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Seasonal and short-term variation in denitrification and anammox at a coastal station on the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea

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Abstract

Benthic processes were measured at a coastal deposition area in the northern Baltic Sea, covering all seasons. The N2 production rates, 90–400 μmol N m−2 d−1, were highest in autumn-early winter and lowest in spring. Heterotrophic bacterial production peaked unexpectedly late in the year, indicating that in addition to the temperature, the availability of carbon compounds suitable for the heterotrophic bacteria also plays a major role in regulating the denitrification rate. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) was measured in spring and autumn and contributed 10% and 15%, respectively, to the total N2 production. The low percentage did, however, result in a significant error in the total N2 production rate estimate, calculated using the isotope pairing technique. Anammox must be taken into account in the Gulf of Finland in future sediment nitrogen cycling research.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Hauta-aho (University of Helsinki) warmly for the oxygen consumption data. This study was funded by the Academy of Finland BIREME programme, and conducted through the SEGUE Consortium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. BOX 65, Helsinki, 00014, Finland

    Susanna Hietanen & Jorma Kuparinen

  2. Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Hanko, 10900, Finland

    Susanna Hietanen & Jorma Kuparinen

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  1. Susanna Hietanen
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  2. Jorma Kuparinen
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Correspondence to Susanna Hietanen.

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Handling editor: J. Cole

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Hietanen, S., Kuparinen, J. Seasonal and short-term variation in denitrification and anammox at a coastal station on the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea. Hydrobiologia 596, 67–77 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9058-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9058-5

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