scholarly journals Seasonal Stratification and Biogeochemical Turnover in the Freshwater Reach of a Partially Mixed Dredged Estuary

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Pein ◽  
Annika Eisele ◽  
Tina Sanders ◽  
Ute Daewel ◽  
Emil V. Stanev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Oxygen Depletion ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Elbe Estuary ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Ammonium Accumulation ◽  
Bottom Oxygen ◽  
Organic Particles

The Elbe estuary is a substantially engineered tidal water body that receives high loads of organic matter from the eutrophied Elbe river. The organic matter entering the estuary at the tidal weir is dominated by diatom populations that collapse in the deepened freshwater reach. Although the estuary’s freshwater reach is considered to manifest vertically homogenous density distribution (i.e., to be well-mixed), several indicators like trapping of particulate organic matter, near-bottom oxygen depletion and ammonium accumulation suggest that the vertical exchange of organic particles and dissolved oxygen is weakened at least temporarily. To better understand the causal links between the hydrodynamics and the oxygen and nutrient cycling in the deepened freshwater reach of the Elbe estuary, we establish a three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamical-biogeochemical model. The model demonstrates good skill in simulating the variability of the physical and biogeochemical parameters in the focal area. Coupled simulations reveal that this region is a hotspot of the degradation of diatoms and organic matter transported from the shallow productive upper estuary and the tidal weir. In summer, the water column weakly stratifies when at the bathymetric jump warmer water from the shallow upper estuary spreads over the colder water of the deepened mid reaches. Enhanced thermal stratification also occurs also in the narrow port basins and channels. Model results show intensification of the particle trapping due to the thermal gradients. The stratification also reduces the oxygenation of the near-bottom region and sedimentary layer inducing oxygen depletion and accumulation of ammonium. The study highlights that the vertical resolution is important for the understanding and simulation of estuarine ecological processes, because even weak stratification impacts the cycling of nutrients via modulation of the vertical mixing of oxygen, particularly in deepened navigation channels and port areas.

Seasonal and spatial variations in characteristics of Lake Biwa dissolved organic matter: sorption of pyrene and its derivatives and fluorescence properties

2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1609-1614
Author(s):  
T. Kusakabe ◽  
K. Ikeda ◽  
Y. Shimizu ◽  
S. Higashi ◽  
Y. Kawabata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Lake Biwa ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Spatial Variations ◽  
Fluorescence Properties ◽  
Sorption Coefficient ◽  
Suwannee River Fulvic Acid ◽  
Seasonal And Spatial Variations

The objectives of this research were to investigate seasonal and spatial variations in (1) sorption of pyrene and its derivatives onto dissolved organic matter (DOM) and (2) fluorescence properties of DOM in Lake Biwa, Japan. In the case of pyrene, sorption coefficient (Kdoc) of Lake Biwa DOM seasonally changed from 1,200 to 3,800 L/kgC. Vertical distribution of Kdoc was affected by thermocline formation in summer, while it was uniformly distributed as a result of vertical mixing in winter. Functional groups affected sorption of pyrene onto Lake Biwa DOM in different manner from that onto Suwannee River fulvic acid. Three-dimensional excitation emission matrices (3D-EEMs) fluorescence spectroscopy was applied to characterize Lake Biwa DOMs and indicated the existence of at least two fluorophores. The two major peaks at Ex230/Em300 and Ex230/Em425 originated from protein-like and fulvic/humic-like substances, respectively. The peak at Ex230/Em300 showed the maximum fluorescence intensity at a depth of 5 m and could be affected by stratification of the water column in summer. On the other hand, the peak at Ex230/Em425 showed similar profiles both in summer and in winter. These results demonstrably showed that sorption of micropollutants and fluorescence properties of Lake Biwa DOMs were seasonally and spatially varied.

Oxygen Depletion Modelling, Port Shelter, Hong Kong

1986 ◽  
Vol 18 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 277-287
Author(s):  
J. Krogsgaard Jensen ◽  
A. Malmgren-Hansen ◽  
P. Mortensen
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Decay Rate ◽  
Oxygen Concentration ◽  
Dispersion Model ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Bottom Layer ◽  
Oxygen Depletion ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses

