The distribution and interconversion of ammonium and nitrate in the Skallingen salt marsh (Denmark) and their exchange with the adjacent coastal water
✍ Scribed by Jensen, Arne ;Henriksen, Kaj ;Rasmussen, Michael Bo
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Year
- 1985
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 666 KB
- Volume
- 62
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1573-5052
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✦ Synopsis
The potential nitrogen sources for the primary production in the intertidal area are nitrogen compounds obtained from mineralization in the sediment and the water column, nitrogen fixation, outflow from rivers and groundwater seeping from the mainland.
The available inorganic nitrogen in the adjacent coastal waters decreases from 50-80 #mol NO 3 / 1 and 6-15 #mol NH+/1 in early spring to ca one tenth during the growing season. In the sediment of the tidal flats available ammonia and nitrate vary between 50 and 100 ~tmol/1 pw. In the salt marsh available ammonia increases from 200-300 nmol N H + / g fwt to approximately double the amount, and the available nitrate varies from 100-300 nmol NO3/g fwt (250-750 ~tmol NO~/1 pw) to ca one third during the growing season.
The exchange of NH +, NO 2 and NO 3-across the sediment water interface has been estimated during tidal cycles under light and dark conditions on the tidal flats. The flux of nitrogen was dependent on the flora and fauna as well as the time of the year.
The tidal activity, frequency and length of inundation are considered the driving force in a two-way process between salt marshes and adjacent coastal waters. The role of marsh sediment, tidal water and sediments of the tidal fiats as sites of accumulation, consumption and remineralization of organic matter is emphasized. The possible exchange of ammonia and nitrate between the salt marsh and the different compartments of the tidal water is discussed.