Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sediment-water exchange of dissolved nutrients at an intertidal site in the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy

  • Published:
Estuaries Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Concentrations of dissolved nitrate, silicate, and phosphate in water flooding intertidal sediments at Pecks Cove and along the axis of Cumberland Basin, Bay of Fundy were measured throughout the year. Exchanges of dissolved nutrients between intertidal sediments and overlying water were measured by enclosing water in chambers over undisturbed sediment. Nitrate concentrations in the water usually decreased during incubations while silicate was released by sediments during summer and consumed during fall. Particles which settled in sediment traps exposed during periods of high tide were stirred in filtered seawater to measure nutrient exchange. The flux of nutrients between the intertidal sediments and settled particles and seawater was estimated from incubation experiments and the observed nitrogen content in surface sediments and suspended particulate material. There was a net import of dissolved nitrate and silicate into Cumberland Basin from Chignecto Bay during early summer, at all other times there was a net export. Despite the low primary productivity and rigorous physical environment, biological activity has a measurable impact on dissolved nutrient concentrations in the waters of Cumberland Basin.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Amos, C. L. 1984. An overview of sedimentological research in the Bay of Fundy, p. 31–44.In D. C. Gordon, Jr., and M. J. Dadswell (eds.), Update on the Marine Environmental Consequences of Tidal Power Development in the Upper Reaches of the Bay of Fundy. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. No. 1256.

  • Andesen, F. O.. 1986. Influence ofSpartina detritus enrichment on exchange of nutrients between sediment and water in an intertidal area of Bay of Fundy.Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 29: 7–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, D. 1978. Redox potential profiles.In B. T. Hargrave (ed.), Geochemical and Biological Observations in Intertidal Sediments from Cobequid Bay, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia.Fish. Mar. Ser. Tech. Rep. No. 782. 43 p.

  • Degobbis, D.. 1973. On the storage of seawater samples for ammonia determination.Limnol. Oceanogr. 23:1069–1072.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eppley, R. W., andB. J. Peterson. 1979. Particulate organic matter flux and planktonic new production in the deep sea.Nature Lond. 282:677–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flint, R. W., andD. Kamykowski. 1984. Benthic nutrient regeneration in south Texas coastal waters.Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci. 18:221–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glibert, P. M.. 1982. Regional studies of daily, seasonal and size fraction variability in ammonium remineralization.Mar. Biol. 70:209–222.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glibert, P. M., andT. C. Loder. 1977. Automated Analysis of Nutrients in Seawater; a Manual of Techniques. Woods Hole Oceanographic Tech. Rep. 77-47:1–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, D. C., Jr., andJ. W. Baretta. 1982. A preliminary comparison of two turbid coastal ecosystems: The Dollard (Netherlands-FRG) and the Cumberland Basin (Canada).Hydrobiol. Bull. 16:255–267.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, D. C., Jr., P. D. Keizer, J. Dale, and P. J. Cranford. 1980. Pecks Cove Mudflat Ecosystem Study: Observations in 1978. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. No. 928. 17 p.

  • Cordon, D. C., Jr.,P. D. Keizer, G. R. Daborn, P. Schwinghamer, andW. L. Silvert. 1986. Adventures in holistic ecosystem modelling: The Cumberland Basin ecosystem model.Neth. J. Sea Res. 20:325–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, D. C., Jr.,P. J. Cranford, andC. Desplanque. 1985. Observations on the ecological importance of salt marshes in the Cumberland Basin, a macrotidal estuary in the Bay of Fundy.Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci. 20:205–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hargrave, B. T., andG. F. Connolly. 1978. A device to collect supernatant water for measurement of the flux of dissolved compounds across sediment surfaces.Limnol. Oceanogr. 23:1005–1010.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hargrave, B. T., N. J. Prouse, G. A. Phillips, andP. A. Neame. 1983. Primary production and respiration in pelagic and benthic communities at two intertidal sites in the upper Bay of Fundy.Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 40:1331–1342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helder, W., andF. O. Andersen. 1987. An experimental approach to quantify biologically mediated dissolved silicate transport at the sediment-water interface.Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 39:305–311.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helder, W., R. T. P. De Vries, andM. M. Rutgers Van Der Loeff. 1983. Behaviour of nitrogen nutrients and dissolved silica in the Ems-Dollard Estuary.Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 40(Suppl. I):188–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keizer, P. D., andD. C. Gordon, Jr. 1985. Nutrient dynamics in Cumberland Basin-Chignecto Bay, a turbid macrotidal estuary in the Bay of Fundy Canada.Neth. J. Sea Res. 19:193–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keizer, P. D., D. C. Gordon, Jr., P. Schwinghamer, G. R. Daborn, and W. Ebenhoeh. 1987. Cumberland Basin Ecosystem Model: Structure, Performance and Evaluation. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. No. 1547. 220 p.

