Prehistoric nutrient inputs and productivity in Narragansett Bay

Calculations by others of the preindustrial deposition of inorganic nitrogen from the atmosphere in the area of Narragansett Bay compared with recent measurements suggest that this flux has increased almost 15 times over natural background. On the basis of modern studies of the export of nitrogen and phosphorus from temperate forests, the prehistoric watershed also probably contributed very little reactive N or P to the bay. New information from undisturbed old-growth forests suggests that most of the N that was exported from the watershed was probably associated with refractory dissolved organic matter and thus contributed little to the fertility of the bay. The largest source of reactive dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) for Narragansett Bay under prehistoric conditions was the coastal ocean water entrained in the bay in estuarine circulation. The total input of DIN to this estuary has increased about five-fold and the input of total DIP has approximately doubled as a result of human activities. Recent ecosystem-level experiments using large (13 m³, 5 m deep) mesocosms designed as living models of Narragansett Bay showed that the primary production of phytoplankton in the bay is limited by the supply of DIN and that annual phytoplankton production is strongly correlated with the rate of input of DIN. The relationship between DIN input and annual phytoplankton production in the mesocosms is consistent with observations published by others working in 10 different natural marine systems, and a functional regression of the field and experimental data provides a tool to calculate the rate of prehistoric phytoplankton production that would have been associated with the prehistoric DIN input estimates. The result of this calculation suggests that phytoplankton production in the bay has approximately doubled (from about 130 g C m^?2 yr^?1 to 290 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for a baywide average) since the time of European contact. It also seems likely that seagrasses and macroalgae once made a much larger contribution to total system production than they do today.     

Controls on nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics during normal flow and storm runoff conditions, southern Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

Fluvial effects on nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics were evaluated in southern Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. Fluvial inputs occurred as small, steady baseflows interrupted by intense pulses of storm runoff. Baseflow river inputs only affected restricted areas around stream mouths, but the five storm events sampled during this study produced transient runoff plumes of much greater spatial extent. Nutrient loading via runoff generally led to an increase of the phytoplankton biomass and gross primary productivity in southern Kaneohe Bay, but the rapid depletion of nutrients resulted in a decline of the algal populations in the relatively short time of days. Under baseline conditions, water column primary productivity in southern Kaneohe Bay is normally nitrogen limited. Following storm events, the high ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen to dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIN:DIP, 25–29) fluxes of runoff nutrients drove bay waters towards phosphorus limitation. A depletion of phosphate relative to DIN in surface waters was observed following all storm events. Due to high flushing rates, recovery times of bay waters from storm perturbations ranged from 3 to 8 d and appeared to be correlated with tidal range. Storm inputs have a significant effect on the water column ecosystem and biogeochemistry in southern Kaneohe Bay. The perturbations were only transient events and the system rapidly recovered to prestorm conditions.     

Seasonal growth stimulation of sub-temperate estuarine phytoplankton to nitrogen and phosphorus: An outdoor microcosm experiment

A study of nutrient limitation of phytoplankton biomass production with emphasis on nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃ ^?) and ortho-phosphate-phosphorus (PO₄ ^3?) was conducted in Perdido Bay, Alabama-Florida. The experimental design employed 18-1 outdoor microcosms operated in a static renewal mode. Phytoplankton growth responses (i.e., growth stimulation) measured as chlorophyll a (chl a) fell into three principal categories: primary P stimulation occurred mostly during the cooler months at the upper bay (tidal brackish) and mid bay (lower mesohaline) stations; a total of 12 out of 36 experiments; primary N stimulation occurred mostly during the warmer months primarily at the mid-bay station and infrequently at the upper and lower bay stations (upper mesohaline); a total of 7 out of 36 experiments; and N+P costimulation occurred primarily during the warmer months in the upper bay and mid bay and during both warmer and cooler months of the lower bay; a total of 17 out of 36 experiments. Primary P stimulation was generally associated with high ratios of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) (ratio range: 18 to 288). Conversely, primary N stimulation was associated with decreasing DIN:DIP ratios (range 8–46). Redfield ratios of particulate organic N (PON) to particulate organic P (POP) often indicated N limitation (i.e., values often less than 10). PON:chl a ratios often indicated N sufficiency, but three occasions were noted where PON:POP and PON:chl a ratios were not congruent. It is difficult to reconcile the inorganic and organic N and P ratios with the relatively low DIP and DIN concentrations. The phytoplankton assemblage appeared not to be strongly nutrient-limited but, given a nutrient increase, responded differentially to N and P, both seasonally and along the longitudinal salinity gradient. Grazing pressure in concert with nutrient limitation was advanced as an hypothesis to explain N+P co-limitation.     

