The effects of wastewater effluent and river discharge on benthic heterotrophic production,organic biomass and respiration in marine coastal sediments |
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| Authors: | B Burd T Macdonald S Bertold |
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| Institution: | 1. Institute of Ocean Sciences, Box 6000, Sidney, BC V8L4B2, Canada;2. Biologica Environmental Services, Suite H-50, 634 Humboldt Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1A4, Canada;3. Metro Vancouver, 4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4G8, Canada |
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| Abstract: | We examine effects of high river particulate flux and municipal wastewater effluent on heterotrophic organic carbon cycling in coastal subtidal sediments. Heterotrophic production was a predictable (r2 = 0.95) proportion (56%) of oxidized OC flux and strongly correlated with organic/inorganic flux. Consistent growth efficiencies (36%) occurred at all stations. Organic biomass was correlated with total, OC and buried OC fluxes, but not oxidized OC flux. Near the river, production was modest and biomass high, resulting in low P/B. Outfall deposition resulted in depleted biomass and high bacterial production, resulting in the highest P/B. These patterns explain why this region is production “saturated”. The δ15N in outfall effluent, sediments and dominant taxa provided insight into where, and which types of organisms feed directly on fresh outfall particulates, on older, refractory material buried in sediments, or utilize chemosynthetic symbiotic bacteria. Results are discussed in the context of declining bottom oxygen conditions along the coast. |
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| Keywords: | Strait of Georgia River sedimentation Outfall exposure Sediment heterotrophic production Organic biomass Sediment fluxes |
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