草原生长期地表辐射和能量通量月平均日变化特征

利用2008年5—9月锡林浩特国家气候观象台辐射和通量观测资料,分析了锡林浩特典型草原生长期各辐射分能量和同期能量通量的月平均日变化以及地表能量闭合度.结果表明:草原生长期总辐射月平均日最大值出现在7月,平均日最大辐射强度达到753.14W·m-2,最小值出现在5月,为697.27W·m-2.受地表反照率和太阳总辐射的影响,生长期反射辐射最大值出现在5月份,平均日积分值为4.92MJ·m-2;9月份最小,平均日积分值为3.76MJ·m-2.生长期获得的辐射能量为1385.67MJ·m-2,平均净辐射(Rn)强度为104.52W·m-2;感热通量(H)共支出640.39MJ·m-2,日平均强度为53.40W·m-2;潜热通量(LH)共支出772.96M·m-2,日平均强度为55.10W·m-2.Rn和H+HL+G线性回归的结果显示,草原生长期日平均能量闭合率为90%,能量不闭合程度为10%.     

Carbon Dioxide Fluxes and Their Environmental Control in a Reclaimed Coastal Wetland in the Yangtze Estuary

Large areas of natural coastal wetlands have suffered severely from human-driven damages or conversions (e.g., land reclamations), but coastal carbon flux responses in reclaimed wetlands are largely unknown. The lack of knowledge of the environmental control mechanisms of carbon fluxes also limits the carbon budget management of reclaimed wetlands. The net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in a coastal wetland at Dongtan of Chongming Island in the Yangtze estuary was monitored throughout 2012 using the eddy covariance technique more than 14 years after this wetland was reclaimed using dykes to stop tidal flooding. The driving biophysical variables of NEE were also examined. The results showed that NEE displayed marked diurnal and seasonal variations. The monthly mean NEE showed that this ecosystem functioned as a CO₂ sink during 9 months of the year, with a maximum value in September (?101.2 g C m^?2) and a minimum value in November (?8.2 g C m^?2). The annual CO₂ balance of the reclaimed coastal wetland was ?558.4 g C m^?2 year^?1. The ratio of ecosystem respiration (ER) to gross primary production (GPP) was 0.57, which suggests that 57 % of the organic carbon assimilated by wetland plants was consumed by plant respiration and soil heterotrophic respiration. Stepwise multiple linear regressions suggested that temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were the two dominant micrometeorological variables driving seasonal variations in NEE, while soil moisture (M _s) and soil salinity (PS_s) played minor roles. For the entire year, PAR and daytime NEE were significantly correlated, as well as temperature and nighttime NEE. These nonlinear relationships varied seasonally: the maximum ecosystem photosynthetic rate (A _max), apparent quantum yield (?), and Q ₁₀ reached their peak values during summer (17.09 μmol CO₂?m^?2 s^?1), autumn (0.13 μmol CO₂?μmol^?1 photon), and spring (2.16), respectively. Exceptionally high M _s or PS_s values indirectly restricted ecosystem CO₂ fixation capacity by reducing the PAR sensitivity of the NEE. The leaf area index (LAI) and live aboveground biomass (AGB_L) were significantly correlated with NEE during the growing season. Although the annual net CO₂ fixation rate of the coastal reclaimed wetland was distinctly lower than the unreclaimed coastal wetland in the same region, it was quite high relative to many inland freshwater wetlands and estuarine/coastal wetlands located at latitudes higher than this site. Thus, it is concluded that although the net CO₂ fixation capacity of the coastal wetland was reduced by land reclamation, it can still perform as an important CO₂ sink.     

Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions from Mangrove-Associated Waters of the Andaman Islands,Bay of Bengal

We estimated CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from mangrove-associated waters of the Andaman Islands by sampling hourly over 24 h in two tidal mangrove creeks (Wright Myo; Kalighat) and during transects in contiguous shallow inshore waters, immediately following the northeast monsoons (dry season) and during the peak of the southwest monsoons (wet season) of 2005 and 2006. Tidal height correlated positively with dissolved O₂ and negatively with pCO₂, CH₄, total alkalinity (TAlk) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and pCO₂ and CH₄ were always highly supersaturated (330–1,627 % CO₂; 339–26,930 % CH₄). These data are consistent with a tidal pumping response to hydrostatic pressure change. There were no seasonal trends in dissolved CH₄ but pCO₂ was around twice as high during the 2005 wet season than at other times, in both the tidal surveys and the inshore transects. Fourfold higher turbidity during the wet season is consistent with elevated net benthic and/or water column heterotrophy via enhanced organic matter inputs from adjacent mangrove forest and/or the flushing of CO₂-enriched soil waters, which may explain these CO₂ data. TAlk/DIC relationships in the tidally pumped waters were most consistent with a diagenetic origin of CO₂ primarily via sulphate reduction, with additional inputs via aerobic respiration. A decrease with salinity for pCO₂, CH₄, TAlk and DIC during the inshore transects reflected offshore transport of tidally pumped waters. Estimated mean tidal creek emissions were ～23–173 mmol m^?2 day^?1 CO₂ and ～0.11–0.47 mmol m^?2 day^?1 CH₄. The CO₂ emissions are typical of mangrove-associated waters globally, while the CH₄ emissions fall at the low end of the published range. Scaling to the creek open water area (2,700 km²) gave total annual creek water emissions ～3.6–9.2?×?10¹⁰ mol CO₂ and 3.7–34?×?10⁷ mol CH₄. We estimated emissions from contiguous inshore waters at ～1.5?×?10¹¹ mol CO₂?year^?1 and 2.6?×?10⁸ mol CH₄?year^?1, giving total emissions of ～1.9?×?10¹¹ mol CO₂?year^?1 and ～3.0?×?10⁸ mol CH₄?year^?1 from a total area of mangrove-influenced water of ～3?×?10⁴ km². Evaluating such emissions in a range of mangrove environments is important to resolving the greenhouse gas balance of mangrove ecosystems globally. Future such studies should be integral to wider quantitative process studies of the mangrove carbon balance.     

Carbon Dioxide and Methane Dynamics in Three Coastal Systems of Cadiz Bay (SW Spain)

The partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) and concentration of dissolved CH₄ in surface waters have been studied in three coastal systems connected to Cadiz Bay (southwestern coast of Spain) over different time scales. The concentration of CH₄ varied from 1 to 4200 nmol kg^?1 (192.1 ± 463.6 nmol kg^?1) and the saturation percent from 19 to 159,577% (6645 ± 16,921%), and pCO₂ from 315 to 3240 μatm (841.9 ± 466.3 μatm), with saturation percent values varying between 72 and 981% (220 ± 133%). The seasonal variation of pCO₂ mainly depends on the temperature. On the contrary, the annual distribution of dissolved CH₄ is associated with the precipitation regime. In addition, pCO₂ and dissolved CH₄ showed spatial variation. pCO₂ increased toward the inner part of the systems, with the proximity to the discharge points from human activities. Dissolved CH₄ is influenced by both anthropogenic inputs and natural processes such as benthic supply and exchange with the adjacent salt marshes. pCO₂ and dissolved CH₄ also varied with the tides: The highest concentrations were measured during the ebb, which suggests that the systems export CO₂ and CH₄ to the Bay and adjacent Atlantic Ocean.     