In order to describe and evaluate the effect on the oxygen concentrations of a planned sewage outlet in the Port Shelter Bay in Hong Kong, a relatively simple BOD-DO-box model has been established. The model describes the oxygen concentration in 6 horizontal boxes in the central part of Port Shelter. Each box is vertically divided into 4 layers (sub-boxes). The oxygen concentration in each layer is described as a function of the vertical and the horizontal mixing, the oxygen demand of the sediment and the concentration of organic matter in the water. A finite difference transport dispersion model provided input data for the BOD-DO model. Two main calculations have been made: one simulating the cold season (15°C) and one simulating the warm season (30°C). Furthermore sensitivity analyses have been carried out. The calculations show an oxygen depletion of approximately 1 and 2 mg O2/l at 15° and 30°C respectively in the bottom layer over an area of approximately two sq. km. The highest oxygen depletion is calculated in the bottom layer. From the calculation it can further be concluded that the decay rate of organic matter in the water and the vertical mixing will influence the oxygen depletion considerably. In periods where either the decay rate is higher than 3 d−1, or the vertical mixing is considerably low an oxygen depletion higher than the calculated can be expected. The lowest measured oxygen concentration in Port Shelter during the period July-August 1982 was 1.7 mg O2/l. Therefore it can be expected that the planned outlet will cause oxygen-free or nearly oxygen-free conditions in the bottom layer in warm periods with low vertical mixing.

scholarly journals Modelled interannual variability of vertical organic matter export related to phytoplankton bloom dynamics – a case-study for the NW Mediterranean Sea

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 9091-9124
Author(s):  
R. Bernardello ◽  
J. G. Cardoso ◽  
N. Bahamon ◽  
D. Donis ◽  
I. Marinov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Phytoplankton Bloom ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Export Flux ◽  
The North ◽  
Nw Mediterranean ◽  
Nw Mediterranean Sea

Abstract. Mid-latitude spring blooms of phytoplankton show considerable year-to-year variability in timing, spatial extent and intensity. It is still unclear to what degree the bloom variability is connected to the magnitude of the vertical flux of organic matter. A coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model is used to relate interannual variability in phytoplankton spring-bloom dynamics to variability in the vertical export of organic matter in the NW Mediterranean Sea. Simulation results from 2001 to 2010, validated against remote sensing chlorophyll, show marked interannual variability in both timing and shape of the bloom. Model results show a tendency for the bloom to start later after cold and windy winters. However, the onset of the bloom occurs often when the mixed layer is still several hundred meters deep while the heat flux is already approaching zero. Frequency and intensity of wind episodes control both timing and development of the bloom and the consequent export flux of organic matter. The wintertime flux is greater than zero and shows relatively low interannual variability. The magnitude of this variability is mainly determined in March when the frequency of windy days correlates positively with the export flux. Frequent wind-driven mixing episodes act to increase the export flux and, at the same time, to interrupt the bloom. Our analysis shows that years with discontinuous, low-chlorophyll blooms are likely to have higher export flux than years with undisturbed intense blooms. The area of the study shows strong analogy with the part of the North Atlantic within the same latitude range. Hence, our results may be applicable to quantitatively more important areas of the world oceans.

Effects of light and phosphorus on summer DMS dynamics in subtropical waters using a global ocean biogeochemical model

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Italo Masotti ◽  
Sauveur Belviso ◽  
Laurent Bopp ◽  
Alessandro Tagliabue ◽  
Eva Bucciarelli
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Longitudinal Distribution ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Relative Role ◽  
Sargasso Sea ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Climatological Data

Environmental context Models are needed to predict the importance of the changes in marine emissions of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in response to ocean warming, increased stratification and acidification, and to evaluate the potential effects on the Earth’s climate. We use complementary simulations to further our understanding of the marine cycle of DMS in subtropical waters, and show that a lack of phosphorus may exert a more important control on surface DMS concentrations than an excess of light. Abstract The occurrence of a summer DMS paradox in the vast subtropical gyres is a strong matter of debate because approaches using discrete measurements, climatological data and model simulations yielded contradictory results. The major conclusion of the first appraisal of prognostic ocean DMS models was that such models need to give more weight to the direct effect of environmental forcings (e.g. irradiance) on DMS dynamics to decouple them from ecological processes. Here, the relative role of light and phosphorus on summer DMS dynamics in subtropical waters is assessed using the ocean general circulation and biogeochemistry model NEMO-PISCES in which macronutrient concentrations were restored to monthly climatological data values to improve the representation of phosphate concentrations. Results show that the vertical and temporal decoupling between chlorophyll and DMS concentrations observed in the Sargasso Sea during the summer months is captured by the model. Additional sensitivity tests show that the simulated control of phosphorus on surface DMS concentrations in the Sargasso Sea is much more important than that of light. By extending the analysis to the whole North Atlantic Ocean, we show that the longitudinal distribution of DMS during summer is asymmetrical and that a correlation between the solar radiation dose and DMS concentrations only occurs in the Sargasso Sea. The lack of a widespread summer DMS paradox in our model simulation as well as in the comparison of discrete and climatological data could be due to the limited occurrence of phosphorus limitation in the global ocean.

