Nutrient biogeochemistry in an upwelling-influenced estuary of the Pacific northwest (Tillamook Bay,Oregon, USA) |
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| Authors: | Debbie?Colbert Email author" target="_blank">James?McManusEmail author |
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| Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Ecological Engineering and Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Xanthi, Greece |
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| Abstract: | Tillamook Bay, Oregon, is a drowned river estuary that receives freshwater input from 5 rivers and exchanges ocean water through
a single channel. Similar to other western United States estuaries, the bay exhibits a strong seasonal change in river discharge
in which there is a pronounced winter maximum and summer minimum in precipitation and runoff. The behavior of major inorganic
nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, and silica) within the watershed is examined over seasonal cycles and under a range of river
discharge conditions for October 1997–December 1999. Monthly and seasonal sampling stations include transects extending from
the mouth of each river to the mouth of the estuary as well as 6–10 sites upstream along each of the 5 major rivers. Few studies
have examined nutrient cycling in Pacific Northwest estuaries. This study evaluates the distributions of inorganic nutrients
to understand the net processes occurring within this estuary. Based upon this approach, we hypothesize that nutrient behavior
in the Tillamook Bay estuary can be explained by two dominant factors: freshwater flushing time and biological uptake and
regeneration. Superimposed on these two processes is seasonal variability in nutrient concentrations of coastal waters via
upwelling. Freshwater flushing time determines the amount of time for the uptake of nutrients by phytoplankton, for exchange
with suspended particles, and for interaction with the sediments. Seasonal coastal upwelling controls the timing and extent
of oceanic delivery of nutrients to the estuary. We suggest that benthic regeneration of nutrients is also an important process
within the estuary occurring seasonally according to the flushing characteristics of the estuary. Silicic acid, nitrate, and
NH4
+ supply to the bay appears to be dominated by riverine input. PO4
−3 supply is dominated by river input during periods of high river flow (winter months) with oceanic input via upwelling and
tidal exchange important during other times (spring, summer, and fall months). Departures from conservative mixing indicate
that internal estuarine sources of dissolved inorganic phosphorus and nitrogen are also significant over an annual cycle. |
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