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OXYGEN UPTAKE AND NUTRIENT REGENERATION IN THE PECONIC ESTUARY
Citation:
Howes, B. L., D. R. Schlezinger, N. P. Millham, G. Hampson, D. D. Goehringer, Center for Marine Science and Technology, AND S. Aubrey, Aubrey Consulting, Inc. OXYGEN UPTAKE AND NUTRIENT REGENERATION IN THE PECONIC ESTUARY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Description:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: OXYGEN UPTAKE AND NUTRIENT REGENERATION IN THE PECONIC ESTUARY Rates of oxygen consumption and nutrient regeneration were measured annually throughout the Peconic Estuarine System. Sediment and water column oxygen uptake were measured to determine the potential for bottom water hypoxia and the magnitude of organic matter cycling throughout the system. Sediment oxygen demand was found to dominate oxygen uptake within the upper estuary with water column processes becoming increasingly important in the better flushed deeper waters of the outer estuary. Water column respiration appeared to be dominated by phytoplankton production. The potential for periodic depletions of bottom water dissolved oxygen focused on the warmer summer periods when oxygen pools are lowest and the rates of consumption highest. Within the poorly flushed upper estuary, observations of periodic water column stratification and rates of oxygen consumption indicated the potential for the depletion of dissolved oxygen to ecologically stressful levels (