element concentrations are averagely highest in RS, which illustrates the sink function of the reservoirs. The mean and median values of the elements Cd, Mn, Ni, and Zn increase in the order CS \(<\) SS, RS (Figure 2). In contrast, the elements Al, As, Cr, Fe, Pb, and V reach similarly high concentrations in SS and CS. In RS, they reach mostly higher concentrations and variations. All element concentrations are marked by significant differences (\(p<0.01\)) between RS and SS or CS (Table 3). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline  & **TOC** & **N\({}_{t}\)** & **C/N** & **pH** & **S** & **U** & **C** & **Al** & **As** & **Cd** & **Cr** & **Fe** & **Mn** & **Ni** & **Pb** & **V** & **Zn** \\ \hline
**RS** & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ Mean & 4.44 & 0.44 & 10.2 & 5.89 & 18.9 & 73.2 & 4.83 & 36.3 & 46.1 & 4.03 & 41.8 & 38.2 & 7764 & 78.6 & 121 & 46.8 & 343 \\ Median & 4.37 & 0.43 & 9.95 & 5.98 & 17.8 & 76.2 & 4.89 & 25.0 & 15.0 & 1.84 & 39.1 & 38.1 & 1171 & 81.2 & 88.3 & 42.6 & 299 \\ SD & 1.11 & 0.11 & 1.67 & 0.66 & 10.3 & 15.9 & 2.25 & 20.1 & 67.4 & 5.64 & 12.8 & 17.1 & 12,435 & 33.9 & 70.4 & 16.6 & 194 \\ \hline
**SS** & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ Mean & 4.07 & 0.25 & 15.6 & 5.64 & 58.0 & 35.8 & 2.62 & 16.7 & 11.9 & 1.61 & 27.1 & 28.3 & 1654 & 69.2 & 90.6 & 26.5 & 131 \\ Median & 3.33 & 0.22 & 14.8 & 5.55 & 63.1 & 32.7 & 1.61 & 13.6 & 8.41 & 0.46 & 25.8 & 28.0 & 1238 & 59.9 & 40.8 & 22.9 & 107 \\ SD & 3.53 & 0.17 & 5.34 & 0.61 & 18.7 & 15.9 & 2.20 & 13.3 & 13.3 & 4.21 & 15.4 & 11.7 & 1813 & 62.1 & 279 & 19.3 & 107 \\ \hline
**CS** & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ Mean & 5.84 & 0.35 & 14.8 & 3.84 & 33.1 & 58.7 & 6.54 & 19.2 & 15.0 & 0.43 & 27.6 & 25.7 & 756 & 30.6 & 87.9 & 29.5 & 76.0 \\ Median & 3.91 & 0.26 & 14.2 & 3.78 & 34.2 & 60.3 & 4.56 & 13.3 & 10.2 & 0.27 & 24.0 & 28.6 & 704 & 29.9 & 52.8 & 25.2 & 73.3 \\ SD & 6.37 & 0.28 & 3.68 & 0.59 & 18.2 & 15.5 & 5.27 & 17.9 & 23.1 & 0.51 & 17.4 & 11.6 & 553 & 15.3 & 84.9 & 22.5 & 51.9 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}