Storm-induced sediment resuspension in the Changjiang River Estuary leads to alleviation of phosphorus limitation

Mengfan Wu; Fuxia Yang; Qingzhen Yao; Lex Bouwman; Panpan Wang

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111628

Storm-induced sediment resuspension in the Changjiang River Estuary leads to alleviation of phosphorus limitation

Mar Pollut Bull. 2020 Nov:160:111628. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111628. Epub 2020 Sep 12.

Authors

Mengfan Wu¹, Fuxia Yang¹, Qingzhen Yao², Lex Bouwman³, Panpan Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
² Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: qzhyao@ouc.edu.cn.
³ Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Department of Earth Sciences - Geochemistry, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80021, 3508, TA, Utrecht, the Netherlands; PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, P.O. Box 30314, 2500, GH, The Hague, the Netherlands.

PMID: 32932054
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111628

Abstract

This paper presents an incubation experiment with sediment cores from the Changjiang Estuary Mud Area (CEMA) to quantify the release of nutrients due to simulated resuspension. The results show that except for nitrate (NO₃^--N), phosphate (PO₄^3--P), ammonium (NH₄⁺-N), nitrite (NO₂^--N) and silicate (SiO₃^2--Si) were released from the sediment to the overlying water, primarily due to desorption (P), dissolution (SiO₃^2--Si) and mineralization (NH₄⁺-N) with only minor direct contributions from the sediment pore water. The significant release of nutrients by resuspension and subsequent processes can alleviate the phosphorus and silicon limitation in water bodies, enhance the growth of phytoplankton, and thus promote the oxygen consumption and ultimately lead to hypoxia. The results of this study are highly relevant for many coastal areas in other parts of the world with large amounts of stored organic matter and nutrients in sediments and frequent perturbation by storm events.

Keywords: Chanjiang River Estuary; Hypoxia; Nutrients; Resuspension; Sediment.

MeSH terms

China
Estuaries
Geologic Sediments
Nitrogen / analysis
Phosphorus / analysis
Rivers*
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Phosphorus
Nitrogen