Microbial nitrogen removal in a developing suburban estuary along the South Carolina coast

The conversion of undisturbed coastal regions to commercial and suburban developments may pose a threat to surface and groundwater quality by introducing nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃ ^?-N) from runoff of land-applied wastewater and fertilizers. Microbial denitrification is an important NO₃ ^?-N removal mechanism in coastal sediments. The objective of this study was to compare denitrification and nitrate conversion rates in coastal sediments from a golf course, suburban site, undeveloped marsh, and nonmarsh area near rapidly developing Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Nitrous oxide was measured using gas chromatography and nitrate and ammonium concentrations were measured using a flow injection autoanalyzer in microcosms spiked, with 50 μg NO₃ ^?-N gdw^?1. The two marsh sites had the greatest ammonium production, which was correlated with fine sediment particle size and higher background sediment nitrate and surface water sulfate concentrations. The golf course swale had greatest denitrification rates, which were correlated with higher total carbon and organic nitrogen in sediments. Nitrate was consumed in golf course sediments to a greater extent than in the undeveloped marsh and upland freshwater sites, suggesting that the undeveloped sites and receiving estuaries may be more susceptible to nitrate contamination than the golf course swale and marsh under nonstorm conditions. Construction of swales and vegetated buffers using sediments with high organic carbon content as best management practices may aid in removing nitrate and other contaminants from runoff prior to its transport to the receiving marsh and estuary.     

Sediment Nitrogen Fixation: a Call for Re-evaluating Coastal N Budgets

Coastal ocean primary productivity is often limited by nitrogen (N) availability, which is determined by the balance between N sources (e.g., N-fixation, groundwater, river inputs, etc.) and sinks (e.g., denitrification, sediment burial, etc.). Historically, heterotrophic N-fixation in sediments was excluded as a significant source of N in estuarine budgets, based on low, indirectly measured rates (e.g., acetylene reduction assay) and because it was unnecessary to achieve mass balance. Many recent studies using net N₂ flux measurements have shown that sediment N-fixation can equal or exceed N₂ loss. In an effort to quantify N₂ production and consumption simultaneously, we measured N-fixation and denitrification directly in sediment cores from a temperate estuary (Waquoit Bay, MA). N-fixation, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, and denitrification occurred simultaneously, and the net N₂ flux shifted from uptake (N-fixation) to efflux (denitrification) over the 120-h incubation. Evidence for N-fixation included net ²⁸N₂ and ³⁰N₂ uptake, ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ production from ³⁰N₂ additions, ¹⁵N_{organic matter} production, and nifH expression. N-fixation from ³⁰N₂ was up to eight times higher than potential denitrification. However, N-fixation calculated from ¹⁵NO₃ ^? was one half of the measured fixation from ³⁰N₂, indicating that ¹⁵NO₃-isotope labeling calculations may underestimate N-fixation. These results highlight the dynamic nature of sediment N cycling and suggest that quantifying individual processes allows a greater understanding of what net N₂ fluxes signify and how that balance varies over time.     

Nitrogen losses through sediment denitrification in Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay

Sediment denitrification is a microbial process that converts dissolved inorganic nitrogen in sediment porewaters to N₂ gas, which is subsequently lost to the atmosphere. In coastal waters, it represents a potentially important loss pathway for fixed nitrogen which might otherwise be available to primary producers. Currently, data are lacking to adequately assess the role of denitrification in reducing or remediating the effects of large anthropogenic nitrogen loads to the coastal zone. This study describes the results of 88 individual measurements of denitrification (as a direct flux of N₂ gas) in sediment cores taken over a 3-yr period (1991–1994) from six stations in Boston Harbor, nine stations in Massachusetts Bay, and two stations in Cape Cod Bay. The dataset is unique in its extensive spatial and temporal coverage and includes the first direct measurements of denitrification for North Atlantic shelf sediments. Results showed that rates of denitrification were significantly higher in Boston Harbor (mean=54, range<5–206 μmol N₂ m^?2 h^?1) than in Massachusetts Bay (mean=23, range<5–64 μmol N₂ m^?2 h^?1). Highest rates occurred in areas with organic-rich sediments in the harbor, with slower rates observed for low-organic sandy sediments in the harbor and at shallow shelf stations in the bay. Lowest rates were found at the deepest shelf stations, located in Stellwagen Basin in Massachusetts Bay. Observed rates were correlated with temperature, sediment carbon content, and benthic macrofaunal activity. Seasonally, highest denitrification rates occurred in the summer in Boston Harbor and in the spring and fall in Massachusetts Bay, coincident with peak phytoplankton blooms in the overlying water column. Despite the fact that sediment denitrification rates were high relative to rates reported for other East Coast estuaries, denitrification losses accounted for only 8% of the annual total nitrogen load to Boston Harbor, a consequence perhaps, of the short water-residence times (2–10 d) of the harbor.     

