Box model analysis on phytoplankton production and grazing pressure in a eutrophic estuary

To determine the quantitative relationship between phytoplankton production and zooplankton grazing pressure in Atsumi Bay, a eutrophic and partially-mixed estuary, a series of investigations, including measurements of hydrographic conditions, dissolved oxygen, dissolved total nitrogen, particulate organic nitrogen, and phyto- and zooplankton biomass were conducted 13 times at intervals of 2–7 days in June and July 1984. Continuous measurements of water flow and salinity were also carried out to examine transverse flow and horizontal diffusivity. The supply of freshwater and nitrogen was estimated from given data. The changes of hydrographic condition, net photosynthetic rate and community primary production were calculated by a two-layered box model analysis. The grazing rate on phytoplankton obtained as the difference between net photosynthetic rate and community primary production was compared to the one estimated from zooplankton biomass and sardine,Sardinops melanosticta, biomass. The agreement between the data was remarkable in the upper layer, showing the grazing pressure on phytoplankton followed phytoplankton production, suggesting that a large part of produced phytoplankton was immediately grazed by zooplankton. Consequently, the community primary production was depressed to a fairly lower level. An important role of nutrient supply and water circulation, to limit phytoplankton production, was also confirmed. Dynamic response observed between the calculated grazing pressure and the biomass of phytoplankton and protozoa was also analyzed.     

Morphology, hydrography and sediment dynamics in a mangrove estuary: The Konkoure Estuary, Guinea

The Konkouré Estuary in the Republic of Guinea is a poorly understood atypical mangrove system. Sediment dynamics in tropical estuaries are controlled by a combination of processes including river discharge, morphology, salinity, erosion and deposition processes, the settling of mud, physico-chemical processes and mangrove swamps. Here we present a consistent set of data aimed at characterising the estuary and thus, increasing our understanding of tropical systems, as well as studying the impact of human intervention in the region. Water elevations, current measurements, salinity, suspended sediment concentrations, bathymetry and sediment cover are presented following a 3 year survey of the Konkouré Estuary. Here we provide conclusive evidence that the Lower Konkouré is a shallow, funnel shaped, mesotidal, mangrove-fringed, tide dominated estuary, well mixed during low river discharge. The estuary becomes stratified during high river flows and spring tides whereas a salt wedge appears during neap tides. The Konkouré Estuary has been described as hypersynchronous, and has three terminal outlets, two of which are landward-directed, attesting to a tidal pumping effect, while the third one is seaward-directed, and is controlled by the mangrove. The suspended matter is transported by the tidal effect within the middle estuary and is therefore trapped in the Turbidity Maximum zone (TMZ). The location of the TMZ is river-controlled and is correlated with residual currents but not with salinity front. A dam, constructed 130 km upstream, impacts on the hydrodynamics, and reduces the salinity intrusion by about 25%. It causes an increased low river discharge whereas its efficiency over high river flows is unclear.     

Tidal exchange of nitrogen and phosphorus between a mesohaline vegetated marsh and the surrounding estuary in the lower Chesapeake Bay

A 22-month study was conducted to determine the exchange of nitrogen and phosphorus between a mesohaline vegetated marsh in the Carter's Creek area of Virginia and the surrounding estuary, focusing on the role of the vegetated marsh surface in the processing of these constituents. On an annual basis there was a removal of $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, $\text{PO}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{3?}}$, $\text{NO}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{?}}$, dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved organic phosphorus, particulate nitrogen and particulate phosphorus from the tidal water as it resided on the vegetated marsh. Only nitrite was transported from the marsh to the estuary. Most of the nitrogen and phosphorus species showed distinct seasonal trends with respect to the direction of transport except nitrate and orthophosphate. The ammonium flux data indicates that this nutrient was removed from the inundating water during late spring and fall, with a slight release of this constituent into the tidal water during the late summer. The transport of nitrite was from the estuary to the marsh for most of the year except during the fall. The large release of this nutrient into the tidal water at this time is associated with the senescence of the marsh vegetation. There was a large removal of DON from the tidal water during the fall, while the flux of DOP was from the estuary to the marsh for most of the year except during the summer. The largest removal of particulate nitrogen and phosphorus from the tidal water occurred during the summer months when the turbidity of the tidal water was highest, especially when wave scouring of the mudflats brings material into the water column. A loss of particulate nitrogen from the marsh to the estuary was evident during the fall and winter.     

