The effects of short-term increases in turbidity on sandflat microphytobenthic productivity and nutrient fluxes

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dc.contributor.authorPratt, Daniel Robert
dc.contributor.authorPilditch, Conrad A.
dc.contributor.authorLohrer, Andrew M.
dc.contributor.authorThrush, Simon F.
dc.coverage.spatialConference held at Hamilton, New Zealanden_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-27T04:18:39Z
dc.date.available2013-09-27T04:18:39Z
dc.date.copyright2013-07
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractTurbidity is a major limiting factor of benthic primary production and nutrient uptake on estuarine intertidal sandflats. Estuaries exhibit a wide range of suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs), however, few studies have quantified the effects of increasing SSC on ecosystem functioning. Here, we report on an in situ experiment examining the effects of short-term increases in SSC on intertidal sandflat benthic primary production and nutrient fluxes. Fine sediments (< 63 μm) were added to sunlit and darkened benthic chambers (0.25 m²) at concentrations ranging from 16 to 157 mg L⁻¹ and kept in suspension for a 4–5 h incubation period. In addition to solute fluxes we also measured sediment chlorophyll-a content and physical properties as covariables. In sunlit chambers, we observed a three-fold reduction in net primary production (NPP) with increasing SSC (NPP, R2 = 0.36, p = 0.01) and stronger reductions when NPP was standardised by sediment chlorophyll-a content (i.e., photosynthetic efficiency, NPPchl-a, R² = 0.62, p < 0.01). Concurrent with reductions in photosynthetic efficiency, there was a four-fold increase in nutrient efflux from the sediment to the water column (NH₄⁺, R2 = 0.44, p < 0.01). SSC had no effect on solute fluxes in darkened chambers. NPP was correlated with SSC and light intensity, whilst NH₄⁺ efflux was solely correlated to SSC. The results of this study imply that increased exposure to SSC associated with the tidal exchange of sediments from far-field sources may severely impair benthic primary productivity and increase the flux of inorganic nutrients from benthic to pelagic systems.en_NZ
dc.identifier.citationPratt, D. R., Pilditch, C.A., Lohrer, A. M., & Thrush, S. F. (2013). The effects of short-term increases in turbidity on sandflat microphytobenthic productivity and nutrient fluxes. Journal of Sea Research, published online on 24 July 2013.en_NZ
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.seares.2013.07.009en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10289/8032
dc.language.isoenen_NZ
dc.publisherElsevieren_NZ
dc.relation.isPartOfJournal of Sea Researchen_NZ
dc.relation.ispartofJournal of Sea Research
dc.relation.urihttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385110113001329en_NZ
dc.sourceJoint Conference for the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society, New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and the Australian Society for Fish Biology: Aquatic Science at the Interfaceen_NZ
dc.subjectbenthicen_NZ
dc.subjectintertidalen_NZ
dc.subjectmicrophytobenthosen_NZ
dc.subjectnutrientsen_NZ
dc.subjectprimary productivityen_NZ
dc.subjectturbidityen_NZ
dc.titleThe effects of short-term increases in turbidity on sandflat microphytobenthic productivity and nutrient fluxesen_NZ
dc.typeJournal Articleen_NZ
pubs.begin-page170en_NZ
pubs.elements-id23275
pubs.end-page177en_NZ
pubs.finish-date2013-08-23en_NZ
pubs.start-date2013-08-19en_NZ
pubs.volume92en_NZ
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