Eutrophication and carbon sources in Chesapeake Bay over the last 2700 yr: human impacts in context

To compare natural variability and trends in a developed estuary with human-influenced patterns, stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) were measured in sediments from five piston cores collected in Chesapeake Bay. Mixing of terrestrial and algal carbon sources primarily controls patterns of δ¹³C_org profiles, so this proxy shows changes in estuary productivity and in delivery of terrestrial carbon to the bay. Analyses of δ¹⁵N show periods when oxygen depletion allowed intense denitrification and nutrient recycling to develop in the seasonally stratified water column, in addition to recycling taking place in surficial sediments. These conditions produced ¹⁵N-enriched (heavy) nitrogen in algal biomass, and ultimately in sediment. A pronounced increasing trend in δ¹⁵N of +4‰ started in about A.D. 1750 to 1800 at all core sites, indicating greater eutrophication in the bay and summer oxygen depletion since that time. The timing of the change correlates with the advent of widespread land clearing and tillage in the watershed, and associated increases in erosion and sedimentation. Isotope data show that the region has experienced up to 13 wet-dry cycles in the last 2700 yr. Relative sea-level rise and basin infilling have produced a net freshening trend overprinted with cyclic climatic variability. Isotope data also constrain the relative position of the spring productivity maximum in Chesapeake Bay and distinguish local anomalies from sustained changes impacting large regions of the bay. This approach to reconstructing environmental history should be generally applicable to studies of other estuaries and coastal embayments impacted by watershed development.     

Denitrification capacity in a subterranean estuary below a Rhode Island fringing salt marsh

Coastal waters are severely threatened by nitrogen (N) loading from direct groundwater discharge. The subterranean estuary, the mixing zone of fresh groundwater and sea water in a coastal aquifer, has a high potential to remove substantial N. A network of piezometers was used to characterize the denitrification capacity and groundwater flow paths in the subterranean estuary below a Rhode Island fringing salt marsh.¹⁵N-enriched nitrate was injected into the subterranean estuary (in situ push-pull method) to evaluate the denitrification capacity of the saturated zone at multiple depths (125–300 cm) below different zones (upland-marsh transition zone, high marsh, and low marsh). From the upland to low marsh, the water table became shallower, groundwater dissolved oxygen decreased, and groundwater pH, soil organic carbon, and total root biomass increased. As groundwater approached the high and low marsh, the hydraulic gradient increased and deep groundwater upwelled. In the warm season (groundwater temperature >12 °C), elevated groundwater denitrification capacity within each zone was observed. The warm season low marsh groundwater denitrification capacity was significantly higher than all other zones and depths. In the cool season (groundwater temperature <10.5 °C), elevated groundwater denitrification capacity was only found in the low marsh. Additions of dissolved organic carbon did not alter groundwater denitrification capacity suggesting that an alternative electron donor, possibly transported by tidal inundation from the root zone, may be limiting. Combining flow paths with denitrification capacity and saturated porewater residence time, we estimated that as much as 29–60 mg N could be removed from 11 of water flowing through the subterranean estuary below the low marsh, arguing for the significance of subterranean estuaries in annual watershed scale N budgets.     

