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The influence of mussel beds on nutrients in the Western Wadden Sea and Eastern Scheldt estuaries

Estuaries volume 14, pages 130–138 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

The uptake and release of materials by intertidal mussel beds were directly measured in two cultivated Dutch estuaries. Generally, chlorophylla, seston, and particulate organic carbon were taken up, while ammonium, orthophosphate, and silicate were released. The observed rates were higher than values computed from organismic observations and similar to those observed for intertidal oyster reefs in South Carolina. Specific estuarine material turnover rates varied from 1 week to 38 weeks when calculated with mussel bed fluxes. The fastest turnover rates were for chlorophylla and ammonium. These results support the idea that dense assemblages of bivalves are major components in the recycling of nutrients in estuaries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coastal Carolina College, University of South Carolina, 29526, Conway, South Carolina

    Richard Dame

  2. Research Institute for Nature Management, P.O. Box 59, 1790, Den Burg Texel, The Netherlands

    Norbert Dankers & Henk Jongsma

  3. Delta Institute for Hydrobiological Research, Vierstraat 28, 4401 EA, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    Theo Prins

  4. Rijkswaterstaat Tidal Waters Division, Ministry of Transportation and Public Works, P.O. Box 8039, 4330 EA, Middelburg, The Netherlands

    Aad Smaal

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  1. Richard Dame
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  2. Norbert Dankers
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  3. Theo Prins
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  4. Henk Jongsma
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  5. Aad Smaal
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Dame, R., Dankers, N., Prins, T. et al. The influence of mussel beds on nutrients in the Western Wadden Sea and Eastern Scheldt estuaries. Estuaries 14, 130–138 (1991). https://doi.org/10.2307/1351686

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Keywords

  • Phytoplankton
  • Particulate Organic Carbon
  • Turnover Time
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series
  • Oyster Reef