Sediment Grain Size Effect on Benthic Microalgal Biomass in Shallow Aquatic Ecosystems Technical Report
- Author
- Cahoon, L. B., J. E. Nearhoof, et al.
- Year
- 1999
- Journal / Source
- Estuaries
- Volume
- 22
- Number
- 3
- Month
- September
- Pages
- 735-741
- Keywords
- Benthic microalgal biomass, sediment grain-size distribution, North Carolina, Manukau Harbour
- Summary
- This paper describes an investigation of the importance of sediment grain-size as a factor controlling benthic microalgal biomass in shallow water systems. Benthic microalgal samples were collected from two North Carolina bays and one New Zealand harbour. THREATS IDENTIFIED AND/OR DESCRIBED: Sedimentation SCOPE OF SPECIES, HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS IMPACTED: Benthic microalgal communities SPATIAL EXTENT OF THREAT STUDIED: Two sets of North Carolina estuaries, Massachusetts and Cape Cod bays, and Manukau Harbour in New Zealand TEMPORAL EXTENT OF THREAT STUDIED: Short-term - days to weeks DATASETS USED IN THE ANALYSES: Benthic chlorophyll-a concentration and sediment grain-size distributions METHODOLOGY USED TO IDENTIFY AND DETERMINE SEVERITY OF THREAT: Correlation analysis between microalgal chlorophyll-a concentration and sediment grain size characteristics KEY FINDINGS OF THE ANALYSIS: A negative relationship between the proportion of fine sediments and benthic microalgal biomass suggests anthropogenic loadings of fine sediment may reduce the biological productivity of shallow-water ecosystems.
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