scholarly journals Nitrate source identification in the Baltic Sea using its isotopic ratios in combination with a Bayesian isotope mixing model

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 4913-4924 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Korth ◽  
B. Deutsch ◽  
C. Frey ◽  
C. Moros ◽  
M. Voss

Abstract. Nitrate (NO3−) is the major nutrient responsible for coastal eutrophication worldwide and its production is related to intensive food production and fossil-fuel combustion. In the Baltic Sea NO3− inputs have increased 4-fold over recent decades and now remain constantly high. NO3− source identification is therefore an important consideration in environmental management strategies. In this study focusing on the Baltic Sea, we used a method to estimate the proportional contributions of NO3− from atmospheric deposition, N2 fixation, and runoff from pristine soils as well as from agricultural land. Our approach combines data on the dual isotopes of NO3− (δ15N-NO3− and δ18O-NO3−) in winter surface waters with a Bayesian isotope mixing model (Stable Isotope Analysis in R, SIAR). Based on data gathered from 47 sampling locations over the entire Baltic Sea, the majority of the NO3− in the southern Baltic was shown to derive from runoff from agricultural land (33–100%), whereas in the northern Baltic, i.e. the Gulf of Bothnia, NO3− originates from nitrification in pristine soils (34–100%). Atmospheric deposition accounts for only a small percentage of NO3− levels in the Baltic Sea, except for contributions from northern rivers, where the levels of atmospheric NO3− are higher. An additional important source in the central Baltic Sea is N2 fixation by diazotrophs, which contributes 49–65% of the overall NO3− pool at this site. The results obtained with this method are in good agreement with source estimates based upon δ15N values in sediments and a three-dimensional ecosystem model, ERGOM. We suggest that this approach can be easily modified to determine NO3− sources in other marginal seas or larger near-coastal areas where NO3− is abundant in winter surface waters when fractionation processes are minor.

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 5869-5901 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Korth ◽  
B. Deutsch ◽  
C. Frey ◽  
C. Moros ◽  
M. Voss

Abstract. Nitrate (NO3−) is the major nutrient responsible for coastal eutrophication worldwide and its production is related to intensive food production and fossil-fuel combustion. In the Baltic Sea NO3−inputs have increased four-fold over the last decades and now remain constantly high. NO3− source identification is therefore an important consideration in environmental management strategies. In this study focusing on the Baltic Sea, we used a method to estimate the proportional contributions of NO3− from atmospheric deposition, N2 fixation, and runoff from pristine soils as well as from agricultural land. Our approach combines data on the dual isotopes of NO3− (δ15N-NO3− and δ18O-NO3−) in winter surface waters with a Bayesian isotope mixing model (Stable Isotope Analysis in R, SIAR). Based on data gathered from 46 sampling locations over the entire Baltic Sea, the majority of the NO3− in the southern Baltic was shown to derive from runoff from agricultural land (30–70%), whereas in the northern Baltic, i.e., the Gulf of Bothnia, NO3− originates from nitrification in pristine soils (47–100%). Atmospheric deposition accounts for only a small percentage of NO3− levels in the Baltic Sea, except for contributions from northern rivers, where the levels of atmospheric NO3− are higher. An additional important source in the central Baltic Sea is N2 fixation by diazotrophs, which contributes 31–62% of the overall NO3− pool at this site. The results obtained with this method are in good agreement with source estimates based upon δ15N values in sediments and a three-dimensional ecosystem model, ERGOM. We suggest that this approach can be easily modified to determine NO3− sources in other marginal seas or larger near-coastal areas where NO3− is abundant in winter surface waters when fractionation processes are minor.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dietze ◽  
U. Löptien

Abstract. Deoxygenation in the Baltic Sea endangers fish yields and favours noxious algal blooms. Yet, vertical transport processes ventilating the oxygen-deprived waters at depth and replenishing nutrient-deprived surface waters (thereby fuelling export of organic matter to depth), are not comprehensively understood. Here, we investigate the effects of the interaction between surface currents and winds (also referred to as eddy/wind effects) on upwelling in an eddy-rich general ocean circulation model of the Baltic Sea. Contrary to expectations we find that accounting for current/wind effects does inhibit the overall vertical exchange between oxygenated surface waters and oxygen-deprived water at depth. At major upwelling sites, however, as e.g. off the south coast of Sweden and Finland, the reverse holds: the interaction between topographically steered surface currents with winds blowing over the sea results in a climatological sea surface temperature cooling of 0.5 K. This implies that current/wind effects drive substantial local upwelling of cold and nutrient-replete waters.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Haglund ◽  
Björn Claremar ◽  
Anna Rutgersson

