Sediment-water oxygen and nutrient fluxes in a river-dominated estuary |
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| Authors: | Kenneth G Teague Christopher J Madden John W Day |
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| Institution: | 1. Coastal Ecology Institute, Louisiana State University, 70803-7507, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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| Abstract: | Sediment oxygen uptake and net sediment-water fluxes of dissolved inorganic and organic nitrogen and phosphorus were measured at two sites in Fourleague Bay, Louisiana, from August 1981, through May 1982. This estuary is an extension of Atchafalaya Bay which receives high discharge and nutrient loading from the Atchafalaya River. Sediment O2 uptake averaged 49 mg m?2 h?1. On the average, ammonium (NH4 +) was released from the sediments (mean flux =+129 μmol m?2 h?1), and NO3 ? was taken up (mean flux =?19 μmol m?2h?1). However, very different NO3 ? fluxes were observed at the two sites, with sediment uptake at the upper, river-influenced, high NO3 ? site (mean flux =?112 μmol m?2 h?1) and release at the lower, marine-influenced low NO3 ? site (mean flux =+79 μmol m?2 h?1). PO4 3? fluxes were low and often negative (mean flux =?8 μmol m?2 h?1), while dissolved organic phosphorus fluxes were high and positive (mean flux =+124 μmol m?2 h?1). Dissolved organic nitrogen fluxes varied greatly, ranging from a mean of +305 μmol m?2 h?1 at the lower bay, to ?710 μmol m?2 h?1 at the upper bay. Total dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes indicated the sediments were a nitrogen (mean flux =+543 μmol m?2 h?1) and phosphorus source (mean flux =+30 μmol m?2 h?1) at the lower bay, and a nitrogen sink (mean flux =?553 μmol m?2 h?1) and phosphorus source (mean flux =+17 μmol m?2 h?1) in the upper bay. Mean annual O∶N ration of the positive inorganic sediment fluxes were 27∶1 at the upper bay and 18∶1 at the lower bay. Based on these data we hypothesize that nitrification and denitrification are important sediment processes in the upper bay. We further hypothesize that Atchafalaya River discharge affects sediment-water fluxes through seasonally high nutrient loading which leads to net nutrient uptake by sediments in the upper bay and release in the lower bay, where there is less river influnces. |
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