Biogeochemistry of bulk organic matter and biogenic elements in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent sea

Bin Yang; Lu Cao; Su-Mei Liu; Guo-Sen Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.003

Biogeochemistry of bulk organic matter and biogenic elements in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent sea

Mar Pollut Bull. 2015 Jul 15;96(1-2):471-84. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.003. Epub 2015 May 7.

Authors

Bin Yang¹, Lu Cao², Su-Mei Liu³, Guo-Sen Zhang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education/Qingdao Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Qinzhou University, Qinzhou 535099, China.
² Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education/Qingdao Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ocean Environment Monitoring Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences Institute of Oceanographic Instrumentation, Qingdao 266001, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education/Qingdao Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: sumeiliu@ouc.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.

PMID: 25960273
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.05.003

Abstract

This study investigated the distribution and roles of total organic carbon (TOC), biogenic silicon (BSi), various forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and the stable carbon isotope (δ(13)C) in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) and adjacent sea. Terrestrial input accounted for 12-63% of total organic matter in the study area. The distribution of biogenic elements was affected by the Changjiang Diluted Water, the Jiangsu Coastal Current, human activities, marine biological processes, and the sediment grain size. Potentially bioavailable N and P accounted for an average 79.6% of the total N (TN) and 31.8% of the total P (TP), respectively. The burial fluxes for TOC, BSi, TN and TP were 39.74-2194.32, 17.34-517.48, 5.02-188.85 and 3.10-62.72 μmol cm(-2) yr(-1), respectively. The molar ratios of total N/P (1.2-5.0), Si/P (5.0-14.8) and Fe/P (21-61) indicated that much of the P was sequestered in sediments.

Keywords: Biogenic elements; Biogeochemical cycling; East China Sea; Surface sediments; Yangtze River Estuary.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carbon / analysis
Carbon Isotopes / analysis
China
Environmental Monitoring*
Estuaries*
Geologic Sediments / chemistry*
Nitrogen / analysis
Oceans and Seas*
Particle Size
Phosphorus / analysis
Silicon Dioxide / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry

Substances

Carbon Isotopes
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Phosphorus
Carbon
Silicon Dioxide
Nitrogen