Nutrient Fluxes from Sediments in the San Francisco Bay Delta

In September 2011 and March 2012, benthic nutrient fluxes were measured in the San Francisco Bay Delta, across a gradient from above the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to Suisun Bay. Dark and illuminated core incubation techniques were used to measure rates of denitrification, nutrient fluxes (phosphate, ammonium, nitrate), and oxygen fluxes. While benthic nutrient fluxes have been assessed at several sites in northern San Francisco Bay, such data across a Delta–Bay transect have not previously been determined. Average September rates of DIN (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium) flux were net positive across all sites, while March DIN flux indicated net uptake of DIN at some sites. Denitrification rates based on the N₂/Ar ratio approach were between 0.6 and 1.0 mmol m^?2 day^?1, similar to other mesotrophic estuarine sediments. Coupled nitrification–denitrification was the dominant denitrification pathway in September, with higher overlying water nitrate concentrations in March resulting in denitrification driven by nitrate flux into the sediments. Estimated benthic microalgal productivity was variable and surprisingly high in Delta sediments and may represent a major source of labile carbon to this ecosystem. Variable N/P stoichiometry was observed in these sediments, with deviations from Redfield driven by processes such as denitrification, variable light/dark uptake of nutrients by microalgae, and adsorption of soluble reactive phosphorus.     

Differential Effects of Bivalves on Sediment Nitrogen Cycling in a Shallow Coastal Bay

In coastal ecosystems, suspension-feeding bivalves can remove nitrogen though uptake and assimilation or enhanced denitrification. Bivalves may also retain nitrogen through increased mineralization and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). This study investigated the effects of oyster reefs and clam aquaculture on denitrification, DNRA, and nutrient fluxes (NO _x , NH₄ ⁺, O₂). Core incubations were conducted seasonally on sediments adjacent to restored oyster reefs (Crassostrea virginica), clam aquaculture beds (Mercenaria mercenaria) which contained live clams, and bare sediments from Smith Island Bay, Virginia, USA. Denitrification was significantly higher at oyster reef sediments and clam aquaculture site than bare sediment in the summer; however, DNRA was not enhanced. The clam aquaculture site had the highest ammonium production due to clam excretion. While oyster reef and bare sediments exhibited seasonal differences in rate processes, there was no effect of season on denitrification, or dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) or ammonium flux at the clam aquaculture site. This suggests that farm management practices or bivalve metabolism and excretion may override seasonal differences. When water column nitrate concentration was elevated, denitrification increased in clam aquaculture site and oyster reef sediments but not in bare sediment; DNRA was only stimulated at the clam aquaculture site. This, along with a significant and positive relationship between denitrification and sediment organic matter, suggests that labile carbon limited nitrate reduction at the bare sediment site. Bivalve systems can serve as either net sinks or sources of nitrogen to coastal ecosystems, depending mainly on the type of bivalve, location, and management practices.     

The influence of tidal action on porewater nitrate concentration and dynamics in intertidal sediments of the Sado estuary

The change in porewater nitrate (NO₂ ^? + NO₃ ^?) concentrations during exposure of intertidal sediment was studied at a fixed location in the Sado estuary, southwest Portugal, in November 1994. In order to follow nitrate concentration and dynamics from pre-ebb to post flood, during the day, high vertical resolution profiles (0.2 cm) were studied. As a complement, in February 1995, potential nitrification rates in the sediment were measured by laboratory incubations, with high vertical resolution (0.2 cm) up to 3 cm depth. Oxygen penetration was measured with polarographic mini-electrodes. The sediment’s texture as well as the organic matter composition in carbon and nitrogen were studied in deeper (30 cm) cores. In February 1993,²¹⁰Pb activity depth profiles were measured in a core sampled at the beginning of exposure, in order to evaluate the possibility of nonlocal particle exchange. C:N ratios and²¹⁰Pb activity profiles show evidence of nonlocal exchange of solid phase particles between the surface and deeper sediment, most likely due to macrofaunal activity. As a consequence, fresh organic matter is brought from the surface to 7–9 cm depth, causing enhancement of nutrient concentrations. Results of this study suggest nitrate dynamics in intertidal sediments of the Sado estuary are strongly influenced by tidal action. Periodic submersion and exposure allow for the diversification of pathways of oxygen supply to the sediment. Tidal stress at the sediment-water interface during the arrival (flooding) and departure (exposure) of the tidal front at the site has an important bearing on the effective depth of the nitrification zone. A denitrification rate of 2.16 μmol N dm^?5 h^?1 was measured directly from the nitrate inventory in the 1.5–6 cm depth layer. The schematic model of N cycling in these sediments suggests that 20% of the N pool is denitrified during exposure, and that this process is limited by O₂ availability for nitrification.     