scholarly journals Linking Genes to Traits in Fungi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Romero-Olivares ◽  
E. W. Morrison ◽  
A. Pringle ◽  
S. D. Frey
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Nitrogen Uptake ◽  
Brown Rot ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Organic Matter Decomposition ◽  
Gene Frequencies ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Linked Gene ◽  
Carbon Cycles ◽  
Brown Rot Fungi

AbstractFungi are mediators of the nitrogen and carbon cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Examining how nitrogen uptake and organic matter decomposition potential differs in fungi can provide insight into the underlying mechanisms driving fungal ecological processes and ecosystem functioning. In this study, we assessed the frequency of genes encoding for specific enzymes that facilitate nitrogen uptake and organic matter decomposition in 879 fungal genomes with fungal taxa grouped into trait-based categories. Our linked gene-trait data approach revealed that gene frequencies vary across and within trait-based groups and that trait-based categories differ in trait space. We present two examples of how this linked gene-trait approach can be used to address ecological questions. First, we show that this type of approach can help us better understand, and potentially predict, how fungi will respond to environmental stress. Specifically, we found that trait-based categories with high nitrogen uptake gene frequency increased in relative abundance when exposed to high soil nitrogen enrichment. Second, by comparing frequencies of nitrogen uptake and organic matter decomposition genes, we found that most ectomycorrhizal fungi in our dataset have similar gene frequencies to brown rot fungi. This demonstrates that gene-trait data approaches can shed light on potential evolutionary trajectories of life history traits in fungi. We present a framework for exploring nitrogen uptake and organic matter decomposition gene frequencies in fungal trait-based groups and provide two concise examples on how to use our framework to address ecological questions from a mechanistic perspective.

scholarly journals Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) ore-bearing clays at Gnaszyn, Kraków-Silesia Homocline, Poland

2012 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemysław Gedl ◽  
Andrzej Kaim ◽  
Paulina Leonowicz ◽  
Andrzej Boczarowski ◽  
Teresa Dudek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Sedimentation Rate ◽  
Middle Jurassic ◽  
Oxygen Depletion ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Photic Zone ◽  
Phytoplankton Assemblages ◽  
Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction ◽  
Sea Level Fluctuations ◽  
Organic Particles

ABSTRACT Gedl, P., Kaim, A., Leonowicz, P., Boczarowski, A., Dudek, T., Kędzierski, M., Rees, J., Smoleń, J., Szczepanik, P., Sztajner, P., Witkowska, M. and Ziaja, J. 2012. Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) ore-bearing clays at Gnaszyn, Krakow-Silesia Homocline, Poland. Acta Geologica Polonica, 62(3), 463-484. Warszawa. Multidisciplinary studies of the Middle-Upper Bathonian ore-bearing clays at Gnaszyn revealed variable palaeoenvironmental conditions during the deposition of this seemingly monotonous sequence. We interpret the conditions in the bottom environment and the photic zone, and also evaluate the influence of the adjacent land areas, based on sedimentology, geochemistry, sporomorphs and palynofacies composition, benthic (foraminifera, gastropods, bivalves, scaphopods, echinoderms), planktonic (calcareous nannoplankton, dinoflagellate cysts), and nektonic (sharks) fossils. The Gnaszyn succession originated relatively close to the shore, within reach of an intense supply of terrestrial fine clastic and organic particles. The latter are mainly of terrestrial origin and range from 1.5 to 2.5 wt.%. The precise water depth is difficult to estimate but most likely ranges from several tens of metres to a few hundred metres. All fossil groups show minor changes throughout the succession. As the climate seems to have been quite stable during this period we consider sea-level fluctuations to have been the main factor responsible for the changes. The terrestrial input, including freshwater and land-derived clastic and organic particles (sporomorphs and cuticles), increased during periods of sea-level lowstand. As a consequence, stress conditions (lower salinity, higher nutrient availability, lower water transparency) in the photic zone caused blooms of opportunistic planktonic taxa. Furthermore, a faster sedimentation rate led to oxygen depletion and deterioration of the living conditions in the bottom environment due to an increased accumulation of organic matter. As a result, the benthic biota became taxonomically impoverished and commonly dominated by juvenile forms. During periods of high sea level, the source areas were shifted away from the basin, resulting in a decrease in the terrestrial influx, increase in the salinity of surface waters, the appearance of more diverse phytoplankton assemblages, a lower sedimentation rate, and an improvement of living conditions at the bottom.

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