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1.
Marsh sediment accumulation is predominately a combination of in situ organic accumulation and mineral sediment input during inundation. Within the Pamlico River Estuary (PRE), marsh inundation is dependent upon event (e.g., storms) and seasonal wind patterns due to minimal astronomical tides (<10 cm). A better understanding of the processes controlling sediment deposition and, ultimately, marsh accretion is needed to forecast marsh sustainability with changing land usage, climate, and sea level rise. This study examines marsh topography, inundation depth, duration of inundation, and wind velocity to identify relationships between short-term deposition (tile-based) and long-term accumulation (210Pb and 137Cs) recorded within and adjacent to the PRE. The results of this study indicate (1) similar sedimentation patterns between the interior marsh and shore-side marsh at different sites regardless of elevation, (2) increased sedimentation (one to two orders of magnitude, 0.04–4.54 g m?2 day?1) within the interior marsh when the water levels exceeded the adjacent topography (e.g., storm berm), and (3) that short-term sea level changes can have direct effects on sediment delivery to interior marshes in wind-driven estuarine systems.  相似文献   

2.
Flax Pond is a small (0.5 km2) salt marsh on the north shore of Long Island, New York. Two 1 m2 plots within each of the following environments were covered with a marker layer of either brick dust or aluminum glitter: 1) bare mud flats; 2) areas newly colonized by Spartina alterniflora; and 3) high intertidal. S. alterniflora peat surfaces. Monthly cores revealed the amount of sediment that accumulated since placement of the marker. Accretion rates from October, 1974 to February, 1976 were as follows: bare mud flats ?20.5 to 45.5 mm/yr; recently vegetated mud flats ?9.5 to 37.0 mm/yr; and high intertidal peat surfaces ?2.0 to 4.25 mm/yr. Sedimentation rates decrease with increasing elevation because of the reduced tidal submergence time and decreased height of the overlying water column. In areas of low elevation, ice and storms cause either erosion or a reduced rate of accretion during the winter months. The average mud accretion rate over the past 173 years is 3.4 mm/yr. Differences between the short-term rate and the long-term rate indicate substantial annual variation in the accumulation of mud in salt marshes. Short-term rates of peat accretion are similar to long-term estimates, indicating that rates of peat accretion are relatively constant over long intervals.  相似文献   

3.
In a large (8 ha) salt marsh restoration site, we tested the effects of excavating tidal creeks patterned after reference systems. Our purposes were to enhance understanding of tidal creek networks and to test the need to excavate creeks during salt marsh restoration. We compared geomorphic changes in areas with and without creek networks (n = 3; each area 1.3 ha) and monitored creek cross-sectional areas, creek lengths, vertical accretion, and marsh surface elevations for 5 yr that included multiple sedimentation events. We hypothesized that cells with creeks would develop different marsh surface and creek network characteristics (i.e., surface elevation change, sedimentation rate, creek cross-sectional area, length, and drainage density). Marsh surface vertical accretion averaged 1.3 cm yr−1 with large storm inputs, providing the opportunity to assess the response of the drainage network to extreme sedimentation rates. The constructed creeks initially filled due to high accretion rates but stabilized at cross-sectional areas matching, or on a trajectory toward, equilibrium values predicted by regional regression equations. Sedimentation on the marsh surface was greatest in low elevation areas and was not directly influenced by creeks. Time required for cross-sectional area stabilization ranged from 0 to > 5 yr, depending on creek order. First-order constructed creeks lengthened rapidly (mean rate of 1.3 m yr−1) in areas of low elevation and low vegetation cover. New (volunteer) creeks formed rapidly in cells without creeks in areas with low elevation, low vegetation cover, and high elevation gradient (mean rate of 6.2 m yr−1). After 5 yr, volunteer creeks were, at most, one-fourth the area of constructed creeks and had not yet reached the upper marsh plain. In just 4 yr, the site’s drainage density expanded from 0.018 to reference levels of 0.022 m m−2. Pools also formed on the marsh plain due to sediment resuspension associated with wind-driven waves. We conclude that excavated creeks jump-started the development of drainage density and creek and channel dimensions, and that the tidal prism became similar to those of the reference site in 4–5 yr.  相似文献   