Going West: Nutrient Limitation of Primary Production in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and the Importance of the Atchafalaya River

To investigate controls on phytoplankton production along the Louisiana coastal shelf, we mapped salinity, nutrient concentrations (dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (P_i), silicate (Si)), nutrient ratios (DIN/P_i), alkaline phosphatase activity, chlorophyll and ¹⁴C primary productivity on fine spatial scales during cruises in March, May, and July 2004. Additionally, resource limitation assays were undertaken in a range of salinity and nutrient regimes reflecting gradients typical of this region. Of these, seven showed P_i limitation, five revealed nitrogen (N) limitation, three exhibited light (L) limitation, and one bioassay had no growth. We found the phytoplankton community to shift from being predominately N limited in the early spring (March) to P limited in late spring and summer (May and July). Light limitation of phytoplankton production was recorded in several bioassays in July in water samples collected after peak annual flows from both the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. We also found that organic phosphorus, as glucose-6-phosphate, alleviated P limitation while phosphono-acetic acid had no effect. Whereas DIN/P_i and DIN/Si ratios in the initial water samples were good predictors of the outcome of phytoplankton production in response to inorganic nutrients, alkaline phosphatase activity was the best predictor when examining organic forms of phosphorus. We measured the rates of integrated primary production (0.33?C7.01 g C m^?2 d^?1), finding the highest rates within the Mississippi River delta and across Atchafalaya Bay at intermediate salinities. The lowest rates were measured along the outer shelf at the highest salinities and lowest nutrient concentrations (<0.1 ??M DIN and Pi). The results of this study indicate that P_i limitation of phytoplankton delays the assimilation of riverine DIN in the summer as the plume spreads across the shelf, pushing primary production over a larger region. Findings from water samples, taken adjacent the Atchafalaya River discharge, highlighted the importance of this riverine system to the overall production along the Louisiana coast.     

Net Ecosystem Metabolism and Nonconservative Fluxes of Organic Matter in a Tropical Mangrove Estuary, Piauí River (NE of Brazil)

Net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) was measured in the Piauí River estuary, NE Brazil. A mass balance of C, N, and P was used to infer its sources and sinks. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations and fluxes were measured over a year along this mangrove dominated estuary. DIC concentrations were high in all estuarine sections, particularly at the fluvial end member at the beginning of the rainy season. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the entire estuary were supersaturated throughout the year and highest in the upper estuarine compartment and freshwater, particularly at the rainy season, due to washout effects of carbonaceous soils and different organic anthropogenic effluents. The estuary served as a source of DIC to the atmosphere with an estimated flux of 13 mol CO₂ m^?2 year^?1. Input from the river was 46 mol CO₂ m^?2 year^?1. The metabolism of the system was heterotrophic, but short periods of autotrophy occurred in the lower more marine portions of the estuary. The pelagic system was more or less balanced between auto- and heterotrophy, whereas the benthic and intertidal mangrove region was heterotrophic. Estimated annual NEM yielded a total DIC production in the order of 18 mol CO₂ m^?2 year^?1. The anthropogenic inputs of particulate C, N, and P, dissolved inorganic P (DIP), and DIC were significant. The fluvial loading of particulate organic carbon and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was largely retained in two flow regulation and hydroelectric reservoirs, promoting a reduction of C:N and C:P particulate ratios in the estuary. The net nonconservative fluxes obtained by a mass balance approach revealed that the estuary acts as a source of DIP, DIN, and DIC, the latter one being almost equivalent to the losses to the atmosphere. Mangrove forests and tidal mudflats were responsible for most of NEM rates and are the main sites of organic decomposition to sustain net heterotrophy. The main sources for this organic matter are the fluvial and anthropogenic inputs. The mangrove areas are the highest estuarine sources of DIP, DIC, and DIN.     

