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Net sediment N fluxes in a southern New England estuary: variations in space and time.
- Source :
- Biogeochemistry; Nov2012, Vol. 111 Issue 1-3, p111-124, 14p, 7 Charts, 3 Graphs, 1 Map
- Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Over the past three decades, Narragansett Bay has undergone various ecological changes, including significant decreases in water column chlorophyll a concentrations, benthic oxygen uptake, and benthic nutrient regeneration rates. To add to this portrait of change, we measured the net flux of N across the sediment-water interface over an annual cycle using the N/Ar technique at seven sites in the bay for comparison with measurements made decades ago. Net denitrification rates ranged from about 10-90 μmol N-N m h over the year. Denitrification rates were not significantly different among sites and had no clear correlation with temperature. Net nitrogen fixation (−5 to −650 μmol N-N m h) was measured at three sites and only observed in summer (June-August). Neither denitrification nor nitrogen fixation exhibited a consistent relationship with sediment oxygen demand or with fluxes of nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, total dissolved inorganic nitrogen, or dissolved inorganic phosphate across all stations. In contrast to the mid-bay historical site where denitrification rates have declined, denitrification rates in the Providence River Estuary have not changed significantly over the past 30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- SEDIMENTS
ESTUARIES
CLIMATE change
CHLOROPHYLL
DENITRIFICATION
NITROGEN fixation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01682563
- Volume :
- 111
- Issue :
- 1-3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Biogeochemistry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 85133551
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-011-9660-5