4.
Many salt marshes in densely populated areas have been subjected to a reduction in tidal flow. In order to assess the impact of tidal flow restriction on marsh sedimentation processes, sediment cores were collected from flow-restricted restricted salt marshes along the Connecticut coast of Long Island Sound. Cores were also collected from unrestricted reference marshes and from a marsh that had been previously restricted but was restored to fuller tidal flushing in the 1970's. High bulk densities and low C and N concentrations were found at depth in the restricted marsh cores, which we attribute to a period of organic matter oxidation, sediment compaction, and marsh surface subsidence upon installation of flow restrictions (between 100 and 200 years before the present, depending on the marsh). Recent sedimentation rates at the restricted marshes (as determined by137Cs and210Pb dating) were positive and averaged 78% (137Cs) and 50% (210Pb) of reference marsh sedimentation rates. The accumulation of inorganic sediment was similar at the restricted and reference marshes, perhaps because of the seasonal operation of the tide gates, while organic sediment accretion (and pore space) was significantly lower in the restricted marshes, perhaps because of higher decomposition rates. Sedimentation rates at the restored marsh were significantly higher than at the reference marshes. This marsh has responded to the higher water levels resulting from restoration by a rapid increase in marsh surface elevation.  相似文献   

5.
Throughflow marsh flumes were used to measure total sediment exchanges (TSS) between the marshes and water column of two Louisiana estuaries. One, the Barataria Basin estuary, is isolated from significant riverine sediment input. There were significant (p<0.05) imports of 33.9 to 443 mg TSS m?2 h?1 at the Barataria Basin brackish marsh (BM) site. The Barataria Basin saltmarsh (SM) site exported TSS in two summer samplings, but significant uptake was measured in April (166 mg m?2 h?1) and November (45 mg m?2 h?1) during a winter frontal passage event. The other estuary, Fourleague Bay, receives large sediment inputs from the Atchafalaya River, and TSS imports of 22.5 to 118.5 mg m?2 h?1 were measured at the BM site here. We calculated sediment accumulation from fluxes quantified in marsh flumes using site-specific sedimentological data and flooding regimes at each site. Water level records from May 1987 to April 1989 showed an extended period of unusually low flooding frequencies. As a result, calculated accretion rates were low, with monthly rates of 0.02 to 0.11 mm and ?0.06 to 0.06 mm at the Barataria BM and SM sites, respectively, and ?0.18 to 0.08 mm at the Fourleague Bay marsh flume site. Actual net sediment deposition, determined by feldspar marker horizon analysis, was 0.7–1.6 mm mo?1 at the Barataria SM and 0.2–1.3 mm mo?1 at the Fourleague Bay BM. Even the highest calculated accretion rates, based on flume measurements, were half to one order of magnitude lower than actual measured sediment deposition. This discrepancy was probably because: 1) most sedimentation occurs during episodic events, such as Hurricane Gilbert in September 1988, which deposited 3.5–15.5 mm of sediment on the Barataria Basin saltmarsh, or 2) most vertical accretion in Louisiana marshes occurs via deposition of in situ organic matter rather than by influx of allochthonous sediment. Our results affirm the variability of short-term sediment transport and depositional processes, the close coupling of meteorologic forcing and flooding regime to sediment dynamics, and the importance of understanding these interrelated mechanisms in the context of longer term measurements.  相似文献   

