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Input of Nutritionally Rich Organic Matter from the Mississippi River to the Louisiana Coastal Zone

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Abstract

Isotopes have often been used to discern riverine subsidies to coastal food chains, but there are few direct measurements of nutritional quality of riverine particulates. We tested for nutritionally enriched organic matter in the Mississippi River suspended sediment and evidence for its delivery to Louisiana coastal sediments by measuring enzymatically hydrolysable amino acids (EHAA). Riverine suspended sediments contained EHAA concentrations of up to 5 mg g−1, higher than reported in any coastal sediment. Pigment concentrations indicated that EHAA in some river samples were dominated by phytoplankton, but many samples contained significant non-algal EHAA. Coastal sediments showed EHAA concentrations lower than riverine sediments but still higher than most reported shelf values. Incubation of riverine sediment showed losses of 28–34% of their EHAA over 6 days, similar to differences found between riverine and coastal sediments. EHAA concentrations decreased more rapidly than total nitrogen, indicating the relative lability of this pool of material in the studied region. These EHAA-enriched materials provide fuel for various coastal biota whose composition likely depends on factors such as disturbance regimes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank K. Hardy for help in the field and laboratory parts of this study. We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful suggestions. Vessel support was provided by the Louisiana University Marine Consortium. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (Integrated Carbon Research Program) and Office of Naval Research (DePSCOR). Contribution number 408 from the Darling Marine Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Darling Marine Center, School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Walpole, ME, 04573, USA

    Lawrence M. Mayer & Linda L. Schick

  2. Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas, J.J. Pickle Research Campus, Austin, TX, 78758-4445, USA

    Mead A. Allison

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  1. Lawrence M. Mayer
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  2. Linda L. Schick
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Correspondence to Lawrence M. Mayer.

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Mayer, L.M., Schick, L.L. & Allison, M.A. Input of Nutritionally Rich Organic Matter from the Mississippi River to the Louisiana Coastal Zone. Estuaries and Coasts 31, 1052–1062 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-008-9080-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-008-9080-5

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