Denitrification rates measured along a salinity gradient in the eutrophic Neuse River estuary, North Carolina, USA

Denitrification rates along a salinity gradient in the eutrophic Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, were quantified using membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) within short-term batch incubations. Denitrification rates within the system were highly variable, ranging from 0 to 275 μmol N m⁻² h⁻¹. Intrasite variability increased with salinity, but no significant differences were observed across the salinity gradient. Denitrification rates were positively correlated with sediment oxygen demand at the upstream sampling site where sediment organic carbon levels were lowest. This relationship was not observed in the more saline sampling sites. Denitrification rates were highest during winter. On an annual basis, denitrification accounted for 26% of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen and 12% of the total nitrogen supplied to the system.     

Denitrification and N2O production in near-shore marine sediments

Methods were developed for determining rates of denitrification in coastal marine sediments by measuring the production of N₂ from undisturbed cores incubated in gas-tight chambers. Denitrification rates at summer temperatures (23°C) in sediment cores from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, were about 50μmol N₂m^?2 hr^?1. This nitrogen flux is equal to approximately one-half of the NH⁺₄flux from the sediments at this temperature and is of the magnitude necessary to account for the anomalously low N/P and anomalously high O/N ratios often reported for benthic nutrient fluxes. The loss of fixed nitrogen as N₂ during the benthic remineralization of organic matter, coupled with the importance of benthic remineralization processes in shallow coastal waters may help to explain why the availability of fixed nitrogen is a major factor limiting primary production in these areas. Narragansett Bay sediments are also a source of N₂O, but the amount of nitrogen involved was only about 0.2 μmol m^?2 hr^?1 at 23°C.     

Oyster (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea virginica</Emphasis>) Aquaculture Shifts Sediment Nitrogen Processes toward Mineralization over Denitrification

Filter-feeding bivalves, like oysters, couple pelagic primary production with benthic microbial processes by consuming plankton from the water column and depositing unassimilated material on sediment. Conceptual models suggest that at low to moderate oyster densities, this deposition can stimulate benthic denitrification by providing denitrifying bacteria with organic carbon and nitrogen (N). While enhanced denitrification has been found at oyster reefs, data from oyster aquaculture are limited and equivocal. This study measured seasonal rates of denitrification, as well as dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and dissolved inorganic N fluxes at a rack and bag eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) aquaculture farm. Consistent with models, denitrification was enhanced within the farm, with an average annual increase of 350% compared to a reference site. However, absolute denitrification rates were low relative to other coastal systems, reaching a maximum of 19.2 μmol m^?2 h^?1. Denitrification appeared to be nitrate (NO₃ ^?) limited, likely due to inhibited nitrification caused by sediment anoxia. Denitrification may also have been limited by competition for NO₃ ^? with DNRA, which accounted for an average of 76% of NO₃ ^? reduction. Consequently, direct release of ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) from mineralization to the water column was the most significant benthic N pathway, with seasonal rates exceeding 900 μmol m^?2 h^?1 within the farm. The enhanced N processes were spatially limited however, with significantly higher rates directly under oysters, compared to in between oyster racks. For commercial aquaculture farms like this, with moderate oyster densities (100–200 oysters m^?2), denitrification may be enhanced, but nonetheless limited by biodeposition-induced sediment anoxia. The resulting shift in the sediment N balance toward processes that regenerate reactive N to the water column rather than remove N is an important consideration for water quality.     

Nutrient inputs to the Choptank River estuary: Implications for watershed management

