Nutrient cycling and plant dynamics in estuaries: A brief review

Flindt, Mogens; Pardal, Miguel Ângelo; Lillebø, Ana I.; Martins, Irene; Marques, João Carlos

doi:10.1016/s1146-609x(99)00142-3

Cited by 144 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Macroalgae has a key role in biogeochemical cycles and acts as a food source and habitat for grazing marine animals and small estuarine invertebrates (Flindt et al, 1999;Melville, 2005). Macroalgae are exposed to steep environmental gradients, including immersion and submersion during tidal cycles, and fl uctuating temperature, salinity, light and nutrient levels (Fitzgerald, 1978;Arnold and Murray, 1980;Gordon et al, 1980;Shellem and Josselyn, 1982;Pregnall and Rudy, 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of macroalgal communities along the Yantai coast, China

Han

Liu

2014

Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol.

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To explore the impact of environmental variables on macroalgal communities, their temporal and spatial distributions were examined along the Yantai coast, China between April 2010 and March 2011. Macroalgae sampling was conducted monthly at four sites along the coast: Jiahe River estuary, Zhifu Island, Fisherman's Wharf, and Yangma Island. The species composition and abundance, and their relationship with environmental variables were assessed. Along the Yantai coast, 35 macroalgae species were identifi ed, including 24 Rhodophyta spp., 7 Chlorophyta, and 4 Phaeophyta spp. Highest species numbers were recorded in the summer at all sampling sites, except in the Jiahe River estuary. Macroalgae biomass was the greatest in the summer. Year-round, the highest species number and dry biomass recorded at Fisherman's Wharf and Yangma Island was attributed to the substrate type. In summer, Ulva pertusa Kjellman was the dominant species identifi ed along the Yantai coast, which indicates a risk of macroalgae blooms. Our results show that seawater temperature and nutrients appear to signifi cantly affect the temporal and spatial patterns of macroalgal abundance along the Yantai coast. The effects of environmental variables on the macroalgae on the Yantai coast need further study.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of macroalgal communities along the Yantai coast, China

Han

Liu

2014

Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol.

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“…Indeed, mineralization rates were higher in the tidal treatments across both grassland soil types, probably as a results of (temporarily) oxic conditions in these treatments (Flindt et al 1999). Denitrification rates however, were not positively affected by tide, even lower denitrification rates were measured for tidally treated agricultural grassland soil monoliths in October 2004, compared to the stagnant treatments.…”

Section: Effects Of Tidementioning

confidence: 85%

“…They provide a range of goods and services; for example, they play a major role in water purification and nutrient retention of large river systems (Tappin 2002;Neubauer et al 2005;Gribsholt et al 2005). In the last century, these systems have become globally threatened by river regulation (Ibanez et al 1996;Coops et al 1999), pollution (Bryan and Langston 1992;Hawkins et al 2002), eutrophication (Flindt et al 1999;Conley 1999;Kemp et al 2005) and even complete closure of estuaries by dams for safety reasons or freshwater supply (Tenbrinke et al 1994;Smit et al 1997).…”

Section: ó Springer Science+business Media Bv 2007mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We expected biogeochemical nitrogen conversion rates to be higher in soils subjected to a tidal water regime due to a continuous fluctuation in oxygen supply, promoting both anaerobic (denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium) and aerobic processes (aerobic mineralization and nitrification) (e.g., Verhoeven et al 1998;Flindt et al 1999;Eriksson et al 2003). In addition, we hypothesized that at least at the start of the experiment conversion rates would be lower in soils treated with oligohaline water compared to freshwater, as the microbial communities present are assumed to be specifically adapted to freshwater conditions and therefore would perform less under oligohaline conditions (Coci et al 2005).…”

Section: ó Springer Science+business Media Bv 2007mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4a), most likely by denitrification or consumption by plants and algae. In the field situation, nitrate would be replenished continuously by either river water input (e.g., Jordan et al 1983;Howarth et al 1996;Verhoeven et al 2006) or possibly also by nitrogen-enriched groundwater (Flindt et al 1999;Tappin 2002). The overall depletion of nitrogen in the mesocosms was also visible in the decrease in organic nitrogen over 1 year (Table 3, T-test all measurements combined, t = 3.952, P = 0.000) and the significantly lower nitrogen concentrations in plant tissue at the end of the experiment (not shown) compared to concentrations at the end of the first growing season (October 2004).…”