Dissolved oxygen dynamics in a eutrophic estuary,Upper Newport Bay,California

Eutrophication often causes hypoxia in estuarine and coastal systems, but the mechanisms that control hypoxic events vary among estuaries and are often difficult to discern. We monitored surface and bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) in the Upper Newport Bay (UNB), a tidally mixed estuary in southern California subject to anthropogenic nutrient loading, eutrophication and hypoxia. Our goal was to identify the environmental factors regulating DO dynamics. Six hypoxic events occurred between June and November and were associated with a combination of low solar radiation, increased freshwater discharge following precipitation, and enhanced haline stratification during reduced tidal range periods. At the head of the estuary, high macroalgal biomass and pronounced haline stratification resulted in high DO in the surface layer and low DO in the bottom layer. Oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor waters were transported down-estuary by ebb tides, resulting in DO heterogeneity throughout the UNB. Cross-wavelet analysis illustrated the down-estuary propagation of high/low DO signal correlated with the phases of diurnal photosynthetic and semi-diurnal tidal cycles.     

Influence of allochthonous organic matter on bacterioplankton biomass and activity in a eutrophic,sub-tropical estuary

Heterotrophic bacterial and phytoplankton biomass, production, specific growth rates, and growth efficiencies were studied in the Northern region of the Cananéia–Iguape estuarine system, which has recently experienced an intense eutrophication due to anthropogenic causes. Two surveys were carried out during spring and neap tide periods of the dry season of 2005 and the rainy season of 2006. This region receives large freshwater inputs with organic seston and phosphate concentrations that reach as high as 1.0 mg l⁻¹ and 20.0 μM, respectively. Strong decreasing gradients of seston and dissolved inorganic nutrients were observed from the river/estuary boundary to the estuary/coastal interface. Gradients were also observed in phytoplankton and bacterial production rates. The production rates of phytoplankton were 5.6-fold higher (mean 8.5 μg C l⁻¹ h⁻¹) during the dry season. Primary production rates (PP) positively correlated with salinity and euphotic depth, indicating that phytoplankton productivity was light-limited. On the other hand, bacterial biomass (BB) and production rates (BP) were 1.9- and 3.7-fold higher, respectively, during the rainy season, with mean values of up to 40.4 μg C l⁻¹ and 7.9 μg C l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. Despite such a high BP, bacterial abundance remained <2 × 10⁶ cells ml⁻¹, indicating that bacterial production and removal were coupled. Mean specific growth rates ranged between 0.9 and 5.5 d⁻¹. BP was inversely correlated with salinity and positively correlated with temperature, organic matter, exopolymer particles, and particulate-attached bacteria; this last accounted for as much as 89.6% of the total abundance. During the rainy season, BP was generally much higher than PP, and values of BP/PP > 20 were registered during high freshwater input, suggesting that under these conditions, bacterial activity was predominantly supported by allochthonous inputs of organic carbon. In addition, BB probably represented the main pathway for the synthesis of high-quality (low C:N) biomass that may have been available to the heterotrophic components of the plankton food web, particularly nanoheterotrophs.     

Population dynamics of Cyathura carinata (Isopoda) in a eutrophic temperate estuary

From January 1993 to September 1995, Cyathura carinata was a target species of a monitoring programme carried in the Mondego Estuary (Portugal). Being one of the key species of the intertidal mud flats, this isopod was found to be most abundant in a eutrophic area, where seasonal macroalgal blooms usually occur. Its density decreased towards downstream areas, where some Zostera noltii beds exist. At the Mondego Estuary, the present work stated that C. carinata: (a) had a 2-year life span, even though, 80–90% of the individuals died when 1 year old, revealing a strong post-reproduction mortality; (b) produced a single cohort per year; (c) showed continuous growth (with lower rates during winter); (d) evidenced protogynous hermaphroditism and (e) presented a high growth production and a low turnover ratio. A latitudinal gradient reflected in the life features of C. carinata was described. Except for the life span and the frequency of reproduction, which are generally valid for all populations, C. carinata from the Mondego Estuary fitted the characteristics of other populations from the south of Europe.The effects of macroalgal blooms were assessed. Cyathura carinata seemed to temporarily benefit from the presence of macroalgae, due to higher energy resources and more efficient protection against predators. In a long term, algal blooms had negative consequences. It was particularly evident on the recruitment success, which had repercussions in population abundance, and on the secondary production. Therefore, repeated events of algal blooms embracing the distribution areas of C. carinata represent a threat to this species in eutrophic estuaries.     