6.
Salt marsh elevation and geomorphic stability depends on mineral sedimentation. Many Mediterranean-climate salt marshes along southern California, USA coast import sediment during El Niño storm events, but sediment fluxes and mechanisms during dry weather are potentially important for marsh stability. We calculated tidal creek sediment fluxes within a highly modified, sediment-starved, 1.5-km2 salt marsh (Seal Beach) and a less modified 1-km2 marsh (Mugu) with fluvial sediment supply. We measured salt marsh plain suspended sediment concentration and vertical accretion using single stage samplers and marker horizons. At Seal Beach, a 2014 storm yielded 39 and 28 g/s mean sediment fluxes and imported 12,000 and 8800 kg in a western and eastern channel. Western channel storm imports offset 8700 kg exported during 2 months of dry weather, while eastern channel storm imports augmented 9200 kg imported during dry weather. During the storm at Mugu, suspended sediment concentrations on the marsh plain increased by a factor of four; accretion was 1–2 mm near creek levees. An exceptionally high tide sequence yielded 4.4 g/s mean sediment flux, importing 1700 kg: 20 % of Mugu’s dry weather fluxes. Overall, low sediment fluxes were observed, suggesting that these salt marshes are geomorphically stable during dry weather conditions. Results suggest storms and high lunar tides may play large roles, importing sediment and maintaining dry weather sediment flux balances for southern California salt marshes. However, under future climate change and sea level rise scenarios, results suggest that balanced sediment fluxes lead to marsh elevational instability based on estimated mineral sediment deficits.  相似文献   

7.
One year’s measurements of surficial sedimentation rates (1986–1987) for 26 Maine marsh sites were made over marker horizons of brick dust. Observed sediment accumulation rates, from 0 to 13 mm yr?1, were compared with marsh morphology, local relative sea-level rise rate, mean tidal range, and ice rafting activity. Marshes with four different morphologies (back-barrier, fluvial, bluff-toe, and transitional) showed distinctly different sediment accumulation rates. In general, back-barrier marshes had the highest accumulation rates and blufftoe marshes had the lowest rates, with intermediate values for transitional and fluvial marshes. No causal relationship between modern marsh sediment accumulation rate and relative sea-level rise rate (from tide gauge records) was observed. Marsh accretionary balance (sediment accumulation rate minus relative sea-level rise rate) did not correlate with mean tidal range for this meso- to macro-tidal area. Estimates of ice-rafted debris on marsh sites ranged from 0% to >100% of measured surficial sedimentation rates, indicating that ice transport of sediment may make a significant contribution to surficial sedimentation on Maine salt marshes.  相似文献   

8.
Salt marsh resilience to sea-level rise depends on marsh plain elevation, tidal range, subsurface processes, as well as surface accretion, of which suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) is a critical component. However, spatial and temporal patterns of inorganic sedimentation are poorly quantified within and across Salicornia pacifica (pickleweed)-dominated marshes. We compared vertical accretion rates and re-examined previously published suspended-sediment patterns during dry-weather periods at Seal Beach Wetlands, which is characterized by a mix of Spartina foliosa (cordgrass) and pickleweed, and for Mugu Lagoon, where cordgrass is rare. Mugu Lagoon occurs higher in the tidal frame and receives terrigenous sediment from an adjacent creek. Feldspar marker horizons were established in winter 2013–2014 to measure accretion. Accretion rates at Seal Beach Wetlands and Mugu Lagoon were 6 ± 0.5 mm/year (mean ± SE) and 2 ± 0.3 mm/year. Also, the estimated sediment flux (g/year) across the random feldspar plots was 3.5 times higher at Seal Beach Wetlands. At Mugu Lagoon, accretion was higher near creeks, although not statistically significant. Dry-weather SSC showed similar concentrations at transect locations across sites. During wet weather, however, SSC at Mugu Lagoon increased at all locations, with concentrations decaying farther than 8 m from tidal creek edge. Based on these results from Mugu Lagoon, we conclude accretion patterns are set by infrequent large flooding events in systems where there is a watershed sediment source. Higher accretion rates at Seal Beach Wetlands may be linked to lower-marsh elevations, and thus more frequent inundation, compared with Mugu Lagoon.  相似文献   