Section: Mesocosm Application Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Response of nitrogen dynamics in semi-natural and agricultural grassland soils to experimental variation in tide and salinity

et al. 2007

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In the framework of rehabilitation efforts to enhance the ecological value of closed-off estuaries, we studied the effects of restoring a tidal movement and seawater incursion on soil nitrogen conversion rates and vegetation response of semi-natural and agricultural grasslands in an outdoor mesocosm experiment. Intact soil monoliths including vegetation were collected in June 2004 on two locations on the shores of the Haringvliet lagoon in the southwestern part of the Netherlands, which used to be a well-developed estuary before closure in 1970. For more than 1 year, soil monoliths were continuously subjected to a full-factorial combination of tidal treatment [stagnant/tidal (0.20 m amplitude)] and water type [(freshwater, oligohaline (salinity = 3)]. Soil, soil moisture and water nitrogen concentrations were monitored for a year, as well as vegetation response and nitrogen conversion rates in the soil. As expected, nitrogen mineralization rates were enhanced by the tidal treatment in comparison with the stagnant treatment. Denitrification rates however, were much less affected by tide and were even lower in the tidal treatments after 3 months in the agricultural grassland soils, implying that in general, soils were more oxic in the tidal treatments. Oligohaline treatments had virtually no effect on soil nitrogen conversion rates compared to freshwater treatments. Vegetation performance, however, was lower under saline conditions, especially in the semi-natural grassland. No further significant differences in response to the tidal and oligohaline treatments were found between the two soils although they differed strongly in soil characteristics. We conclude that if the rehabilitation measures in the former Haringvliet estuary are carried out as planned, drastic changes in soil nitrogen processes and vegetation composition will not occur.

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Community shifts, alternative stable states, biogeochemical controls and feedbacks in eutrophic coastal lagoons: a brief overview

Viaroli

Bartoli

Giordani

et al. 2008

Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst.

186

121

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ABSTRACT(1) The succession of primary producer communities in coastal lagoons is analysed in the light of the regime shift theory. Pristine coastal lagoons are considered to be dominated by extensive meadows of seagrass species, which are assumed to take advantage of nutrient supply from sediments. An increasing nutrient input is thought to favour phytoplankton and/or epiphytic micro-, macroalgae as well as opportunistic ephemeral macroalgae that coexist with seagrasses. In the latest stages of this succession, the imbalance of phosphorus to nitrogen ratio can favour macroalgal, cyanobacteria and/or picoplankton blooms, often causing dystrophy.(2) The primary causes of shifts and succession in the macrophyte community are nutrient loadings, mainly nitrogen, as well as changes in coastal hydrology or interactions between them. To some extent, in very shallow choked lagoons, benthic vegetation is mainly controlled by loading rates, while in open deep estuaries hydromorphological factors predominate.(3) External stressors/perturbations cause an amplification in benthic biogeochemical processes, e.g. wide variations in primary productivity and dark respiration, with large oscillations in oxygen and sulphide concentrations. Altered biogeochemical processes can determine positive feedbacks inducing a shift from pristine to altered macrophyte communities, which in turn amplify the perturbation until the shift becomes irreversible.(4) Macrophyte typology, organic matter composition and sedimentary geochemistry are primary factors in controlling feedbacks and shifts. For example, the sedimentary buffering capacity of iron controls sulphide and phosphates, while nitrogen cycling is mainly controlled by primary producers -microbial process interactions.(5) The alternative states which occur through the transition from pristine to modified primary producer communities can also be viewed as a sequence of stable states with different degrees of embedded information and with different ecological functions.

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Nutrient cycling and plant dynamics in estuaries: A brief review

Cited by 144 publications

References 29 publications

Temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of macroalgal communities along the Yantai coast, China

Temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of macroalgal communities along the Yantai coast, China

Response of nitrogen dynamics in semi-natural and agricultural grassland soils to experimental variation in tide and salinity

Community shifts, alternative stable states, biogeochemical controls and feedbacks in eutrophic coastal lagoons: a brief overview

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