The effect of benthic microalgal photosynthetic oxygen production on nitrogen fluxes across the sediment-water interface in a shallow, sub-tropical estuary

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dc.contributor.advisorCornwell, Jeffrey Cen_US
dc.contributor.authorBurton Evans, Jessica Landisen_US
dc.contributor.departmentMarine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciencesen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2005-10-11T10:53:02Z
dc.date.available2005-10-11T10:53:02Z
dc.date.issued2005-08-15en_US
dc.description.abstractBenthic microalgae (BMA) are a highly productive component of benthic ecosystems. BMA production and nitrogen fluxes were examined in four sub-basins of Florida Bay, in both seagrass and seagrass-free patches, as well as seasonally in a persistent seagrass-free patch in eastern Florida Bay. BMA biomass and oxygen production was highest in seagrass-free sediments with little seasonal variability. Despite high porewater NH4+ concentrations there was little NH4+ efflux. As in temperate estuaries, sub-tropical BMA production and N-assimilation act as a filter to prevent the release of nutrients to the water column. Microelectrode measurements revealed that BMA production causes a doubling of the depth to which O2 penetrates, increasing suitable conditions for nitrification and coupled denitrification. However, the presence of H2S in surface sediments can inhibit nitrification, and there is little nitrogen removal from Florida Bay by denitrification. As a result, BMA N-assimilation is an important nutrient sink in this oligotrophic estuary.en_US
dc.format.extent757615 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2998
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledEnvironmental Sciencesen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledBiology, Oceanographyen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledBiology, Ecologyen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledbenthic microalgaeen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledmicrophytobenthosen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledoxygen productionen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrollednitrogenen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolleddenitrificationen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledmicroelectrodeen_US
dc.titleThe effect of benthic microalgal photosynthetic oxygen production on nitrogen fluxes across the sediment-water interface in a shallow, sub-tropical estuaryen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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