Long-Term Changes in Water Quality and Productivity in the Patuxent River Estuary: 1985 to 2003

We conducted a quantitative assessment of estuarine ecosystem responses to reduced phosphorus and nitrogen loading from sewage treatment facilities and to variability in freshwater flow and nonpoint nutrient inputs to the Patuxent River estuary. We analyzed a 19-year dataset of water quality conditions, nutrient loading, and climatic forcing for three estuarine regions and also computed monthly rates of net production of dissolved O₂ and physical transport of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) using a salt- and water-balance model. Point-source loading of DIN and DIP to the estuary declined by 40–60% following upgrades to sewage treatment plants and correlated with parallel decreases in DIN and DIP concentrations throughout the Patuxent. Reduced point-source nutrient loading and concentration resulted in declines in phytoplankton chlorophyll-a (chl-a) and light-saturated carbon fixation, as well as in bottom-layer O₂ consumption for upper regions of the estuary. Despite significant reductions in seaward N transport from the middle to lower estuary, chl-a, turbidity, and surface-layer net O₂ production increased in the lower estuary, especially during summer. This degradation of water quality in the lower estuary appears to be linked to a trend of increasing net inputs of DIN into the estuary from Chesapeake Bay and to above-average river flow during the mid-1990s. In addition, increased abundance of Mnemiopsis leidyi significantly reduced copepod abundance during summer from 1990 to 2002, which favored increases in chl-a and allowed a shift in total N partitioning from DIN to particulate organic nitrogen. These analyses illustrate (1) the value of long-term monitoring data, (2) the need for regional scale nutrient management that includes integrated estuarine systems, and (3) the potential water quality impacts of altered coastal food webs.     

Decadal Changes in Water Quality and Net Productivity of a Shallow Danish Estuary Following Significant Nutrient Reductions

We utilized an extensive data set (1977–2013) from a water quality monitoring program to investigate the recovery of a Danish estuary following large reductions in total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) loading. Monthly rates of net transport and biogeochemical transformation of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) were computed in two basins of the estuary using a box model approach, and oxygen-based rates of net ecosystem production (NEP) were determined. Since 1990, nutrient loading was reduced by 58 % for nitrogen and 80 % for phosphorus, causing significant decreases in DIN (60 %) and DIP (85 %) concentrations. Reductions in nutrient loadings and concentrations reduced annual chlorophyll levels by 50 % in the inner estuary and improved Secchi depth by approximately 1 m during the same period, particularly in the summer period. In the outer, deeper region of the estuary trends in water quality was less evident. Improvements in the inner estuary were strongly coupled to declines in DIN. Thresholds of DIN and DIP concentrations limiting phytoplankton growth indicated that both regions of the estuary were nitrogen limited. NEP rates indicated the development of more net autotrophic conditions over time that were likely associated with higher benthic primary production stimulated by improved light conditions. Box model computations revealed a modest reduction in summer net production of DIP over time, despite the persistence of elevated fluxes for several years after external loads were reduced. Since the mid-1990s, nutrient loading and transformation were stable while nutrient concentrations continued to decline and water quality improved in the inner estuary. The oligotrophication trajectory involved an initial fast transformation and modest retention of nutrients followed by a gradual decline in the rate of improvement towards a new stable condition.     

Nutrient dynamics in the Pomeranian Bay (southern Baltic): Impact of the Oder River outflow

The Pomeranian Bay is a coastal region fed by the Oder River, one of the seven largest Baltic rivers, whose waters flow through a large and complex estuarine system before entering the bay. Nutrients (NO₃ ⁻, NO₂ ⁻, NH₄ ⁺, Ntot, PO₄ ³⁻, P_tot, DSi), chlorophylla concentrations, oxygen content, salinity, and temperature were measured in the Pomeranian Bay in nine seasonally distributed cruises during 1993–1997. Strong spatial and temporal patterns were observed and they were governed by: the seasonally variable riverine water-nutrient discharges, the seasonally variable uptake of nutrients and their cycling in the river estuary and the Bay, the character of water exchange between the Pomeranian Bay and the Szczecin Lagoon, and the water flow patterns in the Bay that are dominated by wind-driven circulation. Easterly winds resulted in water and nutrient transport along the German coastline, while westerly winds confined the nutrient rich riverine waters to the Polish coast and transported them eastward beyond the study area. Two water masses, coastal and open, characterized by different chemical and physical parameters and chla content were found in the Bay independently of the season. The role of the Oder estuary in nutrient transformation, as well as the role of temperature in transformation processes is stressed in the paper. The DIN:DIP:DSi ratio indicated that phosphorus most probably played a limiting role in phytoplankton production in the Bay in spring, while nitrogen did the same in summer. During the spring bloom, predominated by diatoms, the DSi:DIN ratio dropped to 0.1 in the coastal waters and to 0.6 in the open bay waters, pointing to silicon limitation of diatom growth, similar to what is being observed in other Baltic regions.     

Nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton in a shallow embayment in northern Puget Sound

The effect of nutrient enrichments on natural phytoplankton assemblages was examined in six experiments conducted from June to October 1992. Short-term (4 d to 7 d) nutrient enrichment bioassays were incubated in situ in Padilla Bay, a slough-fed estuary in northern Puget Sound, Washington. Ammonium additions (15 μM) significantly (p<0.001) stimulated phytoplankton biomass accumulation during all six experiments. In two experiments, nitrate additions (15 μM) significantly stimulated accumulation of phytoplankton biomass during October, but not September. Addition of phosphate (1.0 μM) or silicate (15 μM) alone did not stimulate phytoplankton biomass accumulation during any of the experiments. In most experiments, phytoplankton response was greatest in combination treatments of ammonium and phosphate. Dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations in the containers decreased during all incubations, but showed the greatest reduction in treatments receiving nitrogen. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to phosphate (PO₄ ^3?) ratios were below 16∶1 during all experiments, suggesting the potential for nitrogen limitation. In three experiments, the response of photosynthetic nanoplankton (<20 μm) to ammonium additions was compared to that of the total phytoplankton assemblages. Accumulation of nanoplankton biomass exceeded that of the total phytoplankton during two experiments in August but showed no significant response to ammonium additions in October. Results from the bioassays, the low DIN∶PO₄ ^3? ratios, and the reduction in nutrient concentrations in the containers provide evidence for potential nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton production during summer in Padilla Bay.     

Nutrient and Phytoplankton Dynamics in Harima-Nada, Eastern Seto Inland Sea, Japan During a 35-Year Period from 1973 to 2007

Long-term monitoring of water quality and phytoplankton was conducted at 19 sampling stations in Harima-Nada, eastern Seto Inland Sea, Japan for 35 years from 1973 to 2007. There were two significant long-term changes, an increase in winter water temperatures of 0.042°C year^?1, and a decrease in dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) from about 10 μM in the 1970s to ~5 μM in the late 1990s due to the reduction in nutrient inputs. DIN concentrations and total phytoplankton cell density were both higher during the 1970s to the early 1980s and then exhibited a significant decrease in the mid 1980s and remained relatively constant thereafter. Diatoms were the dominant phytoplankton group (>90%) over the 35-year period, and there was a dramatic shift from Skeletonema dominance (~70%) to Chaetoceros in the mid 1980s. This shift in diatom species may be attributed to differences in the life cycle of Skeletonema and Chaetoceros and the response to the decrease in DIN concentration.     

Submarine Groundwater Discharge-Derived Nutrient Loads to San Francisco Bay: Implications to Future Ecosystem Changes

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was quantified at select sites in San Francisco Bay (SFB) from radium (²²³Ra and ²²⁴Ra) and radon (²²²Rn) activities measured in groundwater and surface water using simple mass balance box models. Based on these models, discharge rates in South and Central Bays were 0.3?C7.4?m³?day^?1?m^?1. Although SGD fluxes at the two regions (Central and South Bays) of SFB were of the same order of magnitude, the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) species associated with SGD were different. In the South Bay, ammonium (NH ₄ ⁺ ) concentrations in groundwater were three-fold higher than in open bay waters, and NH ₄ ⁺ was the primary DIN form discharged by SGD. At the Central Bay site, the primary DIN form in groundwater and associated discharge was nitrate (NO ₃ ^? ). The stable isotope signatures (??¹⁵N_NO3 and ??¹⁸O_NO3) of NO ₃ ^? in the South Bay groundwater and surface waters were both consistent with NO ₃ ^? derived from NH ₄ ⁺ that was isotopically enriched in ¹⁵N by NH ₄ ⁺ volatilization. Based on the calculated SGD fluxes and groundwater nutrient concentrations, nutrient fluxes associated with SGD can account for up to 16?% of DIN and 22?% of DIP in South and Central Bays. The form of DIN contributed to surface waters from SGD may impact the ratio of NO ₃ ^? to NH ₄ ⁺ available to phytoplankton with implications to bay productivity, phytoplankton species distribution, and nutrient uptake rates. This assessment of nutrient delivery via groundwater discharge in SFB may provide vital information for future bay ecological wellbeing and sensitivity to future environmental stressors.     