Abstract. The shipping sector contributes significantly to increasing emissions of air pollutants. In order to achieve sustainable shipping, primarily through new regulations and techniques, greater knowledge of dispersion and deposition of air pollutants is required. Regional model calculations of the dispersion and deposition of sulphur, nitrogen and particulate matter from the international maritime sector in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea have been made for the years 2009 to 2013. In some areas in the Baltic Sea region the contribution of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide from international shipping represented up to 80 % of the total near surface concentration of the pollutants. Contributions from shipping of PM2,5 and PM10 were calculated to a maximum of 21 % and 13 % respectively. The contribution of wet deposition of sulphur from shipping was maximum 29 % of the total wet deposition, and for dry deposition the contribution from shipping was maximum 84 %. The highest percentage contribution of wet deposition of nitrogen from shipping reached 28 % and for dry deposition 47 %. The highest concentrations and deposition of the pollutants in the study were found near large ports and shipping lanes. High concentrations were also found over larger areas at sea and over land where many people are exposed. With enhanced regulations for sulphur content in maritime fuel, the cleaning of exhausts through scrubbers has become a possible economic solution. Wet scrubbers meet the air quality criteria but their consequences for the marine environment are largely unknown. The resulting potential of future acidification in the Baltic Sea, both from atmospheric deposition and from open-loop scrubber water along the shipping lanes, based on different assumptions about sulphur content in fuel and scrubber usage has been assessed. Shipping is expected to increase globally and in the Baltic Sea region, deposition of sulphur due to shipping will depend on traffic density, emission regulations and technology choices for the emission controls. To evaluate future changes scenarios are developed considering the amount of scrubber technology used. The increase in deposition for the different scenarios differs slightly for the basins in the Baltic Sea. The proportion of ocean acidifying sulphur from ships increases when taking scrubber water into account and the major reason to increasing acidifying nitrogen from ships are due to increasing ship traffic. This study also generates a database of scenarios for atmospheric deposition and scrubber exhaust from the period 2011 to 2050.


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 3803-3850 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Breitbarth ◽  
J. Gelting ◽  
J. Walve ◽  
L. J. Hoffmann ◽  
D. R. Turner ◽  
...  

Abstract. Iron chemistry measurements were conducted during summer 2007 at two distinct locations in the Baltic Sea (Gotland Deep and Landsort Deep) to evaluate the role of iron for cyanobacterial bloom development in these estuarine waters. Depth profiles of Fe(II) were measured by chemiluminescent flow injection analysis (CL-FIA) and reveal several origins of Fe(II) to the water column. Photoreduction of Fe(III)-complexes and deposition by rain are main sources of Fe(II) (up to 0.9 nmol L−1) in light penetrated surface waters. Indication for organic Fe(II) complexation resulting in prolonged residence times in oxygenated water was observed. Surface dwelling heterocystous cyanobacteria where mainly responsible for Fe(II) consumption in comparison to other phytoplankton. The significant Fe(II) concentrations in surface waters apparently play a major role in cyanobacterial bloom development in the Baltic Sea and are a major contributor to the Fe requirements of diazotrophs. Second, Fe(II) concentrations up to 1.44 nmol L−1 were observed at water depths below the euphotic zone, but above the oxic anoxic interface. Finally, all Fe(III) is reduced to Fe(II) in anoxic deep water. However, only a fraction thereof is present as ferrous ions (up to 28 nmol L−1) and was detected by the CL-FIA method applied. Despite their high concentrations, it is unlikely that ferrous ions originating from sub-oxic waters could be a temporary source of bioavailable iron to the euphotic zone since mixed layer depths after strong wind events are not deep enough in summer time.