9.
Recent (6–12 month) marsh sediment accretion and accumulation rates were measured with feldspar marker horizons in the vicinity of natural waterways and man-made canals with spoil banks in the rapidly subsiding environment of coastal Louisiana. Annual accretion rates in aSpartina alterniflora salt marsh in the Mississippi deltaic plain averaged 6 mm in marsh adjacent to canals compared to 10 mm in marsh adjacent to natural waterways. The rates, however, were not statistically significantly different. The average rate of sediment accretion in the same salt marsh region for a transect perpendicular to a canal (13 mm yr?1) was significantly greater than the rate measured for a transect perpendicular to a natural waterway (7 mm yr?1). Measurements of soil bulk density and organic matter content from the two transects were also different. This spatial variability in accretion rates is probably related to (1) spoil bank influences on local hydrology; and (2) a locally high rate of sediment input from lateral erosion associated with pond enlargement. In a brackishSpartina patens marsh on Louisiana’s Chenier plain, vertical accretion rates were the same along natural and canal waterways (3–4 mm yr?1) in a hydrologically restricted marsh region. However, the accretion rates for both waterways were significantly lower than the rates along a nonhydrologically restricted natural waterway nearby (11 mm yr?1). The vertical accretion of matter displayed semi-annual differences in the brackish marsh environment.  相似文献   

10.
Surface elevation tables, feldspar marker horizons, and210Pb analysis of core profiles were implemented at four sites in Western Port Bay, Victoria, Australia, to provide information on the role of sedimentation, subsidence or compaction, and enhanced sea-level rise in contributing to salt marsh decline. Photogrammetric surveys indicate that the rate of salt marsh decline that is attributable to mangrove encroachment is lower in Western Port Bay than in comparable sites in New South Wales. Differences in the rate of mangrove encroachment at Western Port Bay may be attributed to the inverse relationship found between the degree of mangrove encroachment and surface elevation increase. While sedimentation contributes to surface elevation changes, surface elevation is not solely explained by sedimentation; factors including autocompaction and changes in the water table also play a significant role in Western Port Bay. Historic sedimentation rates measured using210Pb dating techniques corresponded to contemporary sedimentation rates determined from feldspar marker horizons. Core sediment profiles show no change in sedimentation rates at three sites. A fourth site (French Island) was the only site that exhibited high rates of sedimentation, which appears to be related to local land-use changes in the area. All sites maintained their elevation with respect to sea level over the study period. Historic sedimentation exceeded sea-level rise for the past 32 yr, but it is difficult to determine the extent to which belowground processes affect surface elevation, causing deviations between surface elevation and sedimentation over longer periods.  相似文献   

11.
Patterns in seasonal abundance (no. per m2 surface area), growth and biomass (g per m2 surface area) of an annual fish, the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia (L.) were investigated in a marsh and more seaward bay region of Essex Bay, Massachusetts from August 1976 to May 1978 using a quantitative beach seining technique. Silverside abundance varied greatly by season and year class during the study period. Abundance was high in 1976 but winter mortality (99%) left an adult density of only .01 per m2 surface area in the marsh during spring 1977. Resultant 1977 year class density in the marsh was 1.88 per m2 by late fall 1977 but winter mortality again produced an adult density of .01 per m2 in spring 1978. Abundance was generally higher in the marsh than in the bay region especially during spring and late fall when catches in the bay were negligible. Based on catch rate comparisons, the summer and fall juvenile abundance of the 1976 year class was much higher than the juvenile abundance of the 1977 year class. Coincidentally, mean lengths and condition of the abundant 1976 year class in the late fall were significantly lower than those of the 1977 year class, suggesting density dependent population regulation. In both years, juveniles grew rapidly and reached full adult size by November when an offshore movement to deeper waters outside Essex Bay occurred. Biomass peaked in the marsh region in late fall 1977 at 7.8 g per m2 wet weight. Winter mortality was size selective, favoring larger individuals. The annual life history design of M. menidia including an offshore winter movement and high winter mortality suggests that silversides represent an important pathway of energy flow from marsh to offshore trophic systems.  相似文献   

