Spatial and Temporal Variability of Benthic Oxygen Demand and Nutrient Regeneration in an Anthropogenically Impacted New England Estuary |
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| Authors: | Robinson W Fulweiler Scott W Nixon Betty A Buckley |
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| Institution: | (1) Earth Sciences, Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA;(2) Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, 02882-1197, USA;(3) Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, 02882-1197, USA |
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| Abstract: | Strong benthic–pelagic coupling is an important characteristic of shallow coastal marine ecosystems. Building upon a rich
history of benthic metabolism data, we measured oxygen uptake and nutrient fluxes across the sediment–water interface along
a gradient of water column primary production in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). Despite the strong gradients seen in water column
production, sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and benthic nutrient fluxes did not exhibit a clear spatial pattern. Some of our
sites had been studied in the 1970s and 1980s and thus allowed historical comparison. At these sites, we found that SOD and
benthic fluxes have not changed uniformly throughout Narragansett Bay. In the uppermost portion of the bay, the Providence
River Estuary, we observed a significant decrease in dissolved inorganic phosphorus fluxes which we attribute to management
interventions. At another upper bay site, we observed significant declines in SOD and dissolved inorganic nitrogen fluxes
which may be linked to climate-induced decreases in water column primary production and shifts in bloom phenology. In the
1970s, benthic nutrient regeneration supplied 50% to over 200% of the N and P needed to support primary production by phytoplankton.
Summer nutrient regeneration in the Providence River Estuary and Upper bay now may only supply some 5–30% of the N and 3–20%
of the P phytoplankton demand. |
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