Diurnal Variations of Hydrochemistry in a Travertine-depositing Stream at Baishuitai, Yunnan, SW China

Diurnal variations of hydrochemistry were monitored at a spring and two pools in a travertine-depositing stream at Baishuitai, Yunnan, SW China. Water temperature, pH and specific conductivity were measured in intervals of 5 and 30 min for periods of 1 to 2 days. From these data the concentrations of Ca²⁺, HCO₃⁻, calcite saturation index, and CO₂ partial pressure were derived. The measurements in the spring of the stream did not show any diurnal variations in the chemical composition of the water. Diurnal variations, however, were observed in the water of the two travertine pools downstream. In one of them, a rise in temperature (thus more CO₂ degassing) during day time and consumption of CO₂ due to photosynthesis of submerged aquatic plants accelerated deposition of calcite, whereas in the other pool, where aquatic plants flourished and grew out of the water (so photosynthesis was taking place in the atmosphere), the authors suggest that temperature-dependent root respiration underwater took place, which dominated until noon. Consequently, due to the release of CO₂ by the root respiration into water, which dominated CO₂ production by degassing induced by temperature increase, the increased dissolution of calcite was observed. This is the first time anywhere at least in China that the effect of root respiration on diurnal hydrochemical variations has been observed. The finding has implications for sampling strategy within travertine-depositing streams and other similar environments with stagnant water bodies such as estuaries, lakes, reservoirs, pools and wetlands, where aquatic plants may flourish and grow out of water.     

Estimates of Natural Salinity and Hydrology in a Subtropical Estuarine Ecosystem: Implications for Greater Everglades Restoration

Disruption of the natural patterns of freshwater flow into estuarine ecosystems occurred in many locations around the world beginning in the twentieth century. To effectively restore these systems, establishing a pre-alteration perspective allows managers to develop science-based restoration targets for salinity and hydrology. This paper describes a process to develop targets based on natural hydrologic functions by coupling paleoecology and regression models using the subtropical Greater Everglades Ecosystem as an example. Paleoecological investigations characterize the circa 1900 CE (pre-alteration) salinity regime in Florida Bay based on molluscan remains in sediment cores. These paleosalinity estimates are converted into time series estimates of paleo-based salinity, stage, and flow using numeric and statistical models. Model outputs are weighted using the mean square error statistic and then combined. Results indicate that, in the absence of water management, salinity in Florida Bay would be about 3 to 9 salinity units lower than current conditions. To achieve this target, upstream freshwater levels must be about 0.25 m higher than indicated by recent observed data, with increased flow inputs to Florida Bay between 2.1 and 3.7 times existing flows. This flow deficit is comparable to the average volume of water currently being diverted from the Everglades ecosystem by water management. The products (paleo-based Florida Bay salinity and upstream hydrology) provide estimates of pre-alteration hydrology and salinity that represent target restoration conditions. This method can be applied to any estuarine ecosystem with available paleoecologic data and empirical and/or model-based hydrologic data.     

Characteristics and Drivers of Methane Fluxes from a Rice Paddy Based on the Flux Measurement

Rice paddies are an important anthropogenic source of methane (CH₄) to the atmosphere, which aggravate the global warming greatly. CH₄ fluxes from a rice paddy in Central China were continuously measured with the eddy covariance method in 2018. The characteristics, dynamics and drivers of the observed CH₄ fluxes from this paddy field were subsequently analyzed. The results indicated that \mathrm{①} a distinct seasonal variation of daily CH₄ fluxes was found over the whole observed period. Daily CH₄ fluxes were the highest in the vegetative period, then decreased gradually, and became the lowest in the fallow period; \mathrm{②} observed CH₄ fluxes had a clear single-peak diurnal pattern during the vegetative and reproductive periods, and reached daily peaks at about 14:00-16:00. However, no obvious diurnal variation in CH₄ fluxes was observed during the fallow period; \mathrm{③} air temperature was the most important drivers that controlled the seasonal variation of CH₄ fluxes from this paddy field, and Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) was also found related to the CH₄ emissions; \mathrm{④} the largest daily CH₄ flux was 0.69 μmol/(m²·s), occurred in the late of vegetative period, and the total amount of CH₄ emissions over the whole observed period was about 28 g C/m².     