Enteromorpha and the cycling of nitrogen in a small estuary

The nitrogen relations of Enteromorpha spp. growing on intertidal mud flats have been examined over a twelve-month period. Nitrogen assimilation rates using ¹⁵N have been used to calculate the production of the alga and were between 0·046 and 0·217 mg $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{N}$ (g dry wt alga)^?1 h^?1 A considerable quantity of the alga was buried beneath the sediment over the growth season and was calculated to be equivalent to an input of up to 9·52 g N m^?2 per month and 32 g N m^?2 over one complete growth season. Based on carbon, this latter value represented an input of approximately 320 g C m^?2 annually. Low rates of nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) were found to be associated with the Enteromorpha. The organisms responsible for the nitrogenase activity were probably heterotrophic bacteria but they did not contribute significant quantities of nitrogen to the alga.     

Picophytoplankton: A major contributor to planktonic biomass and primary production in a eutrophic,river-dominated estuary

Biomass and primary productivity of picophytoplankton (PP; phytoplankton <3 μm) and larger phytoplankton (>3 μm) were determined during an annual cycle along the salinity gradient in North Carolina’s Neuse River Estuary (NRE), a eutrophic, microtidal estuary. The PP were a major component of total phytoplankton biomass and productivity, contributing ∼35–44% of the total chlorophyll a (Chl a) and 42–55% of the total primary productivity. Chl a and productivity of PP decreased from the upper to lower estuary, although the PP contribution relative to larger phytoplankton remained nearly constant. Significant PP growth occurred in the spring, but PP productivity and biomass were maximal in summer. PP productivity and biomass were positively correlated with temperature and dissolved inorganic phosphorus concentrations, which were maximal in summer due to release from sediments. Biomass and productivity of PP and >3 μm phytoplankton were also positively correlated, suggesting that growth conditions favoring the onset of blooms of larger phytoplankton species will similarly affect PP. High PP productivity and biomass in the NRE support the notion that PP play an important role in the production and eutrophication potentials of this estuary. High PP productivity and biomass have been noted in several other temperate estuaries, all sharing a common feature with the NRE—long residence time. These findings challenge the assumption that PP relative importance should be minimal in eutrophic systems.     

Study of colloidal phosphorus variation in estuary with salinity

The variation of colloidal phosphorus with salinity in estuary was studied in this paper, which was compared with those of particle and truly dissolved phosphorus with the purpose of ˉnding out the similarities and di?erences between their behaviors in the estuary. Distribution patterns of phospho- rus in particle, colloidal and truly dissolved phase at di?erent salinities and their relationships with suspended particulate matter were also studied to understand the transformation and transporta- tion of colloidal phosphorus in estuarine area. The result showed that the concentrations of total colloidal phosphorus, organic colloidal phosphorus and inorganic colloidall phosphate all descended from river-end to sea-end, illustrating their terrigenous source. Ratios of organic to total colloidal phosphorus decreased with salinity's increment, indicating that organic phosphorus was in°uenced by scavenging process of colloid more signiˉcantly as compared with inorganic phosphate. Both of the phosphorus variation tendencies and the proportion between organic and inorganic phosphorus in colloidal phase was similar with that in truly dissolved phase while di?erent from that in particle phase.     