Patterns of Phytoplankton Variability in the Tagus Estuary (Portugal)

Data were collected in the Tagus estuary from 1999–2007 on a monthly basis and combined with published results and for several previous years between 1980 and 1995, so that a comprehensive analysis could be performed over a non-continuous 27-year period. Sampling conditions and methods were similar for all datasets. Extreme wet and dry years were observed. River flow was strongly linked to phytoplankton abundance, with the highest biomass attained in dry years. The observed range of annual median Chl a was 1.8–7.6 µg L^?1 and the overall median was 3.5 µg L^?1. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and silicate showed a clear seasonal pattern, with a maximum in winter?spring, indicating a freshwater origin. Although wastewater treatment started in 1990, no difference was detected from 1980 to the present in terms of DIN and phosphorus. The recorded seasonal pattern for biomass with highest values in late spring–summer period is comparable to other temperate tidally influenced ecosystems. In spite of interannual differences in terms of Chl a concentration or the time of the maximum Chl a occurrence, a repeatable pattern could be identified. The mean growth development time for phytoplankton was 163 days (June 12) ranging 129–206 days (May 9–July 26) during the sampling period. No obvious changes in phytoplankton community structure were observed over time: diatoms were always the dominant group, and cryptophytes were relatively abundant throughout autumn–winter. The dominant species have remained essentially the same since 1969. River inflow, light availability, and temperature were the major factors shaping phytoplankton variability patterns. The strong influence of tidal mixing on the estuarine waters appears to lower the risk of potential eutrophication in the Tagus estuary. The lack of change in nutrients and phytoplankton biomass and composition observed in this study is an important contribution towards the assessment of natural variability versus responses to man-induced inputs in this severely anthropogenically disturbed estuary.     

Atmospheric input of inorganic nitrogen to Delaware Bay

The coastal waters of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States receive inputs of atmospheric pollutants as a consequence of being located downwind from major industrial and urban emissions. These inputs are potentially the largest received by any marine area of the country. Of current interest is the atmospheric input of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN = NO₃ ^?+NH₄ ⁺). We have conducted a first-order examination of the magnitude of atmospheric DIN deposition relative to other large-scale inputs for Delaware Bay, a partially urbanized mid-Atlantic coastal plain estuary. The following loading terms: direct atmospheric deposition, indirect atmospheric loading, urban point discharges, fluvial input, benthic flux, and salt marsh export were evaluated. On an annual basis, municipal-industrial effluents provide a dominant source (ca. 40%) of the DIN inputs to the estuary. Total (wet plus dry) atmospheric deposition accounts for about 15% of the total annual DIN inputs. However, during summer, which is characterized by low river-flow and seasonally maximum atmospheric loading, this figure increases to around 25%. Although atmospheric input can satisfy only a fraction of the primary production demands, this summer flux may represent an ecologically important source of external DIN, half of which is directly deposited to surface photic zones where it is readily available for biological uptake.     

Sediment-water oxygen and nutrient exchanges along the longitudinal axis of Chesapeake Bay: Seasonal patterns,controlling factors and ecological significance