Direct and Indirect Effects of Estuarine Reclamation on Nutrient and Metal Fluxes in the Global Coastal Zone

We demonstrate that land reclamation in estuaries is resulting in very large-scale loss of intertidal area and disconnection of stored sediment with the water column. This process is not just causing loss of estuarine ecosystem services, it is also having a major deleterious impact on the ability of estuaries to retain nutrients and trace metals. The global scale of loss of estuarine wetlands and subtidal sediments has reached the point where the impact of this loss of estuarine retention is likely to be affecting coastal seas worldwide and possibly global element cycles.     

Nutrient Inputs, Phytoplankton Response, and CO2 Variations in a Semi-Enclosed Subtropical Embayment, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

The marine shelf areas in subtropical and tropical regions represent only 35% of the total shelf areas globally, but receive a disproportionately large amount of water (65%) and sediment (58%) discharges that enter such environments. Small rivers and/or streams that drain the mountainous areas in these climatic zones deliver the majority of the sediment and nutrient inputs to these narrow shelf environments; such inputs often occur as discrete, episodic introductions associated with storm events. To gain insight into the linked biogeochemical behavior of subtropical/tropical mountainous watershed-coastal ocean ecosystems, this work describes the use of a buoy system to monitor autonomously water quality responses to land-derived nutrient inputs and physical forcing associated with local storm events in the coastal ocean of southern Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, USA. The data represent 2.5 years of near-real time observations at a fixed station, collected concurrently with spatially distributed synoptic sampling over larger sections of Kaneohe Bay. Storm events cause most of the fluvial nutrient, particulate, and dissolved organic carbon inputs to Kaneohe Bay. Nutrient loadings from direct rainfall and/or terrestrial runoff produce an immediate increase in the N:P ratio of bay waters up to values of 48 and drive phytoplankton biomass growth. Rapid uptake of such nutrient subsidies by phytoplankton causes rapid declines of N levels, return to N-limited conditions, and subsequent decline of phytoplankton biomass over timescales ranging from a few days to several weeks, depending on conditions and proximity to the sources of runoff. The enhanced productivity may promote the drawing down of pCO₂ and lowering of surface water column carbonate saturation states, and in some events, a temporary shift from N to P limitation. The productivity-driven CO₂ drawdown may temporarily lead to air-to-sea transfer of atmospheric CO₂ in a system that is on an annual basis a source of CO₂ to the atmosphere due to calcification and perhaps heterotrophy. Storms may also strongly affect proximal coastal zone pCO₂ and hence carbonate saturation state due to river runoff flushing out high pCO₂ soil and ground waters. Mixing of the CO₂-charged water with seawater causes a salting out effect that releases CO₂ to the atmosphere. Many subtropical and tropical systems throughout the Pacific region are similar to Kaneohe Bay, and our work provides an important indication of the variability and range of CO₂ dynamics that are likely to exist elsewhere. Such variability must be taken into account in any analysis of the direction and magnitude of the air?Csea CO₂ exchange for the integrated coastal ocean, proximal and distal. It cannot be overemphasized that this research illustrates several examples of how high frequency sampling by a moored autonomous system can provide details about ecosystem responses to stochastic atmospheric forcing that are commonly missed by traditional synoptic observational approaches. Finally, the work exemplifies the utility of combining synoptic sampling and real-time autonomous observations to elucidate the biogeochemical and physical responses of coastal subtropical/tropical coral reef ecosystems to climatic perturbations.     

Groundwater Discharge as a Source of Dissolved Carbon and Greenhouse Gases in a Subtropical Estuary

