You are here:
SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION OF CARBON IN THE PENSACOLA BAY SYSTEM (ABSTRACT)
Citation:
Pasko, E M., J M. Macauley, AND J K. Summers. SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION OF CARBON IN THE PENSACOLA BAY SYSTEM (ABSTRACT). Presented at To be presented at Gulf of Mexico Symposium 2000, Mobile, AL, April 9-12, 2000.
Description:
Carbon cycling is an important process in estuarine ecosystems, but is highly variable among systems. Precipitation is one of the driving factors of this cycle. Seasonal carbon concentrations were measured from 1997 through 1998 in Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound, Florida, located in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Concentrations (mg/L) of particulate organic carbon (POC) were determined using a Carlo Erba< 1500 C:H:N analyzer, and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured with a Shimadzu< TOC 5050. Spatial and temporal distribution of carbon were characterized within the system. Data suggests that carbon amounts vary seasonally in the system. The highest average DOC values were generally found in summer, and the lowest in the winter. Similarly, POC had the highest average in summer and lowest average in winter. The possible sources of the carbon will be examined through a comparison of the particulate and dissolved components. Preliminary comparisons of the carbon data suggest that the amount and type of carbon varies depending on location within the system and is influenced by precipitation.