  • Kjerfve, B., andJ. A. Proehl. 1979. Velocity variability in a cross-section of a well-mixed estuary.J. Mar. Res. 37:409–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klump, J. V., andC. S. Martens. 1983. Benthic nitrogen regeneration, p. 411–457.In E. J. Carpenter and D. G. Capone (eds.), Nitrogen in the Marine Environment. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loder, T. C., andR. P. Reichard. 1981. The dynamics of conservative mixing in estuaries.Estuaries 4:64–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, J. J., W. R. Taylor, andJ. L. Taff. 1977. Nitrogenous nutrition of the plankton in Chesapeake Bay. I. Nutrient availability and phytoplankton preferences.Limnol. Oceanogr. 22:996–1011.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nixon, S. W.. 1981. Remineralization and nutrient cycling in coastal marine ecosystems, p. 111–138.In B. J. Neilson and L. E. Cronin (eds.), Estuaries and Nutrients. Humana Press, New Jersey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pilson, M. E. Q.. 1985. Annual cycles of nutrients and chlorophyll in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.J. Mar. Res. 43: 849–873.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, G. T., C. H. Clifford, K. L. Smith, Jr., andP. L. Lawrence. 1975. Benthic nutrient regeneration and its coupling to primary productivity in coastal waters.Nature Lond. 255:215–217.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutgers Van Der Loeff, M. M., F. B. Van Es, W. Heilder, andR. T. P. De Vries. 1981. Sediment water exchanges of nutrients and oxygen on tidal flats in the Ems-Dollard estuary.Neth. J. Sea Res. 15:113–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, J. H., C. H. Culberson, andT. M. Church. 1982a. The chemistry of the Delaware estuary: General considerations.Limnol. Oceanogr. 27:1015–1028.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, J. H., A. C. Frake, G. B. Hillier, andP. A. Underhill. 1982b. Modeling nutrient regeneration in the ocean with an aquarium system.Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 8:15–23.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. L., J. McLachlan, andD. G. Patriquin. 1979. Nitrogen fixation, as determined by acetylene reduction, in two salt marshes of Minas Basin.Proc. N. S. Inst. Sci. 29:381–392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solorzano, L.. 1969. Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenol-hypochlorite method.Limnol. Oceanogr. 14:799–801.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valiela, I.. 1983. Nitrogen in salt marsh ecosystems, p. 649–678.In E. J. Carpenter and D. G. Capone (eds.), Nitrogen in the Marine Environment. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Water Survey. 1979. Surface Water Data. Atlantic Provinces, Ottawa, Canada. 111 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Water Survey. 1980. Surface Water Data. Atlantic Provinces, Ottawa, Canada, 105 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeitzschel, B.. 1980. Sediment-water interactions in nutrient dynamics, p. 195–218.In K. R. Tenore and B. C. Coull (eds.), Marine Benthic Dynamics. Univ. South Carolina Press, Columbia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 1006, B2Y 4A2, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

    P. D. Keizer, B. T. Hargrave & D. C. Gordon

Authors
  1. P. D. Keizer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. T. Hargrave
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. C. Gordon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Keizer, P.D., Hargrave, B.T. & Gordon, D.C. Sediment-water exchange of dissolved nutrients at an intertidal site in the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy. Estuaries 12, 1–12 (1989). https://doi.org/10.2307/1351444

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1351444

Keywords

Search

Navigation