Abstract
The movement of organic carbon was assessed by statistical and simulation modeling analyses in two marsh types in New Jersey;each marsh contained three water-drainage systems in which three tidal cycles were sampled in May and June 1973. Hourly water samples were obtained and filtered through a gelman Type A glass filter for separation into dissolved (DOC) and particulate (POC) organic carbon components of the total organic carbon (TOC). Simulation data showed that individual creeks and marshes functioned differently on the sampled tidal cycles in regard to net movement of water and organic carbon components. Organic carbon components exhibited similar tidal variations, with significantly lower concentrations at flood slack than at ebb slack. Mid-ebb concentrations were significantly higher than mid-flood concentrations for TOC and POC. Individual marshes showed significantly different concentrations in the latter segments of the tidal cycle for TOC's and POC's. Results indicate that individual creeks, marshes and tidal cycles are not representative of the total movement of organic carbon in estuaries.
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Communicated by M.R. Tripp, Newark
Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cook College, rutgers—The state University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA.
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Shisler, J.K., Jobbins, D.M. Tidal variations in the movement of organic carbon in New Jersey salt marshes. Marine Biology 40, 127–134 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00396258
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00396258