Groundwater may be highly enriched in dissolved carbon species, but its role as a source of carbon to coastal waters is still poorly constrained. Exports of deep and shallow groundwater-derived dissolved carbon species from a small subtropical estuary (Korogoro Creek, Australia, latitude ?31.0478°, longitude 153.0649°) were quantified using a radium isotope mass balance model (²³³Ra and ²²⁴Ra, natural groundwater tracers) under two hydrological conditions. In addition, air-water exchange of carbon dioxide and methane in the estuary was estimated. The highest carbon inputs to the estuary were from deep fresh groundwater in the wet season. Most of the dissolved carbon delivered by groundwater and exported from the estuary to the coastal ocean was in the form of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; 687 mmol m^?2 estuary day^?1; 20 mmol m^?2 catchment day^?1, respectively), with a large export of alkalinity (23 mmol m^?2 catchment day^?1). Average water to air flux of CO₂ (869 mmol m^?2 day^?1) and CH₄ (26 mmol m^?2 day^?1) were 5- and 43-fold higher, respectively, than the average global evasion in estuaries due to the large input of CO₂- and CH₄-enriched groundwater. The groundwater discharge contribution to carbon exports from the estuary for DIC, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), alkalinity, CO₂, and CH₄ was 22, 41, 3, 75, and 100 %, respectively. The results show that CO₂ and CH₄ evasion rates from small subtropical estuaries surrounded by wetlands can be extremely high and that groundwater discharge had a major role in carbon export and evasion from the estuary and therefore should be accounted for in coastal carbon budgets.     

Fertilization Effects on Elevation Change and Belowground Carbon Balance in a Long Island Sound Tidal Marsh

We report the results of a 5-year fertilization experiment in a central Long Island Sound salt marsh, aimed at understanding the impacts of high nutrient loads on marsh elevational processes. Fertilization with nitrogen led to some significant changes in marsh processes, specifically increases in aboveground primary production and in CO₂ fluxes from the soil. However, neither nitrogen nor phosphorus fertilization led to elevation loss (relative to controls), reduced soil carbon, or a decrease in belowground primary production, all of which have been proposed as links between elevated nutrient loads and marsh drowning. Our data suggest that high nutrient levels increase gross carbon loss from the sediment, but that this is compensated for by other processes, leading to no net deleterious effect of nutrient loading on carbon storage or on marsh stability with respect to sea level rise.     

江汉盆地江陵凹陷二氧化碳地质封存数值模拟

通过建立江汉盆地江陵凹陷新沟嘴组储层和盖层的二维模型,对江陵凹陷进行了CO2地质封存数值模拟研究,分析了注入CO2的运移分布和溶解扩散情况,并对储盖层垂直方向的渗透率进行了敏感性分析.结果表明,所建的二维模型能够较好地描述CO2在储层中的运移过程和分布状况,而且在实际地质封存工作中必须要考虑一些地质上的因素如储盖层的渗透率、毛细管压力、岩石矿物组分丰度等的变化对封存效果的影响.     

Quantities and Fluxes of Dissolved and Particulate Black Carbon in the Changjiang and Huanghe Rivers,China

Recent studies have suggested that large rivers play important roles in mobilizing and transporting black carbon (BC) from land to the ocean. However, the influence of the Changjiang and Huanghe, the two largest rivers in China, on the fate of BC has not been determined. In this paper, we present measurements of BC in both the dissolved and particulate phases in the Changjiang and Huanghe Rivers and in the coastal waters of the East China Sea (ECS). Our results show that dissolved black carbon (DBC) accounted for 3.0 ± 0.4 % and 4.8 ± 3.6 % of the total DOC pool in the Changjiang and Huanghe Rivers and 3.4 ± 0.6 % of the DOC pool in the coast of the ECS. In addition, particulate black carbon (PBC) accounted for 13 ± 0.9 % and 22 ± 11 % of the POC pool in the Changjiang and Huanghe Rivers, respectively. We calculate that the Changjiang and Huanghe transported 4.7 × 10¹⁰ gC and 1.7 × 10⁹ gC of DBC, and 2.0 × 10¹¹ gC and 1.2 × 10¹⁰ gC of PBC to the ECS and Bohai Sea in 2015. The large amounts of BC transported by the two rivers represent a major sink of anthropogenically derived organic carbon and could have a significant impact on the ecosystem and carbon cycling in China’s marginal seas.     

