Nutrient Budgets and Management Actions in the Patuxent River Estuary,Maryland

Multi-year nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) budgets were developed for the Patuxent River estuary, a seasonally stratified and moderately eutrophic tributary of Chesapeake Bay. Major inputs (point, diffuse, septic, and direct atmospheric) were measured for 13 years during which, large reductions in P and then lesser reductions in N-loading occurred due to wastewater treatment plant improvements. Internal nutrient losses (denitrification and long-term burial of particulate N and P) were measured in tidal marshes and sub-tidal sediments throughout the estuary as were nutrient storage in the water column, sediments, and biota. Nutrient transport between the oligohaline and mesohaline zones and between the Patuxent and Chesapeake Bay was estimated using a salt and water balance model. Several major nutrient recycling terms were directly and indirectly evaluated and compared to new N and P inputs on seasonal and annual time-scales. Major findings included: (1) average terrestrial and atmospheric inputs of N and P were very close to the sum of internal losses plus export, suggesting that dominant processes are captured in these budgets; (2) both N and P export were a small fraction (13% and 28%, respectively) of inputs, about half of that expected for N based on water residence times, and almost all exported N and P were in organic forms; (3) the tidal marsh-oligohaline estuary, which by area comprised ~27% of the full estuarine system, removed about 46% and 74% of total annual upland N and P inputs, respectively; (4) recycled N and P were much larger sources of inorganic nutrients than new inputs during warm seasons and were similar in magnitude even during cold seasons; (5) there was clear evidence that major estuarine processes responded rapidly to inter-annual nutrient input variations; (6) historical nutrient input data and nutrient budget data from drought periods indicated that diffuse nutrient sources were dominant and that N loads need to be reduced by about 50% to restore water quality conditions to pre-eutrophic levels.     

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.     

From Headwaters to Coast: Influence of Human Activities on Water Quality of the Potomac River Estuary

The natural aging process of Chesapeake Bay and its tributary estuaries has been accelerated by human activities around the shoreline and within the watershed, increasing sediment and nutrient loads delivered to the bay. Riverine nutrients cause algal growth in the bay leading to reductions in light penetration with consequent declines in sea grass growth, smothering of bottom-dwelling organisms, and decreases in bottom-water dissolved oxygen as algal blooms decay. Historically, bay waters were filtered by oysters, but declines in oyster populations from overfishing and disease have led to higher concentrations of fine-sediment particles and phytoplankton in the water column. Assessments of water and biological resource quality in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries, such as the Potomac River, show a continual degraded state. In this paper, we pay tribute to Owen Bricker’s comprehensive, holistic scientific perspective using an approach that examines the connection between watershed and estuary. We evaluated nitrogen inputs from Potomac River headwaters, nutrient-related conditions within the estuary, and considered the use of shellfish aquaculture as an in-the-water nutrient management measure. Data from headwaters, nontidal, and estuarine portions of the Potomac River watershed and estuary were analyzed to examine the contribution from different parts of the watershed to total nitrogen loads to the estuary. An eutrophication model was applied to these data to evaluate eutrophication status and changes since the early 1990s and for comparison to regional and national conditions. A farm-scale aquaculture model was applied and results scaled to the estuary to determine the potential for shellfish (oyster) aquaculture to mediate eutrophication impacts. Results showed that (1) the contribution to nitrogen loads from headwater streams is small (about 2 %) of total inputs to the Potomac River Estuary; (2) eutrophic conditions in the Potomac River Estuary have improved in the upper estuary since the early 1990s, but have worsened in the lower estuary. The overall system-wide eutrophication impact is high, despite a decrease in nitrogen loads from the upper basin and declining surface water nitrate nitrogen concentrations over that period; (3) eutrophic conditions in the Potomac River Estuary are representative of Chesapeake Bay region and other US estuaries; moderate to high levels of nutrient-related degradation occur in about 65 % of US estuaries, particularly river-dominated low-flow systems such as the Potomac River Estuary; and (4) shellfish (oyster) aquaculture could remove eutrophication impacts directly from the estuary through harvest but should be considered a complement—not a substitute—for land-based measures. The total nitrogen load could be removed if 40 % of the Potomac River Estuary bottom was in shellfish cultivation; a combination of aquaculture and restoration of oyster reefs may provide larger benefits.     