Sediment-water oxygen and nutrient (NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ^?+NO₂ ^?, DON, PO₄ ^3?, and DSi) fluxes were measured in three distinct regions of Chesapeake Bay at monthly intervals during 1 yr and for portions of several additional years. Examination of these data revealed strong spatial and temporal patterns. Most fluxes were greatest in the central bay (station MB), moderate in the high salinity lower bay (station SB) and reduced in the oligohaline upper bay (station NB). Sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) rates generally increased with increasing temperature until bottom water concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) fell below 2.5 mg l^?1, apparently limiting SOC rates. Fluxes of NH₄ ⁺ were elevated at temperatures >15°C and, when coupled with low bottom water DO concentrations (<5 mg l^?1), very large releases (>500 μmol N m^?2 h^?1) were observed. Nitrate + nitrite (NO₃ ^?+NO₂ ^?) exchanges were directed into sediments in areas where bottom water NO₃ ^?+NO₂ ^? concentrations were high (>18 μM N); sediment efflux of NO₃ ^?+NO₂ ^? occurred only in areas where bottom water NO₃ ^?+NO₂ ^? concentrations were relatively low (<11 μM N) and bottom waters well oxygenated. Phosphate fluxes were small except in areas of hypoxic and anoxic bottom waters; in those cases releases were high (50–150 μmol P m^?2 h^?1) but of short duration (2 mo). Dissolved silicate (DSi) fluxes were directed out of the sediments at all stations and appeared to be proportional to primary production in overlying waters. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) was released from the sediments at stations NB and SB and taken up by the sediments at station MB in summer months; DON fluxes were either small or noninterpretable during cooler months of the year. It appears that the amount and quality of organic matter reaching the sediments is of primary importance in determining the spatial variability and interannual differences in sediment nutrient fluxes along the axis of the bay. Surficial sediment chlorophyll-a, used as an indicator of labile sediment organic matter, was highly correlated with NH₄ ^?, PO₄ ^3?, and DSi fluxes but only after a temporal lag of about 1 mo was added between deposition events and sediment nutrient releases. Sediment O:N flux ratios indicated that substantial sediment nitrification-denitrification probably occurred at all sites during winter-spring but not summer-fall; N:P flux ratios were high in spring but much less than expected during summer, particularly at hypoxic and anoxic sites. Finally, a comparison of seasonal N and P demand by phytoplankton with sediment nutrient releases indicated that the sediments provide a substantial fraction of nutrients required by phytoplankton in summer, but not winter, especially in the mid bay region.     

Phosphorus and nitrogen inputs to Florida Bay: The importance of the everglades watershed

A large environmental restoration project designed to improve the hydrological conditions of the Florida Everglades and increase freshwater flow to Florida Bay is underway. Here we explore how changing freshwater inflow to the southern Everglades is likely to change the input of nutrients to Florida Bay. We calculated annual inputs of water, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to Everglades National Park (ENP) since the early 1980s. We also examined changes in these nutrient concentrations along transects through the wetland to Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. We found that the interannual variability of the water discharge into ENP greatly exceeded the interannual variability of flow-weighted mean nutrient concentrations in this water. Nutrient inputs to ENP were largely determined by discharge volume. These inputs were high in TN and low in TP; for two ENP watersheds TN averaged 1.5 mg l^?1 (0.11 mM) and 0.9 mg l^?1 (0.06 mM) and TP averaged 15 μg l^?1 (0.47 μM) and 9 μg l^?1 (0.28 μM). Both TP and DIN that flowed into ENP wetlands were rapidly removed from the water. Over a 3-km section of Taylor Slough, TP decreased from a flow-weighted mean of 11.6 μg l^?1 (0.37 μM) (0.20 μM) and DIN decreased from 240 μg l^?1 (17μM) to 36 μ l^?1 (2.6 μM). In contrast, TN, which was generally 95% organic N, changed little as it passed through the wetland. This resulted in molar TN:TP ratios exceeding 400 in the wetland. Decreases in TN concentrations only occurred in areas with relatively high P availability, such as the wetlands to the north of ENP and in the mangrove streams of western ENP. Increasing freshwater flow to Florida Bay in an effort to restore the Everglades and Florida Bay ecosystems is thus not likely to increase P inputs from the freshwater Everglades but is likely to increase TN inputs. Based on a nutrient budget of Florida Bay, both N and P inputs from the Gulf of Mexico greatly exceed inputs from the Everglades, as well as inputs from the atmosphere and the Florida Keys. We estimate that the freshwater Everglades contribute <3% of all P inputs and <12% of all N inputs to the bay. Evaluating the effect of ecosystem restoration efforts on Florida Bay requires greater understanding of the interactions of the bay with the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent mangrove ecosystems.     

Submarine groundwater discharge enhances primary productivity in the Yellow Sea,China:Insight from the separation of fresh and recirculated components