Atomic Energy ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 358-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. Styro ◽  
Zh. V. Bumyalene ◽  
G. I. Kadzhene ◽  
I. V. Kleiza ◽  
M. V. Lukinskene ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2973-2988 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Wannicke ◽  
S. Endres ◽  
A. Engel ◽  
H.-P. Grossart ◽  
M. Nausch ◽  
...  

Abstract. Heterocystous cyanobacteria of the genus Nodularia form extensive blooms in the Baltic Sea and contribute substantially to the total annual primary production. Moreover, they dispense a large fraction of new nitrogen to the ecosystem when inorganic nitrogen concentration in summer is low. Thus, it is of ecological importance to know how Nodularia will react to future environmental changes, in particular to increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and what consequences there might arise for cycling of organic matter in the Baltic Sea. Here, we determined carbon (C) and dinitrogen (N2) fixation rates, growth, elemental stoichiometry of particulate organic matter and nitrogen turnover in batch cultures of the heterocystous cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena under low (median 315 μatm), mid (median 353 μatm), and high (median 548 μatm) CO2 concentrations. Our results demonstrate an overall stimulating effect of rising pCO2 on C and N2 fixation, as well as on cell growth. An increase in pCO2 during incubation days 0 to 9 resulted in an elevation in growth rate by 84 ± 38% (low vs. high pCO2) and 40 ± 25% (mid vs. high pCO2), as well as in N2 fixation by 93 ± 35% and 38 ± 1%, respectively. C uptake rates showed high standard deviations within treatments and in between sampling days. Nevertheless, C fixation in the high pCO2 treatment was elevated compared to the other two treatments by 97% (high vs. low) and 44% (high vs. mid) at day 0 and day 3, but this effect diminished afterwards. Additionally, elevation in carbon to nitrogen and nitrogen to phosphorus ratios of the particulate biomass formed (POC : POP and PON : POP) was observed at high pCO2. Our findings suggest that rising pCO2 stimulates the growth of heterocystous diazotrophic cyanobacteria, in a similar way as reported for the non-heterocystous diazotroph Trichodesmium. Implications for biogeochemical cycling and food web dynamics, as well as ecological and socio-economical aspects in the Baltic Sea are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 223 ◽  
pp. 595-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lindim ◽  
J. van Gils ◽  
I.T. Cousins ◽  
R. Kühne ◽  
D. Georgieva ◽  
...  

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. Styro ◽  
Zh. V. Bumyalene ◽  
G. I. Kadzhene ◽  
I. V. Kleiza ◽  
M. V. Lukinskene ◽  
...  

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junttila ◽  
Vähä ◽  
Perkola ◽  
Räike ◽  
Siimes ◽  
...  

The concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Finnish aquatic environment were measured in riverine waters and in inland, coastal and open sea fish. In addition, the PFAS load to the Baltic Sea from 11 rivers was calculated. Measurements show that PFASs, including restricted perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), are widely present in the Finnish aquatic environment. At three out of 45 sampling sites, the concentration of PFOS in fish exceeded the environmental quality standard (EQS) of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The annual average (AA) ∑23PFAS concentration in surface waters ranged from 1.8 to 42 ng L−1 and the concentration of PFOS exceeded the AA-EQS in three out of 13 water bodies. In European perch (Perca fluviatilis) and Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras), the ∑PFAS concentration ranged from 0.98 to 1 µg kg−1 f.w. (fresh weight) and from 0.2 to 2.4 µg kg−1 f.w., respectively. The highest concentrations in both surface water and fish were found in waters of southern Finland. The riverine export of ∑10PFAS to the Baltic Sea from individual rivers ranged from 0.4 kg yr−1 to 18 kg yr−1. PFAS concentrations in fish of point-source-polluted sites and coastal sites were higher compared to fish of open sea or diffusely polluted sites. The PFAS profiles in surface waters of background sites were different from other sites. This study shows that PFASs are widely found in the Finnish aquatic environment. Different PFAS profiles in samples from background areas and densely populated areas indicate diverse sources of PFASs. Although atmospheric deposition has a substantial influence on PFAS occurrence in remote areas, it is not the dominant source of all PFASs to the aquatic environment of Finland. Rather, wastewaters and presumably contaminated land areas are major sources of PFASs to this aquatic environment.


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