Sources of nutrient inputs to the Patuxent River estuary

We quantified annual nutrient inputs to the Patuxent River estuary from point and nonpoint sources and from direct atmospheric deposition. We also compared nonpoint source (NPS) discharges from Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions and from agricultural and developed lands. Using continuous automated-sampling, we measured discharges of water, nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon (C), and suspended solids from a total of 23 watersheds selected to represent various proportions of developed land and cropland in the Patuxent River basin and the neighboring Rhode River basin. The sampling period spanned two years that differed in annual precipitation by a factor of 1.7. Water discharge from the watershed to the Patuxent River estuary was 3.4 times higher in the wet year than in the dry year. Annual water discharges from the study watersheds increased as the proportion of developed land increased. As the proportion of cropland increased, there were increases in the annual flow-weighted mean concentrations of nitrate (NO₃ ^?), total nitrogen (TN), dissolved silicate (Si), total phosphate (TPO₄ ^3?), total organic phosphorus (TOP), total P (TP), and total suspended solids (TSS) in NPS discharges. The effect of cropland on the concentrations of NO₃ ^? and TN was stronger for Piedmont watersheds than for Coastal Plain watersheds. As the proportion of developed land increased, there were increases in annual mean concentrations of NO₃ ^?, total ammonium (TNH₄ ⁺), total organic N (TON), TN, total organic C (TOC), TPO₄ ^3?, TOP, TP, and TSS and decreases in concentrations of Si. Annual mean concentrations of TON, TOC, forms of P, and TSS were highest in the wet year. Annual mean concentrations of NO₃ ^?, TNH₄ ⁺, TN, and Si did not differ significantly between years. We directly measured NPS discharges from about half of the Patuxent River basin and estimated discharges from the other half of the basin using statistical models that related annual water flow and material concentrations to land cover and physiographic province. We compared NPS discharges to public data on point source (PS) discharges. We estimated direct atmospheric deposition of forms of N, P, and organic C to the Patuxent River estuary based on analysis of bulk deposition near the Rhode River. During the wet year, most of the total terrestrial and atmospheric inputs of forms of N and P came from NPS discharges. During the dry year, 53% of the TNH₄ ⁺ input was from atmospheric deposition and 58% of the NO₃ ^? input was from PS discharges; NPS and PS discharges were about equally important in the total inputs of TN and TPO₄ ^3?. During the entire 2-yr period, the Coastal Plain portion of the Patuxent basin delivered about 80% of the NPS water discharges to the estuary and delivered similar proportions of the NPS TNH₄ ⁺, TN, TOP, and TSS. The Coastal Plain delivered greater proportions of the NPS TON, TOC, Si, and TP (89%, 90%, 93%, and 95%, respectively) than of water, and supplied nearly all of the NPS TPO₄ ^3? (99%). The Piedmont delivered 33% of the NPS NO₃ ^? while delivering only 20% of the NPS water to the stuary. We used statistical models to infer the percentages of NPS discharges supplied by croplands, developed lands, and other lands. Although cropland covers only 10% of the Patuxent River basin, it was the most important source of most materials in NPS discharge, supplying about 84% of the total NPS discharge of NO₃ ^?; about three quarters of the TPO₄ ^3?, TOP, TP, and TSS; and about half of the TNH₄ ⁺ and TN. Compared to developed land, cropland supplied a significantly higher percentage of the NPS discharges of NO₃ ^?, TN, TPO₄ ^3?, TOP, TP, and TSS, despite the fact development land covered 12% of the basin.     

Signatures of Restoration and Management Changes in the Water Quality of a Central California Estuary

Coastal managers and policy-makers are concerned with tracking improvements to water quality linked to management changes. Long-term water quality data acquired from two wetland areas in the upper reaches of the Elkhorn Slough estuary in central California were analyzed for signatures of land restoration or water control structure management. Post-restoration averaged NO₃, NH₃, and PO₄ concentrations were 50–70% less than before-restoration concentrations. Assessment of watershed-scale effects revealed that proximity of restoration to sampling locations had almost as strong an effect on water quality as the percentage of land restored relative to watershed size. Results also suggest that restoration of even 1% of an agriculturally intensive watershed such as that of the Elkhorn Slough may result in improvements to water quality. Finally, results indicate that tide gate function can dominate water quality in managed wetlands and must be carefully tracked and managed in the context of estuarine conservation targets.     