Submarine groundwater discharge(SGD)is being increasingly recognized as a significant source of nutri-ent into coastal waters,and generally comprises two components:submarine fresh groundwater dis-charge(SFGD)and recirculated saline groundwater discharge(RSGD).The separate evaluation of SFGD and RSGD is extremely limited as compared to the conventional estimation of total SGD and associated nutrient fluxes,especially in marginal-scale regions.In this study,new high-resolution radium isotopes data in seawater and coastal groundwater enabled an estimation of SGD flux in a typical marginal sea of the Yellow Sea.By establishing 226Ra and 228Ra mass balance models,we obtained the SGD-derived radium fluxes,and then estimated the SFGD and RSGD fluxes through a two end-member model.The results showed that the total SGD flux into the Yellow Sea was equivalent to approximately 6.6 times the total freshwater discharge of surrounding rivers,and the SFGD flux accounted for only 5.2％-8.8％of the total SGD.Considering the nutrient concentrations in coastal fresh and saline groundwater,we obtained the dissolved inorganic nutrient fluxes(mmol m-2 yr-1)to be 52-353 for nitrogen(DIN),0.21-1.4 for phosphorus(DIP),34-226 for silicon(DSi)via SFGD,and 69-262 for DIN,1.0-3.9 for DIP,70-368 for DSi via RSGD,with the sum of nutrient fluxes equaling to(1.8-9.3)-fold,(1.3-5.6)-fold and(2.0-9.5)-fold of the riverine inputs.Compared to the conventional estimation of the total SGD flux,the nutrient fluxes derived from the separation of SFGD and RSGD were(1.6-2.1),(1.6-1.8)and(4.0-4.9)times lower for DIN,DIP and DSi,respectively,indicating that the estimates by separating SFGD and RSGD could be conservative and representative results of the Yellow Sea.Furthermore,we suggested that SGD played an important role in nutrient sources among all the traditional nutrient inputs sources,providing 15％-48％,33％-68％and 14％-43％of the total DIN,DIP and DSi input fluxes into the Yellow Sea,and the high nutrient stoichiometric ratios(i.e.,DIN/DIP)in SGD probably contributed to the increasing ratios in the Yellow Sea.In addition delivering large amounts of nutrient into the Yellow Sea,SGD would create primary productivity of 10-49,1.6-6.8 and 8.8-42 g C m-2 yr-1 based on N,P and Si,which were equivalent to 5.2％-27％,0.9％-3.7％and 4.7％-23％of the total primary productivity,respectively.In par-ticular,the SFGD-derived DIN flux can be converted to primary productivity of 4.2-28 g C m-2 yr-1 thus demonstrating the disproportionately large role of SFGD in ecological environment of the Yellow Sea rel-ative to its flux.Therefore,we conclude that SGD,particularly SFGD,plays an important role as a nutrient source for the Yellow Sea,and not only affects nutrient budgets and structures but also enhances the pri-mary productivity.     

Effects of menhaden predation of plankton populations in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

The Atlantic menhaden,Brevoortia tyrannus, is an abundant plankton-feeding fish that undertakes extensive seasonal migrations, moving from overwintering locations offshore south of Cape Hatteras to the mid-Atlantic Bight and New England inshore waters during spring and summer. A bioenergetic model, based on field and laboratory studies, shows that when large numbers of menhaden enter Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, during spring and early summer, they significantly influence plankton populations through size-selective grazing and nutrient regeneration. A population biomass of 9.1×10⁶ kg of menhaden feeding for 12 h each day in the upper bay would result, in a substantial reduction of the instantaneous growth rate of the >20-μm phytoplankton. Instantaneous growth rates of zooplankton would be negative if the same population of menhaden was present, resulting in a reduction in the biomass of zooplankton. Given the ambient phytoplankton and zooplankton populations, menhaden could achieve the seasonal growth measured in Narragansett Bay during 1976 by feeding on average about 5 h d^?1. Daily nitrogen excretion rates of the 9.1×10⁶ kg menhaden population were 56.4% of the mean standing stock of ammonia-N in the upper bay. Because menhaden travel in schools their effects are likely to be intense but strongly localized, increasing spatial heterogeneity in the ecosystem. When the fish migrate southward in the fall they transfer between 3.3% and 6.2% of the nitrogen exported annually from the bay.     