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of three types of oyster tissue in an impacted estuary

The stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) of the muscle, ctenidia and viscera of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata, showed the dilution and assimilation of tertiary treated sewage along an estuarine gradient. The enriched ¹⁵N values of oyster ctenidia and viscera from within 50 m of the sewage outfall indicated the use of ¹⁵N-enriched tertiary treated sewage effluent (16 ± 2.3‰) as a nutrient source. The effect of sewage nitrogen on oyster δ¹⁵N was localised, with oysters 5 km upstream and downstream of the outfall not significantly enriched. Viscera δ¹⁵N was most sensitive to sewage nutrients and δ¹³C significantly defined an ocean-to-estuarine gradient. High variance in isotope ratios of viscera compromised its use as an indicator of anthropogenic nutrients, and this also reduced the utility of whole-body stable isotope ratios. Ctenidia was the most useful indicator tissue of sewage discharge at the scale of this study, being consistently and significantly enriched in δ¹⁵N close to the sewage outfall and δ¹³C clearly defined an estuarine gradient with less internal variability than viscera. Muscle δ¹⁵N was least sensitive to sewage effluent and showed the least variability, making it more suited to investigations of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment over larger spatio-temporal scales.     

Pattern of phosphorus forms in a Mediterranean shallow estuary: Effects of flooding events

Floods are responsible for the variation in the concentration of different phosphorus forms contained in the sediment of a small shallow estuary (Palmones River). The maximum differences were observed in the middle estuary, while other stations, placed in the inner and outer parts, showed a less sensitive response. The apatite forms (AIP) are the major ones. Noticeable changes in the concentration of different phosphorus forms are related with fine grain size sediment. In spite of different responses obtained along the estuary, the results reveal the possibility of using phosphorus concentration as a flood event index, discarding the use of phosphorus speciation for the same purpose.     

A nitrogen and phosphorus dynamic model of mesocosm pelagic ecosystem in the Jiaozhou Bay in China

A nitrogen and phosphorus dynamic model of mesocosm pelagic ecosystem was established according to the summary and synthesis of the models available, in which seven state variables （DIN, PO4-P, DON, DOP, phytoplankton, zooplankton and detritus） were included. Logically it had five modules--phytoplankton, zooplankton, dissolved inorganic nutrients, dissolved organic nutrients and detritus. The results showed that this model could simulate the variations of DIN, PO4-P, DON, DOP, POC and phytoplankton biomass in pelagic ecosystem in mesocosm properly, based on the site experiment data in the Jiaozhou Bay in the autumn of 1999 and the summer of 2000. Not only the logical structure but also the model parameters were feasible, and about 20 parameters were made to fit for the Jiaozhou Bay during the simulation. All of these are necessary to study the control mechanism of nutrients biogeochemical cycling in the Jiaozhou Bay and other China＇ s coastal waters.     

胶体磷在河口区随盐度变化的研究

研究了胶体磷在河口海区随盐度变化的趋势,并将其与颗粒态、真溶解态磷随盐度的变化趋势进行对比,分析胶体态磷在河口的行为与颗粒态磷和真溶解态磷二者的异同。探讨磷在颗粒相、胶体相和真溶液相之间的分配及其与悬浮颗粒物浓度的关系,研究胶体磷在河口海区中的迁移转化作用。研究结果表明,胶体相中总磷、有机磷和活性磷浓度由河端向海端降低,表明陆源输入是其主要来源。胶体有机磷占总磷比例随盐度增加而下降,表明有机磷受胶体去除过程的影响较明显,胶体磷在河口海区的浓度变化趋势及胶体中有机磷和活性磷的比例都与真溶解相接近而与颗粒相差别较大。     

胶体磷在河口IX随盐度变化的研究

研究了胶体磷在河口海区随盐度变化的趋势,并将其与颗粒态、真溶解态磷随盐度的变化趋势进行对比,分析胶体态磷在河口的行为与颗粒态磷和真溶解态磷二者的异同.探讨磷在颗粒相,胶体相和真溶液相之间的分配及其与悬浮颗粒物浓度的关系,研究胶体磷在河口海区中的迁移转化作用.研究结果表明,胶体相中总磷、有机磷和活性磷浓度由河端向海端降低,表明陆源输入是其主要来源.胶体有机磷占总磷比例随盐度增加而下降,表明有机磷受胶体去除过程的影响较明显,胶体磷在河口海区的浓度变化趋势及胶体中有机磷和活性磷的比例都与真溶解相接近而与颗粒相差别较大.     