Episodic and Long-Term Sediment Transport Capacity in The Hudson River Estuary

A tidally averaged model of estuarine dynamics is used to estimate sediment transport in the Hudson River estuary over the period 1918 to 2005. In long-term and seasonal means, along-channel gradients in sediment flux depend on the estuarine salinity gradient and along-channel depth profile. Lateral depth variation across the estuary affects the near-bottom baroclinic circulation and consequently the direction of net sediment flux, with generally up-estuary transport in the channel and down-estuary transport on the shoals. Sediment transport capacity in the lower estuary depends largely on river discharge, but is modified by the timing of discharge events with respect to the spring–neap cycle and subtidal fluctuations in sea level. Sediment transport capacity also depends on the duration of high-discharge events relative to the estuarine response time, a factor that varies seasonally with discharge and estuarine length. Sediment fluxes are calculated with the assumption that over long periods, the system approaches morphological equilibrium and sediment accumulation equals sea level rise. The inferred across- and along-channel distributions of sediment erodibility correspond with observations of bed properties. Equilibrium is assumed at long time scales, but at annual to decadal time scales the estuary can develop an excess or deficit of sediment relative to equilibrium. On average, sediment accumulates in the estuary during low- and high-discharge periods and is exported during moderate discharge. During high-discharge periods, maximum export coincides with maximum sediment supply from the watershed, but the nearly cubic discharge dependence of fluvial sediment supply overwhelms the roughly linear increase in estuarine transport capacity. Consequently, sediment accumulates in the estuary during the highest flow conditions. Uncertainty remains in the model, particularly with sediment properties and boundary conditions, but the results clearly indicate variability in the sediment mass balance over long time scales due to discharge events.     

Long-Term Changes in Population Dynamics of the Shrimp Palaemon longirostris in the Gironde Estuary

Spanning 20?years (1979?C2007), this study is the longest time series pertaining to the resident shrimp species Palaemon longirostris in a European estuary. Data from monthly faunal surveys undertaken across the middle part of the Gironde estuary from April 1979 along with data from a statistical analysis of the commercial catches throughout the entire estuary and river were considered in order to explore their inter and intra-annual variability and long-term trends. Long-term densities series as well as environmental series (salinity, discharge, temperature and NAO) were decomposed and the effects of environmental variables were also examined using statistical models (GAMs). This revealed important spatio-temporal variability and a significant overall decrease in abundance of this species in the Gironde estuary since the beginning of the 1980s. This long-term decrease in abundance corresponded significantly to long-term decreases in both discharge and the NAO index, as well a long-term increase in temperature and salinity in the middle part of the estuary. However, models showed that environmental factors explained only a small part of the variability. The upstream shift of the population highlighted in this study, probably due to the intrusion of marine waters into the middle section of the estuary, may also have contributed to its decrease in abundance. Inter-annual variability of densities was also significantly linked with inter-annual fecundity fluctuations, and a significant decrease in both mean female size and fecundity was shown for preserved samples from 1992. Moreover, the breeding period has been temporally stretched out and began earlier in more recent years, potentially due to the increase in spring temperature.     

Changes of land cover in the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin from 1985 to 2005

Land cover is closely related to environmental changes and socioeconomic development. Land-cover change in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is different from that in the lowlands; however, a detailed land-cover change in areas such as the Yarlung Tsangpo River (YTR) basin in the TP has not been reported. To fill this gap, the current study explores the land-cover change between 1985 and 2005 in the YTR basin. The results show that only 1 % of the land cover in the YTR basin changed during this time period. The most significant land-cover changes included increases in forest and built-up areas as well as decreases in grassland, water and wetland areas. By percentage, the most rapid land-cover change occurred for built-up areas with an annual variation of 2.07 %. There was an obvious vertical distribution pattern for land-cover types in the YTR basin; from low to high, the average altitudes were forest, farmland, built-up, grassland, water and wetland, and bare land. The average altitude and slope for most land-cover types did not vary over the past 20 years. However, the average altitude and slope of built-up significantly decreased, especially in the zone between 3,500 and 4,000 m. The water and wetland area in altitudes above 4,500 m increased; however, they decreased in the zone between 3,500 and 4,000 m. Natural factors cause most land-cover changes, whereas the increasing intensity of human activities cause some changes to built-up and farmland. Additional attention should be paid to the study of the mechanism of land-cover change in the TP.     