Loading, Transformation, and Retention of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the Tidal Freshwater James River (Virginia)

A nutrient mass balance for the tidal freshwater segment of the James River was used to assess sources of nutrients supporting phytoplankton production and the importance of the tidal freshwater zone in mitigating nutrient transport to marine waters. Monthly mass balances for 2007–2010 were based on riverine inputs, local point sources (including sewer overflow events), ungauged inputs, riverine outputs, and tidal exchange. The tidal freshwater James River received exceptionally high areal loads (446 mg TN m^?2 day^?1 and 55 mg TP m^?2 day^?1) compared to other estuaries in the region and elsewhere. P inputs were principally from riverine sources (84 %) whereas point sources contributed appreciably (54 %) to high N loads. Despite high loading rates and short water residence time, areal mass retention was high (143 mg TN m^?2 day^?1 and 33 mg TP m^?2 day^?1). Retention of particulate fractions occurred during high discharge, whereas dissolved inorganic fractions were retained during low discharge when chlorophyll-a concentrations were high. On an annualized basis, P was retained more effectively (59 %) than N (32 %). P was retained by abiotic mechanisms via trapping of particulate forms, whereas N was retained through biological assimilation of dissolved inorganic forms. Results from a limited suite of stable isotope determinations suggest that DIN from point sources was preferentially retained. Combined inputs from diffuse and point sources accounted for only 20 % and 36 % (respectively) of estimated algal N and P demand, indicating that internal nutrient recycling was important to sustaining high rates of phytoplankton production in the tidal freshwater zone.     

Inorganic and Organic Nitrogen Use by Phytoplankton Along Chesapeake Bay,Measured Using a Flow Cytometric Sorting Approach

Two different approaches to measuring phytoplankton nitrogen (N) use were compared in late summer 2004 along the main axis of Chesapeake Bay. Uptake of ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium and nitrate and dual-labeled (¹⁵N and ¹³C) urea and dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) were measured in surface water samples from upper, mid, and lower bay stations. Two distinct methods were used to assess the relative uptake of N substrates by phytoplankton and correct for bacterial artifacts: (1) traditional filtration using Whatman glass fiber (GF/F) filters and (2) flow cytometric (FCM) sorting of chlorophyll-containing cells. The concentration of dissolved inorganic N (DIN) decreased with distance south along the bay, whereas dissolved organic N (DON) concentrations were relatively constant. Absolute N uptake rates measured using the traditional approach exceeded those of FCM-sorted phytoplankton, thereby suggesting the possibility of bacterial “contamination.” Ammonium was the dominant N form used throughout the transect, although FCM-sorted phytoplankton relied more on urea and DFAA as the ratio of DON/DIN increased toward the bay mouth. Overall, ammonium comprised 74 ± 17%, urea 10 ± 9%, DFAA 9 ± 7%, and nitrate 7 ± 12% of total measured N uptake by phytoplankton. Results suggest that bacteria relied primarily on DFAA and ammonium for N nutrition but also used N from urea at a rate similar to that of phytoplankton, whereas bacterial nitrate uptake was insignificant. On average, phytoplankton uptake of ammonium, urea, and DFAA was overestimated by 61%, 53%, and 135%, respectively, as a result of bacterial retention on GF/F filters.     

Seasonal distributions of suspended particulate material and dissolved nutrients in a coastal plain estuary

The temporal and spatial distributions of salinity, dissolved oxygen, suspended particulate material (SPM), and dissolved nutrients were determined during 1983 in the Choptank River, an estuarine tributary of Chesapeake Bay. During winter and spring freshets, the middle estuary was strongly stratified with changes in salinity of up to 5‰ occurring over 1 m depth intervals. Periodically, the lower estuary was stratified due to the intrusion of higher salinity water from the main channel of Chesapeake Bay. During summer this intrusion caused minimum oxygen and maximum NH₄ ⁺ concentrations at the mouth of the Choptank River estuary. Highest concentrations of SPM, particulate carbon (PC), particulate nitrogen (PN), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) occurred in the upper estuary during the early spring freshet. In contrast, minimum soluble reactive phosphate (SRP) concentrations were highest in the upper estuary in summer when freshwater discharge was low. In spring, PC:PN ratios were >13, indicating a strong influence by allochthonous plant detritus on PC and PN concentrations. However, high concentrations of PC and PN in fall coincided with maximum chlorophyll a concentrations and PC:PN ratios were <8, indicating in situ productivity controlled PC and PN levels. During late spring and summer, DIN concentrations decreased from >100 to <10 μg-at l^?1, resulting mainly from the nonconservative behavior of NO₃ ^?, which dominated the DIN pool. Atomic ratios of both the inorganic and total forms of N and P exceeded 100 in spring, but by summer, ratios decreased to <5 and <15, respectively. The seasonal and spatial changes in both absolute concentrations and ratios of N and P reflect the strong influence of allochthonous inputs on nutrient distributions in spring, followed by the effects of internal processes in summer and fall.