川东槽谷区岩溶泉水物理化学动态特征及其环境效应研究——以重庆青木关岩溶槽谷姜家泉为例

以重庆青木关岩溶槽谷姜家泉野外观测试验基地为例,利用CTDP300多参数水质自动记录仪、NITRATAX plussc在线硝氮分析仪及HOBO小型气象站,分别对岩溶泉在不同降雨条件下水化学的动态变化特征进行了监测研究。结果表明:岩溶泉水pH值受偏酸性雨水的影响而降低;水温变化取决于降雨量、持续时间及气温等因素影响。分析认为,电导率的变化随环境的不同而不同,一般降雨环境下雨水的稀释作用仅表现在降雨的开始阶段,之后裂隙含水介质起主要作用;暴雨环境下雨水的稀释作用贯穿整个降雨过程,地下河水质主要受岩溶管道裂隙控制,水动力作用占主要地位。NO3-含量与电导率变化呈正相关,都与降雨量密切相关,从而说明降雨是导致岩溶区土壤元素流失的主要原因,也是造成岩溶山区地下水污染的重要原因。岩溶泉水化学动态变化的监测研究对于解决岩溶石山区居民的饮水、水土保持及石漠化治理具有重要意义。     

Variations in Apparent Oxygen Utilization and Effects of P Addition on Bacterial Respiration in Subtropical Hong Kong Waters

Seven cruises during June 2005–November 2006 were conducted to study the variations in apparent oxygen utilization in Hong Kong coastal waters, and PO₄ addition experiments were conducted in the summer to study bacterial responses to PO₄ additions. Apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) was significantly correlated with PO₄ concentrations. AOU was more responsive to PO₄ when DIN/PO₄ ratio was 50:1 in the summer wet season, and PO₄ was more responsive to AOU in the dry season when N/P ratio was close to or less than 16:1, which suggested less regenerated PO₄ during oxygen consumption in the former case than in the latter case. The PO₄ addition experiment showed that 0.1 μM PO₄ addition increased bacterial respiration (BR) by 20 ± 4%, but a 0.2-μM PO₄ addition saturated BR even when DIN/PO₄ was 80:1, suggesting that there was a limit for PO₄ stimulation of bacterial respiration. This finding of a 0.2-μM PO₄ saturation concentration for stimulating bacterial respiration is significant, and it also indicates that the release of PO₄ during regeneration might be reduced by the same concentration.     

Salt Marsh and Fringing Oyster Reef Transgression in a Shallow Temperate Estuary: Implications for Restoration,Conservation and Blue Carbon

The importance of intertidal estuarine habitats, like salt marsh and oyster reef, has been well established, as has their ubiquitous loss along our coasts with resultant forfeiture of the ecosystem services they provide. Furthering our understanding of how these habitats are evolving in the face of anthropogenic and climate driven changes will help improve management strategies. Previous work has shown that the growth and productivity of both oyster reefs and salt marshes are strongly linked to elevation in the intertidal zone (duration of aerial exposure). We build on that research by examining the growth of marsh-fringing oyster reefs at yearly to decadal time scales and examine movement of the boundary between oyster reef and salt marsh at decadal to centennial time scales. We show that the growth of marsh-fringing reefs is strongly associated to the duration of aerial exposure, with little growth occurring below mean low water and above mean sea level. Marsh-shoreline movement, in the presence or absence of fringing oyster reefs, was reconstructed using transects of sediment cores. Carbonaceous marsh sediments sampled below the modern fringing oyster reefs indicate that marsh shorelines within Back Sound, North Carolina are predominantly in a state of transgression (landward retreat), and modern oyster-reef locations were previously occupied by salt marsh within the past two centuries. Cores fronting transgressive marsh shorelines absent fringing reefs sampled thinner and less extensive carbonaceous marsh sediment than at sites with fringing reefs. This indicates that fringing reefs are preserving carbonaceous marsh sediment from total erosion as they transgress and colonize the exposed marsh shoreline making marsh sediments more resistant to erosion. The amount of marsh sediment preservation underneath the reef scales with the reef’s relief, as reefs with the greatest relief were level with the marsh platform, preserving a maximum amount of carbonaceous sediments during transgression by buffering the marsh from erosional processes. Thus, fringing oyster reefs not only have the capacity to shelter shorelines but, if located at the ideal tidal elevation, they also keep up with accelerating sea-level rise and cap carbonaceous sediments, protecting them from erosion, as reefs develop along the marsh.     