Long-Term Trends of Water Quality and Biotic Metrics in Chesapeake Bay: 1986 to 2008

We analyzed trends in a 23-year period of water quality and biotic data for Chesapeake Bay. Indicators were used to detect trends of improving and worsening environmental health in 15 regions and 70 segments of the bay and to assess the estuarine ecosystem’s responses to reduced nutrient loading from point (i.e., sewage treatment facilities) and non-point (e.g., agricultural and urban land use) sources. Despite extensive restoration efforts, ecological health-related water quality (chlorophyll-a, dissolved oxygen, Secchi depth) and biotic (phytoplankton and benthic indices) metrics evaluated herein have generally shown little improvement (submerged aquatic vegetation was an exception), and water clarity and chlorophyll-a have considerably worsened since 1986. Nutrient and sediment inputs from higher-than-average annual flows after 1992 combined with those from highly developed Coastal Plain areas and compromised ecosystem resiliency are important factors responsible for worsening chlorophyll-a and Secchi depth trends in mesohaline and polyhaline zones from 1986 to 2008.     

Temporal and spatial patterns of trace elements in the Patuxent River: A whole watershed approach

Trace element distributions, partitioning, and speciation were examined at 15 sites in the Patuxent River watershed from May 1995 through October 1997 to determine possible sources of trace elements to the river and estuary, to examine the relationship of the trace element discharges to freshwater discharges as well as to land use and geographic region, to validate previous estimates of loadings to the river, and to provide baseline data for trace elements in the Patuxent River watershed and estuary. Six freshwater sites were examined, representing different basins and geographic provinces, and nine sites along the estuarine salinity gradient. Subregions within the watershed varied considerably in concentrations and areal yields for some elements. Concentrations of As, Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn were elevated in the Coastal Plain sites compared to the Piedmont sites, while Cu and Hg were more evenly distributed. Cadmium, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn showed overall positive correlations with river flow while As and methylHg (meHg) showed negative correlations with river flow. Concentrations of trace elements in the estuarine portion of the river were generally low, and consistent with mixing between Patuxent River water with elevated concentrations and the lower concentrations of the Chesapeake Bay. Interesting features included a local Cd maximum in the low salinity region of the estuary, probably caused by desorption from suspended sediments, and a significant input of water containing high As concentrations from the Chesapeake Bay and from As being released from bottom sediments in summer. Comparisons between the estimated annual flux of trace elements and the estimates of suspected source terms (atmospheric deposition, urban runoff, and known point sources) suggest that, except for Hg, direct atmospheric deposition is small compared to fluvial loads. Current estimates of trace element inputs from point sources or from urban runoff are inadequate for comparison with other sources, because of inappropriate techniques and/or unacceptably high detection limits. A complete examination of trace element dynamics in the Patuxent River (and in other coastal systems) will require better data for these potential sources.     

Long-Term Trends in Intertidal and Subtidal Benthic Communities in Response to Water Quality Improvement Measures

Long-term monitoring studies are needed to understand changes in ecosystem status when restoration measures are implemented. A long-term data series (1996–2007) of the Tagus estuary (Portugal) intertidal and subtidal benthic communities was collected in a degraded area where mitigation measures were implemented. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze spatial and temporal patterns in benthic community composition and trends in five benthic community metrics (i.e., taxonomic richness, density, biomass, Shannon–Wiener diversity and the AMBI index) were also examined. The results revealed a clear separation between intertidal and subtidal assemblages, although they had 50% of taxa in common, including the most abundant. Significant positive trends were found for all metrics showing that both intertidal and subtidal communities responded to the restoration measures implemented. Nevertheless, biotic indices need some adaptation before being universally applied to intertidal and subtidal habitats.     