12.
High rates of wetland loss in the Mississippi deltaic plain have been attributed to a combination of insufficient marsh sedimentation and relative sea-level rise rates of over 1.2 cm yr?1. This study examines contemporary patterns of sediment delivery to the marsh surface by evaluating the contribution of individual marsh flooding events. Strong meteorological effects on water level in Terrebonne Bay often mask the usual microtidal fluctuations in water level and cause flood events to be of unpredictable frequency and duration. Sediment deposited on the marsh surface was collected weekly at two sites. Preliminary results allow the relative contributions of tidal and storm inundations to be calculated. Maximum sedimentation is associated with strong southerly winds both causing increased flooding and mobilizing sediment from open bay areas. Sediment deposition is limited by the availability of suspended sediment and the opportunity for its transport onto the marsh surface.  相似文献   

13.
Following heavy winter storms and sedimentation in 1993,Spartina foliosa (Pacific cordgrass) clones established on a 6.5-ha mudflat in Tijuana Estuary, with over 80 new clones counted by 1997. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) storms in 1993 apparently facilitated the habitat conversion through river flooding, which caused a temporary reduction in soil salinity and delivered large volumes of sediment. Extreme sedimentation likely raised mudflat elevations enough to allowSpartina establishment. We hypothesized that clones, once established, increased sedimentation in a positive feedback loop leading to accelerated habitat conversion. We collected data on elevation,Spartina expansion, and sediment accretion in two consecutive years (1998–1999). The elevation range of the mudflats in 1998 (0.5–0.83 m NGVD) was within the elevation range ofSpartina at this site (0.39–0.83 m NGVD), indicating that remaining mudflats are at elevations suitable for further expansion. Sediment accretion ranged from 4.0–12.7 cm between 1997–1998 (ENSO conditions), but was close to long-term averages (? cm yr?1) in 1998–1999 (nonflood year) indicating how susceptible Tijuana Estuary is to sedimentation from episodic storms. Although accretion rates were similar withinSpartina clones and on bare mudflats over the ENSO winter, clones were typically dome-shaped suggesting higher sediment retention rates within clones. The radial expansion rates of clones (1.31±0.25 m in 1998; 1.12±0.07 m in 1999) approximated the maxima reported for this species and were not related to clone size or vigor. Conditions on the mudflat appear ideal forSpartina growth, masking differences that might otherwise be observed. Given the likelihood of sedimentation-driven habitat conversion in southern California and other Mediterranean-type estuaries, management efforts are needed to address sedimentation issues on a watershed scale. We recommend that wetland restoration projects in southern California include large areas of intertidal mudflat, both to maintain habitat for shorebird feeding and to allow colonization by salt marsh vegetation.  相似文献   

14.
The habitats utilized by small juvenile (<40 mm carapace length, CL) lobsters (Homarus americanus) are poorly known. We discovered and studied an undescribed juvenile lobster habitat in Nauset Marsh, Cape Cod. Juvenile lobsters (X=26.7 mm carapace length, 6 to 72 mm, n=38) were collected from suction samples primarily 0144 01 in “peat reef” habitats during the period from August 1985 through October 1986. The reefs consisted of large blocks ofSpartina alterniflora peat that had separated from the marsh surface and fallen into adjacent subtidal marsh channels. The smallest lobsters (6 to 7 mm CL) were collected from peat reefs in October 1985, and April and July 1986. In these habitats, juvenile lobster density averaged 2.5 individuals m?2 (range 0–5.7) in suction samples. Peat reef habitats occur in other salt marshes in the northeastern United States and may be an important nursery habitat for small juvenile lobsters.  相似文献   