Degraded water quality due to water column availability of nitrogen and phosphorus to algal species has been identified as the primary cause of the decline of submersed aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay and its subestuaries. Determining the relative impacts of various nutrient delivery pathways on estuarine water quality is critical for developing effective strategies for reducing anthropogenic nutrient inputs to estuarine waters. This study investigated temporal and spatial patterns of nutrient inputs along an 80-km transect in the Choptank River, a coastal plain tributary and subestuary of Chesapeake Bay, from 1986 through 1991. The study period encompassed a wide range in freshwater discharge conditions that resulted in major changes in estuarine water quality. Watershed nitrogen loads to the Choptank River estuary are dominated by diffuse-source inputs, and are highly correlated to freshwater discharge volume. in years of below-average freshwater discharge, reduced nitrogen availability results in improved water quality throughout most of the Choptank River. Diffuse-source inputs are highly enriched in nitrogen relative to phosphorus, but point-source inputs of phosphorus from sewage treatment plants in the upper estuary reduce this imbalance, particularly during summer periods of low freshwater discharge. Diffuse-source nitrogen inputs result primarily from the discharge of groundwater contaminated by nitrate. Contamination is attributable to agricultural practices in the drainage basin where agricultural land use predominates. Groundwater discharge provides base flow to perennial streams in the upper regions of the watershed and seeps directly into tidal waters. Diffuse-source phosphorus inputs are highly episodic, occurring primarily via overland flow during storm events. Major reductions in diffuse-source nitrogen inputs under current landuse conditions will require modification of agricultural practices in the drainage basin to reduce entry rates of nitrate into shallow groundwater. Rates of subsurface nitrate delivery to tidal waters are generally lower from poorly-drained versus well-drained regions of the watershed, suggesting greater potential reductions of diffuse-source nitrogen loads per unit effort in the well-drained region of the watershed. Reductions in diffuse-source phosphorus loads will require long-term management of phosphorus levels in upper soil horizons. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY074 00021     

Denitrification and the stoichiometry of nutrient regeneration in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts

To determine the removal of regenerated nitrogen by estuarine sediments, we compared sediment N₂ fluxes to the stoichiometry of nutrient and O₂ fluxes in cores collected in the Childs River, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The difference between the annual PO₄ ³⁻ (0.2 mol P m⁻² yr⁻¹) and NH₄ ⁺ (1.6 mol N m⁻² yr⁻¹) flux and the Redfield N∶P ratio of 16 suggested an annual deficit of 1.5 mol N m⁻² yr⁻¹. Denitrification predicted from O₂∶NH₄ ⁺ flux ratios and measured as N₂ flux suggested a nitrogen sink of roughly the same magnitude (1.4 mol N m⁻² yr⁻¹). Denitrification accounted for low N∶P ratios of benthic flux and removed 32–37% of nitrogen inputs entering the relatively highly nutrient loaded Childs River, despite a relatively brief residence time for freshwater in this system. Uptake of bottom water nitrate could only supply a fraction of the observed N₂ flux. Removal of regenerated nitrogen by denitrification in this system appears to vary seasonally. Denitrification efficiency was inversely correlated with oxygen and ammonium flux and was lowest in summer. We investigated the effect of organic matter on denitrification by simulating phytoplankton deposition to cores incubated in the lab and by deploying chambers on bare and macroaglae covered sediments in the field. Organic matter addition to sediments increased N₂ flux and did not alter denitrification efficiency. Increased N₂ flux co-varied with O₂ and NH₄ ⁺ fluxes. N₂ flux (261±60 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹) was lower in chambers deployed on macroalgal beds than deployed on bare sediments (458±70 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹), and O₂ uptake rate was higher in chambers deployed on macroalgal beds (14.6±2.2 mmol m⁻² h⁻¹) than on bare sediments (9.6±1.5 mmol m⁻² h⁻¹). Macroalgal cover, which can retain nitrogen in the system, is a link between nutrient loading and denitrification. Decreased denitrification due to increasing macroalgal cover could create a positive feedback because decreasing denitrification would increase nitrogen availability and could increase macroalgae cover.     

Determination of denitrification in the Chesapeake Bay from measurements of N2 accumulation in bottom water