A Modeling Study of the Impacts of Mississippi River Diversion and Sea-Level Rise on Water Quality of a Deltaic Estuary

Freshwater and sediment management in estuaries affects water quality, particularly in deltaic estuaries. Furthermore, climate change-induced sea-level rise (SLR) and land subsidence also affect estuarine water quality by changing salinity, circulation, stratification, sedimentation, erosion, residence time, and other physical and ecological processes. However, little is known about how the magnitudes and spatial and temporal patterns in estuarine water quality variables will change in response to freshwater and sediment management in the context of future SLR. In this study, we applied the Delft3D model that couples hydrodynamics and water quality processes to examine the spatial and temporal variations of salinity, total suspended solids, and chlorophyll-α concentration in response to small (142 m³ s^?1) and large (7080 m³ s^?1) Mississippi River (MR) diversions under low (0.38 m) and high (1.44 m) relative SLR (RSLR = eustatic SLR + subsidence) scenarios in the Breton Sound Estuary, Louisiana, USA. The hydrodynamics and water quality model were calibrated and validated via field observations at multiple stations across the estuary. Model results indicate that the large MR diversion would significantly affect the magnitude and spatial and temporal patterns of the studied water quality variables across the entire estuary, whereas the small diversion tends to influence water quality only in small areas near the diversion. RSLR would also play a significant role on the spatial heterogeneity in estuary water quality by acting as an opposite force to river diversions; however, RSLR plays a greater role than the small-scale diversion on the magnitude and spatial pattern of the water quality parameters in this deltaic estuary.     

中国图们江河口湖沼沉积中植硅体古气候变化特征

通过对中国图们江河口湖沼沉积剖面的植硅体组合的分析,划分出该剖面自17.1～2.247 kaB.P.期间的6个植硅体组合带,分别对应冷干-凉湿-冷干-凉湿-温暖-温湿的气候阶段.将分析结果与本剖面Na、K、Ba、Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn分析相对比,发现植硅体对气候湿润程度的反映不如Na、K、Fe敏感,但是比其它指标,如泥炭地发育程度对湿润度的反映,要灵敏得多.区域对比发现,本剖面的植硅体古气候过程存在着区域上的良好响应,对全球变化与区域响应研究起着积极作用.     

Suspended-Sediment Impacts on Light-Limited Productivity in the Delaware Estuary

The Delaware Estuary has a history of high anthropogenic nutrient loadings but has been classified as a high-nutrient, low-growth system due to persistent light limitation caused by turbidity. While the biogeochemical implications of light limitation in turbid estuaries have been well-studied, there has been minimal effort focused on the connectivity between hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, and light limitation. Our understanding of sediment dynamics in the Delaware Estuary has advanced significantly in the last decade, and this study describes the impact of spatiotemporal variability of the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) on light-limited productivity. This analysis uses data from eight along-estuary cruises from March, June, September, and December 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the impact of the turbidity maximum on production. Whereas the movement of the ETM is controlled primarily by river discharge, the structure of the ETM is modulated by stratification, which varies with both river discharge and spring-neap conditions. We observe that the ETM’s location and structure control spatial patterns of light availability. To evaluate the relative contributions of river discharge and spring-neap variability to the location of phytoplankton blooms, we develop an idealized two-dimensional Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) numerical model. We conclude that high river flows and neap tides can drive stratification that is strong enough to prevent sediment from being resuspended into the surface layer, thus providing light conditions favorable for primary production. This study sheds light on the role of stratification in controlling sediment resuspension and promoting production, highlighting the potential limitations of biogeochemical models that neglect sediment processes.     

Fortnightly Changes in Water Transport Direction Across the Mouth of a Narrow Estuary

This research investigates the dynamics of the axial tidal flow and residual circulation at the lower Guadiana Estuary, south Portugal, a narrow mesotidal estuary with low freshwater inputs. Current data were collected near the deepest part of the channel for 21 months and across the channel during two (spring and neap) tidal cycles. Results indicate that at the deep channel, depth-averaged currents are stronger and longer during the ebb at spring and during the flood at neap, resulting in opposite water transport directions at a fortnightly time scale. The net water transport across the entire channel is up-estuary at spring and down-estuary at neap, i.e., opposite to the one at the deep channel. At spring tide, when the estuary is considered to be well mixed, the observed pattern of circulation (outflow in the deep channel, inflow over the shoals) results from the combination of the Stokes transport and compensating return flow, which varies laterally with the bathymetry. At neap tide (in particular for those of lowest amplitude each month), inflows at the deep channel are consistently associated with the development of gravitational circulation. Comparisons with previous studies suggest that the baroclinic pressure gradient (rather than internal tidal asymmetries) is the main driver of the residual water transport. Our observations also indicate that the flushing out of the water accumulated up-estuary (at spring) may also produce strong unidirectional barotropic outflow across the entire channel around neap tide.     