15.
Sediment accretion was measured at four sites in varying stages of forest-to-marsh succession along a fresh-to-oligohaline gradient on the Waccamaw River and its tributary Turkey Creek (Coastal Plain watersheds, South Carolina) and the Savannah River (Piedmont watershed, South Carolina and Georgia). Sites included tidal freshwater forests, moderately salt-impacted forests at the freshwater–oligohaline transition, highly salt-impacted forests, and oligohaline marshes. Sediment accretion was measured by use of feldspar marker pads for 2.5 year; accessory information on wetland inundation, canopy litterfall, herbaceous production, and soil characteristics were also collected. Sediment accretion ranged from 4.5 mm year?1 at moderately salt-impacted forest on the Savannah River to 19.1 mm year?1 at its relict, highly salt-impacted forest downstream. Oligohaline marsh sediment accretion was 1.5–2.5 times greater than in tidal freshwater forests. Overall, there was no significant difference in accretion rate between rivers with contrasting sediment loads. Accretion was significantly higher in hollows than on hummocks in tidal freshwater forests. Organic sediment accretion was similar to autochthonous litter production at all sites, but inorganic sediment constituted the majority of accretion at both marshes and the Savannah River highly salt-impacted forest. A strong correlation between inorganic sediment accumulation and autochthonous litter production indicated a positive feedback between herbaceous plant production and allochthonous sediment deposition. The similarity in rates of sediment accretion and sea level rise in tidal freshwater forests indicates that these habitats may become permanently inundated if the rate of sea level rise increases.  相似文献   

16.
Analyses of organic content, pollen, and the carbon-isotopic composition of a 3.5-m sediment core collected from a subsided tidal marsh located in South San Francisco Bay, California, have provided a 500-yr record of sediment accretion and vegetation change before, during, and after a rapid 1 m increase in sea level. Core chronology was established using14C dating of fossil plant material, the first appearance of pollen types produced by plants not native to California, and changes in lead concentrations coincident with anthropogenic contamination. Prior to the mid 19th century, rates of sediment accretion were between 1 and 4 mm yr−1; sediment accretion accelerated to an average of 22 mm yr−1 following the initiation of subsidence. Changes in tidal marsh vegetation also accompanied this depositional change. Vegetation shifted from a high to low marsh assemblage, as indicated by a larger percentage of grass pollen, rhizomes ofSpartina foliosa, and a strong C4 signal. Between 1980 and 2001, Triangle marsh again developed high marsh vegetation, as indicated by higher percentages of the Amaranthaceane pollen type, seed deposition, includingSalicornia spp., and more negative carbon isotopic ratios.  相似文献   

17.
We used a combined field and modeling approach to estimate the potential for submergence for one rapidly deteriorating (Bayou Chitigue Marsh) and one apparently stable (Old Oyster Bayou Marsh) saltmarsh wetland in coastal Louisiana, given two eustatic sea level rise scenarios: the current rate (0.15 cm year−1); and the central value predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (48 cm by the year 2100). We also used the model to determine what processes were most critical for maintaining and influencing salt marsh elevation including, mineral matter deposition, organic matter production, shallow subsidence (organic matter decomposition + primary sediment compaction), deep subsidence, and sediment pulsing events (e.g., hurricanes). Eight years of field measurements from feldspar marker horizons and surface elevation tables revealed that the rates of vertical accretion at the Bayou Chitigue Marsh were high (2.26 (0.09) cm yr−1 (mean ± SE)) because the marsh exists at the lower end of the tidal range. The rate of shallow subsidence was also high (2.04 (0.1) cm yr−1), resulting in little net elevation gain (0.22 (0.06) cm yr−1). In contrast, vertical accretion at the Old Oyster Bayou Marsh, which is 10 cm higher in elevation, was 0.48 (0.09) cm yr−1. However, there was a net elevation gain of 0.36 (0.08) cm yr−1 because there was no significant shallow subsidence. When these rates of elevation gain were compared to rates of relative sea level rise (deep subsidence plus eustatic sea level rise), both sites showed a net elevation deficit although the Bayou Chitigue site was subsiding at approximately twice the rate of the Old Oyster Bayou site (1.1 cm yr−1 versus 0.49 cm yr−1 respectively). These field data were used to modify, initialize, and calibrate a previously published wetland soil development model that simulates primary production and mineral matter deposition as, feedback functions of elevation. Sensitivity analyses revealed that wetland elevation was most sensitive to changes in the rates of deep subsidence, a model forcing function that is difficult to measure in the field and for which estimates in the literature vary widely. The model also revealed that, given both the current rate of sea level rise and the central value estimate, surface elevation at both sites would fall below mean sea level over the next 100 years. Although these results were in agreement with the field study, they contradicted long term observations that the Old Oyster Bayou site has been in equilibrium with sea level for at least the past 50 years. Further simulations showed that the elevation at the Old Oyster Bayou site could keep pace with current rates of sea level rise if either a lower rate for deep subsidence was used as a forcing function, or if a periodic sediment pulsing function (e.g., from hurricanes) was programmed into the model.  相似文献   