Origin and biochemical cycling of particulate nitrogen in the Mandovi estuary

Mandovi estuary is a tropical estuary strongly influenced by the southwest monsoon. In order to understand, sources and fate of particulate organic nitrogen, suspended particulate matter (SPM) collected from various locations, was analyzed for particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON), δ¹³C_POC, total hydrolysable amino acid enantiomers (l- and d- amino acids) concentration and composition. δ¹³C_POC values were depleted (−32 to −25‰) during the monsoon and enriched (−29.6 to −21‰) in the pre-monsoon season implying that OM was derived from terrestrial and marine sources during the former and latter season, respectively. The biological indicators such as C/N ratio, d-amino acids, THAA yields and degradation indices (DI) indicate that the particulate organic matter (POM) was relatively more degraded during the monsoon season. Conversely, during the pre-monsoon, the biological indicators indicated the presence of relatively fresh and labile POM derived from autochthonous sources. Amino acids such as alanine, aspartic acid, leucine, serine, arginine, and threonine in monsoon and glutamic acid, glycine, valine, lysine, and isoleucine in pre-monsoon were relatively abundant. Presence of bacterial biomarker, d-amino acids in the SPM of the estuary during both the seasons signifies important contribution of bacteria to the estuarine detrital ON pool. Based on d-amino acid yields, bacterial OM accounted for 16-34% (23.0 ± 6.7%) of POC and 29-75% (47.9 ± 18.7%) of PON in monsoon, and 30-78% (50.0 ± 15%) of POC and 34-79% (51.2 ± 13.3%) of the PON in pre-monsoon in the estuary. Substantial contribution of bacterial-N to PON indicates nitrogen (N) enrichment on terrestrial POM during the monsoon season. Transport of terrestrial POM enriched with bacterial OM to the coastal waters is expected to influence coastal productivity and ecosystem functioning during the monsoon season.     

Seasonal dynamics of ciliated protozoa and their potential food in an eutrophic estuary (Bay of Biscay)

Ciliate assemblages, together with phytoplankton and heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF) as their potential food, have been surveyed monthly along the salinity gradient of the Nervión River estuary from March 2000 to March 2002. A total of 135 taxa of ciliate have been identified corresponding to 20 orders. Scuticociliates, naked choreotrichs and oligotrichs were the most abundant groups, distributed throughout a broad range of salinity. In addition to these groups, which were the dominant taxa in the middle estuary, tintinnids were characteristic of the ciliate assemblages of the outer estuary whereas in the innermost part naked choreotrichs and oligotrichs decreased in number, being substituted by sessilids, hymenostomatids, peniculids and cyrtophorids. Total ciliate concentrations were among the highest reported in the literature for other estuaries and coastal waters, frequently reaching 10⁵ cells l⁻¹. Meanwhile, tintinnid concentrations were comparable with those of other estuarine and coastal waters. Based on a principal component analysis (PCA) three main groups were delineated, with ciliates and their potential food sources as variables. One was that constituted by freshwater ciliate such as sessilids, hymenostomatids, cyrtophorids and pleurostomatids, which appear in low numbers in the innermost part, mainly in winter. Another group contained diatoms, chlorophytes, flagellates, euplotids and scuticociliates, all of them broadly distributed along the estuary and reaching their maximum density in late spring–summer. The third group was made up of taxa mainly appearing at the seaward end such as dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, haptorids, tintinnids, naked choreotrichs and oligotrichs, which reached the highest densities in summer and early autumn. Ciliates do not seem to be food limited in the Nervión River estuary or much controlled by metazoan grazing.     

长江口及其邻近海域磷的分布变化特征

根据2004年4个航次的调查资料,研究了长江河口内及其临近海域磷酸盐和总磷的分布变化特征。结果表明,磷酸盐和总磷的浓度分布都是河口附近高,外海低,但其最大值不在河口内,而在口门外。河口内磷酸盐秋、冬季浓度高,春、夏季低;总磷夏、秋季浓度高,春季和冬季低。口门外磷酸盐和总磷浓度分布都是冬、夏季高,春、秋季低。磷酸盐夏季浓度变化大,分层明显,冬季变化小,垂直分布均匀。总磷春季表、底层浓度接近,其余季节表层都低于底层。通过磷酸盐和总磷与盐度、悬浮体的相关关系研究表明,磷酸盐在河口转移过程中,还受到生物活动、水体垂直对流以及缓冲作用等多种因素的影响。总磷在很大程度上受颗粒磷的控制。