长江口环境用水量计算方法探讨

环境用水在水资源配置中不能忽视，但环境用水问题的研究在理论上和具体计算方法上，目前国内外尚未有系统的成果。以长江口为例，以维持长江口水盐平衡并兼顾水沙平衡为目标，分析了长江口所必需的环境用水量。     

A Comparison of Water Quality Between Low- and High-Flow River Conditions in a Tropical Estuary, Hilo Bay, Hawaii

Effects of storms on the water quality of Hilo Bay, Hawaii, were examined by sampling surface waters at 6 stations 10 times during low-flow and 18 times during high-flow (storms) river conditions. The direction of a storm’s impact on water quality parameters was consistent among storms and most stations; however, direction of the impact varied with the parameter. High river flow conditions increased concentrations of nitrate and decreased those of dissolved organic nitrogen (N); effects on ammonium and particulate N were station specific. Storms also increased dissolved organic and particulate carbon (C) concentrations. Dissolved phosphorus (P) concentrations were not affected by high river flow events. Dissolved organic forms dominated the N, C, and P pools under both low- and high-flow river conditions. Soil-derived particles and fecal indicator bacteria increased during storms, while chlorophyll a concentrations and bacterial cell abundances decreased. Our results suggest that an increase in storms with global warming could impact water quality of tropical estuaries.     

冰封期水动力水质模型在松花江水污染事件中的应用

根据研究流域特点建立了冰封期水动力水质模型,结合冰封期水位测量的特点,对水位模拟结果进行了修正,分别利用2006和2007年水文监测数据对模型进行了率定和验证,利用模型对2005年松花江硝基苯水污染事件进行模拟。计算结果表明:建立的冰封期水动力水质模型能够很好地适用于该地区,部分断面硝基苯质量浓度峰值的相对误差为5%~13%,峰值出现时间的绝对误差为2~3 h。利用模型预测了上游边界流量增加20%及减少5%对水质的影响,结果表明:流量增加导致污染团峰值提前22 h到达摆渡河断面,硝基苯质量浓度峰值降低了15%,流量减少导致峰值延迟6 h到达摆渡河断面,质量浓度峰值升高了4.6%。     

Multivariate Analysis of Water Quality and Plankton Assemblages in an Urban Estuary

Raritan Bay, located between the states of New York and New Jersey, has a long history of cultural eutrophication and associated harmful algal blooms (HABs). Despite striking chemical and biological alterations occurring in Raritan Bay, publications in the early 1960s were the last to report consecutive measurements of both water quality parameters and plankton species composition in this system. The objectives of this study were to characterize water quality trends and plankton composition in a eutrophic estuary, compare current environmental conditions to those documented in Raritan Bay 50 years ago (i.e., at the same six sampling sites), and to further clarify the relationship among nutrients, secondary consumers, and algal bloom generation in this system using ordination techniques. This study (monthly data collected from April 2010–October 2012) indicates that Raritan Bay continues to exhibit numerous symptoms of eutrophication, including high algal biomass, high turbidity, violations of the dissolved oxygen standard to protect fish health, and blooms of potentially harmful phytoplankton species. Altered spatial and temporal patterns for nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) over the past 50 years may suggest new, changing, or expanding sources of nutrients. A total of 14 HAB species have been identified, including Heterosigma akashiwo, which formed a bloom in the upper Raritan Bay during summer 2012 in association with hypoxic conditions. Multivariate analyses indicate that abundance of this species is positively associated with high temperature, salinity, nitrate, and SRP and negatively associated with spring river discharge rates and total zooplankton abundance in Raritan Bay.