短时间尺度下岩溶泉碳汇效应研究——以重庆金佛山水房泉为例

通过对金佛山水房泉的离子含量、电导率、水位等参数进行监测,采用水化学—流量法计算出水房泉一个完整水文年的月碳汇通量。结果显示,水房泉雨季碳汇通量远大于旱季,碳汇通量最大值出现在7月,最小值出现在1月。月碳汇通量与月降雨量和月径流量之间存在很好的同步关系。水房泉HCO3-的含量受温度、降雨、流量以及表层土壤CO2等因素综合影响,且月碳汇通量的最值与HCO3-含量的最值在时间上存在很大的差异。降雨量是控制岩溶地下水碳汇通量的绝对主导因素。相比于年尺度下大流域的碳汇估算,短时间尺度下小流域的碳汇计算更加准确。另外,分析地下水流量、气候变化等因素对岩溶碳汇的影响,对于水化学—流量法的准确运用以及岩溶碳汇机制的深入研究也有十分重要的意义。     

Blooms of Dinoflagellate Mixotrophs in a Lower Chesapeake Bay Tributary: Carbon and Nitrogen Uptake over Diurnal,Seasonal, and Interannual Timescales

A multi-year study was conducted in the eutrophic Lafayette River, a sub-tributary of the lower Chesapeake Bay during which uptake of inorganic and organic nitrogen (N) and C compounds was measured during multiple seasons and years when different dinoflagellate species were dominant. Seasonal dinoflagellate blooms included a variety of mixotrophic dinoflagellates including Heterocapsa triquetra in the late winter, Prorocentrum minimum in the spring, Akashiwo sanguinea in the early summer, and Scrippsiella trochoidea and Cochlodinium polykrikoides in late summer and fall. Results showed that no single N source fueled algal growth, rather rates of N and C uptake varied on seasonal and diurnal timescales, and within blooms as they initiated and developed. Rates of photosynthetic C uptake were low yielding low assimilation numbers during much of the study period and the ability to assimilate dissolved organic carbon augmented photosynthetic C uptake during bloom and non-bloom periods. The ability to use dissolved organic C during the day and night may allow mixotrophic bloom organisms a competitive advantage over co-occurring phytoplankton that are restricted to photoautotrophic growth, obtaining N and C during the day and in well-lit surface waters.     

Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change: an Analysis of Inundation,Marsh Elevation,and Plant Communities in a Tidal Freshwater Marsh

Tidal freshwater marshes around the world face an uncertain future with increasing water levels, salinity intrusion, and temperature and precipitation shifts associated with climate change. Due to the characteristic abundance of both annual and perennial species in these habitats, even small increases in early growing season water levels may reduce seed germination, seedling establishment, and late-season plant cover, decreasing overall species abundance and productivity. This study looks at the distribution of tidal freshwater marsh plant species at Jug Bay, Patuxent River (Chesapeake Bay, USA), with respect to intertidal elevation, and the relationship between inundation early in the growing season and peak plant cover to better understand the potential impacts and marsh responses to increased inundation. Results show that 62% of marsh plant species are distributed at elevations around mean high water and are characterized by narrow elevation ranges in contrast with species growing at lower elevations. In addition, the frequency and duration of inundation and water depth to which the marsh was exposed to, prior to the growing season (March 15–May 15), negatively affected peak plant cover (measured in end-June to mid-July) after a threshold value was reached. For example, 36 and 55% decreases in peak plant cover were observed after duration of inundation threshold values of 25 and 36% was reached for annual and perennial species, respectively. Overall, this study suggests that plant communities of tidal freshwater marshes are sensitive to even small systematic changes in inundation, which may affect species abundance and richness as well as overall wetland resiliency to climate change.