This study demonstrates the feasibility of using direct N₂ measurements in an estuary for determination of denitrification. High precision measurements of dinitrogen: argon ratios (N₂∶Ar) were made by membrane inlet mass spectrometry on water samples taken along the length of the Chesapeake Bay in July and October 2004. The N₂∶Ar ratio in low salinity surface water was elevated relative to air saturation by 0.3–0.5% with no systematic change along the length of the Bay. N₂∶Ar in high salinity bottom water exhibited a linear increase in the landward direction along a 144-km longitudinal section. In this section of the Bay covering 20% of the main stem, the bottom water salinity was statistically uniform and the increase in N₂∶Ar was in the direction of net residual current flow. The system was analyzed as a capped river with the assumption that N₂ entered the water from the underlying sediment where denitrification is known to take place. The rate of denitrification needed to support the measured increase in N₂ was calculated using an average residual current velocity and water column depth. The increase in N₂ with distance (0.046μmol N l⁻¹ km⁻¹) equated to an average denitrification flux of 73 μmol N m⁻² h⁻¹. N₂ fluxes determined on sediment cores taken from the source and terminus regions of the delineated water mass were 45±23 and 83±39 μmol N m⁻² hr⁻¹, respectively, which were not statistically different from the whole system estimate. The measured change in oxygen concentration within the bottom water was used to estimate nitrogen remineralization and the efficiency of denitrification. Denitrification efficiency (nitrogen denitrified/nitrogen remineralized) was estimated to be in the range of 22–28% for the bottom water sediment system and 30–37% considering the sediment zone alone.     

Sediment Denitrification in Two Contrasting Tropical Shallow Lagoons

Sediment denitrification was monthly evaluated in two tropical coastal lagoons with different trophic states using the ¹⁵N isotope pairing technique. Denitrification rates were very low in both environments, always <5.0 μmol N₂ m^?2 h^?1 and were not significantly different between them. Oxygen consumption varied from 426 to 4248 μmol O₂ m^?2 h^?1 and was generally three times higher in the meso-eutrophic than the oligotrophic lagoon. The low denitrification activity was ascribed to both low water NO₃ ^? concentrations (<2.0 μM) and little nitrate supply from nitrification. There was no correlation of denitrification with nitrate or ammonium fluxes. Sediments in temperate environments with similar oxygen consumption rates usually presented a higher proportion of nitrification–denitrification rates. Sediment oxygen consumption was a good predictor of sediment denitrification in both studied lagoons.     

Iron, sulfur, and carbon diagenesis in sediments of Tomales Bay, California

Analysis of 3-m sediment cores revealed that profiles of carbon (C), sulfur (S), and iron (Fe) varied with relative distance from marine and terrestrial sediment sources in Tomales Bay California. Despite relatively high sedimentation rates throughout the bay (historically 3–30 mm yr⁻¹), sulfate reduction of deposited organic matter led to free-sulfide accumulation in sediments only at the location farthest from terrestrial runoff, the source of reactive iron. Acid-volatile sulfide concentrations in all sediments (<10 μmol g⁻¹) were low relative to concentrations of chromiumreducible sulfide (up to 400 μmol g⁻¹ farthest from the reactive iron source). A calculated index of iron availability, used to describe sediment resistance to build-up of free sulfide, was lowest at this location. Recent, upward shifts in reactive Fe concentration and in the relative contribution of terrestrial orgnic carbon (measured as a shift in δ¹³C of bulk sediment organic matter) in all cores indicated that erosion and transport of sediments from the watershed surrounding Tomales Bay increased after European settlement in the 1850s.     

Denitrification pathways and rates in the sandy sediments of the Georgia continental shelf,USA

Denitrification in continental shelf sediments has been estimated to be a significant sink of oceanic fixed nitrogen (N). The significance and mechanisms of denitrification in organic-poor sands, which comprise 70% of continental shelf sediments, are not well known. Core incubations and isotope tracer techniques were employed to determine processes and rates of denitrification in the coarse-grained, sandy sediments of the Georgia continental shelf. In these sediments, heterotrophic denitrification was the dominant process for fixed N removal. Processes such as coupled nitrification-denitrification, anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation), and oxygen-limited autotrophic nitrification-denitrification were not evident over the 24 and 48 h time scale of the incubation experiments. Heterotrophic denitrification processes produce 22.8–34.1 μmole N m^-2 d^-1 of N₂ in these coarse-grained sediments. These denitrification rates are approximately two orders of magnitude lower than rates determined in fine-grained shelf sediments. These lower rates may help reconcile unbalanced marine N budgets which calculate global N losses exceeding N inputs.     

