Rain-water (Water-supply) -- North Carolina -- Wilmington -- Analysis
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Kelly Lynne Taylor (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
- Advisor
- G. Brooks Avery
Abstract: This study presents the first extensive examination of the effect of sandy beach sediments on dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), nitrate and ammonium fluxes to the coastal ocean. Through a combination of in situ measurements and laboratory sand extraction experiments, it was determined that after exposure of seawater to the sandy beach sediments, concentrations of DOC, DON, nitrate and ammonium were elevated, clearly demonstrating that these sediments are a source of these constituents. On a per meter squared basis, the flux of DOC, DON and nitrate from these sandy sediments was higher than Chesapeake Bay sediments and higher in all constituents than rainwater. In a coastal bay such as Onslow Bay, which has no major riverine input, sandy beach sediments likely supply a significant amount of DOC, DON, and DIN to the coastal zone. The supply of nitrate from these sediments is particularly important accounting for approximately 18% of the standing stock of nitrate in Onslow Bay on an annual basis. Both nitrate and ammonium released from these sediments were rapidly consumed. The nitrate concentrations were correlated to chlorophyll a while DON concentrations remained high indicating that nitrate was driving primary productivity in the coastal waters and that DON was not very bioavailable.
Rain-water (Water-supply) -- North Carolina -- Wilmington -- Analysis
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Seawater--Organic compound content--North Carolina--Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.), Seawater--Organic compound content--North Carolina--Onslow Bay, Sedimentation and deposition--Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)--Analysis, Sedimentation and deposition--North Carolina--Onslow Bay--Analysis
- Subjects
- Sedimentation and deposition -- Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.) -- Analysis
- Sedimentation and deposition -- North Carolina -- Onslow Bay -- Analysis
- Seawater -- Organic compound content -- North Carolina -- Onslow Bay
- Seawater -- Organic compound content -- North Carolina -- Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)