18.
Vertical accretion of impounded marsh and adjacent natural marsh at four sites in southwestern Louisiana was estimated in 1994 by determining the depth of a stratum containing137Cs deposited in 1963. With relative marsh elevation, soil bulk density, organic matter content, and organic and mineral matter accumulation rates were used to describe soil formation. Three sites were impounded in 1956 and one site in 1951. Impounded marshes had lower marsh surface elevation than natural marshes because of hydrologic isolation from tidal sediment subsidies and substrate oxidation during forced drying. The elevation of natural marshes ranged from 12 cm to 42 cm higher than the elevation of the impounded marshes in 1963 and from 20 cm to 32 cm higher in 1994. Vertical accretion between 1963 and 1994 ranged from 9 cm to 28 cm in impounded marsh and from 15 cm to 21.5 cm in natural marsh. Only in impounded marsh that remained permanently flooded was accretion greater than in natural marsh.  相似文献   

19.
Ten cores were obtained from a marsh developed along Mad Island Slough, Texas, USA, upstream of a weir constructed in 1948. The cores were analyzed for cesium-137 to identify time-stratigraphic marker horizons and calculate recent sedimentation rates. The cesium-137 analysis provided a 1954 marker horizon in nine of the ten cores. A second marker horizon, present in all ten cores, consisted of an abrupt downcore change in lithology from dark organic-rich muds to grey organic-poor sands. This transition was tentatively identified as coinciding with 1948 and the beginning of marsh sedimentation. Resulting sedimentation rates show that surprisingly little sedimentation has occurred behind the weir, averaging only 27 cm in almost 50 years. Sedimentation rates in the marsh declined from an average of 2.4 cm yr–1 in 1948–1954 to 0.32 cm yr–1 in 1954–1994. A similar trend of declining sedimentation has been documented for adjoining Mad Island Lake, suggesting that land-use changes in the lake's watershed have reduced the sediment supply in recent decades. The results also suggest that the weir is not a very efficient sediment trap in this watershed.  相似文献   

20.
Water samples have been taken daily at 1030 EST from three locations within North Inlet (South Carolina) since June of 1980 in order to evaluate the tidal, seasonal, and eventually annual variability in carbon concentrations within this system and generate hypotheses explaining the observed trends. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations within North Inlet (South Carolina) vary inversely with salinity (r2=0.65), suggesting the main source of DOC in North Inlet is freshwater entering from the adjacent forested watershed. This assertion is supported by an observed decrease of tidal water salinity with the onset of streamflow. DOC variability is also associated with (1) groundwater advection and/or runoff and seepage from the marsh surface; (2) removal from tidal water via either physical sorption or biological uptake; (3) sampling location; and (4) origin of water mass. Particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations vary seasonally, higher values found during the summer. POC variability is controlled by a series of physical and biological factors. Evidence suggests that in the smaller tidal creeks, POC concentrations are associated with (1) rain events scouring the marsh surface, (2) phytoplankton concentrations varying as a function of tidal stage, and (3) removal of particulate material from the marsh surface on the ebb tide. In the larger tidal creeks tidal water velocity appears to be the main factor influencing POC values.  相似文献   

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