A potential nitrogen sink discovered in the oxygenated Chukchi Shelf waters of the Arctic

The western Arctic Shelf has long been considered as an important sink of nitrogen because high primary productivity of the shelf water fuels active denitrification within the sediments, which has been recognized to account for all the nitrogen (N) removal of the Pacific water inflow. However, potentially high denitrifying activity was discovered within the oxygenated Chukchi Shelf water during our summer expedition. Based on ¹⁵N-isotope pairing incubations, we estimated denitrification rates ranging from 1.8 ± 0.4 to 75.9 ± 8.7 nmol N₂ L^?1 h^?1. We find that the spatial pattern of denitrifying activity follows well with primary productivity, which supplies plentiful fresh organic matter, and there was a strong correlation between integrated denitrification and integrated primary productivity. Considering the active hydrodynamics over the Chukchi Shelf during summer, resuspension of benthic sediment coupled with particle-associated bacteria induces an active denitrification process in the oxic water column. We further extrapolate to the whole Chukchi Shelf and estimate an N removal flux from this cold Arctic shelf water to be 12.2 Tg-N year^?1, which compensates for the difference between sediment cores incubation (~ 3 Tg-N year^?1) and geochemical estimation based on N deficit relative to phosphorous (~ 16 Tg-N year^?1). We infer that dynamic sediment resuspension combined with high biological productivity stimulates intensive denitrification in the water column, potentially creating a nitrogen sink over the shallow Arctic shelves that have previously been unrecognized.     

Nitrogen dynamics in nontidal littoral sediments: Role of microphytobenthos and denitrification

Previous measurements from cool microtidal temperate areas suggest that microphytobenthic incorporation of nitrogen (N) exceeds N removal by denitrification in illuminated shallow-water sediments. The present study investigates if this is true also for fully nontidal sediments in the Baltic Sea., Sediment-water fluxes of inorganic (DIN) and, organic nitrogen (DON) and oxygen, as well as denitrification, were measured in early autumn and spring, in light and dark, at four sites representing different sediment types. All sediments were autotrophic during the daytime both in the autumn and spring. On a 24-h time scale, they were autotrophic in the spring and heterotrophic in early autumn. Sediments funcitoned as sources of DIN and DON during the autumn and sinks during the spring, with DON fluxes dominating or being as important as DIN fluxes. Microphytobenthos (MPB) activity controlled fluxes of both DIN and DON. Significant differences between sites were found, although sediment type (sand or silt) had no consistent effect on the magnitude of MPB production or nutrient fluxes. The clearest effect related to sediment type was found for denitrification, although only in the autumn, with higher rates in silty sediments. Estimated N assimilation by MPB, based on both net primary production (0.7–6.5 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹) and on 80% of gross primary production (1.9–9.4 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹) far exceeded measured rates of denitrification (0.01–0.16 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹). A theoretical calculation showed that MPB may incorporate between 40% and 100% of the remineralized N, while denitrification removes, <5%. MPB assimilation of N appears to be a far more important N consuming process than denitrification in these nontidal, shallow-water sediments.     

Sources and history of heavy metal contamination and sediment deposition in Tivoli South Bay, Hudson River, New York

Persistent inorganic constitutents preserved in sediments of aquatic ecosystems record temporal variability of biogeochemical functioning and anthropogenic impacts.²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs dating techniques were used to study the past variations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Zn) and accumulation rates of sediments for Tivoli South Bay, in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve ecosystem. South Bay, a tidal freshwater embayment of the Hudson, may play an important role in the sediment dynamics of this important river. The measured sedimentation rate range of 0.59 to 2.92 cm yr⁻¹ suggests that rapid accumulation occurred during the time period represented by the length of the cores (approximately the past 50 yr). Direct measurements of sediment exchange with the Hudson River reveal high variability in the sediment flux from one tidal cycle to the next. Net exchange does not seem to be adequate to explain sediment accumulation rates in the bay as measured by²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs. The difference may be supplied from upland streams or the Hudson River during storm events. Concentrations of the metals Pb, Cu and Zn were found to be well correlated with each other within individual cores at five of six sites tested. This suggests a common proximate source for the three metals at a specific site. The evidence is consistent with mixing in some environmental compartment before delivery to the bay. While metals self-correlate within individual cores, absolute concentrations, depth distribution patterns, and ratios of the metals to each other vary among the cores collected at different locations within the bay. Organic matter, Fe content, and particle size distribution of sediments do not account for the intercore variations in metal concentration. It is likely that cores collected from different sites may have derived metals from different sources, such as watershed streams and tidal exchange with the Hudson River.