Major Biological Processes in European Tidal Estuaries: 110 (Developments in Hydrobiology, 110) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0792336992 ISBN 13: 9780792336990

Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1995

Synopsis

Table 1. State variables modeled in MOSES. State variable Units Estuaries are characterized by a strong diversity in car- bon sources. This is because of the existence of an 3 Fast-decay detritus g- intertidal habitat, the supply of nutrients and organic 3 Slow-decay detritus g- material from the river and from the sea and the input of 3 gCm- Freshwater diatoms matter from human origin. If turbidity remains limited, 3 Freshwater flagellates g- estuaries can also support a high primary production 3 Brackish and marine diatoms g- as nutrients are abundant. Nevertheless, estuaries are 3 Cm- Brackish and marine flagellates usually heterotrophic ecosystems (Billen et aI. , 1991; 3 gCm- Micro-zooplankton Smith & Hollibaugh, 1993) where respiratory process- 3 Brackish meso-zooplankton gCm- 3 es exceed in situ production. Marine meso-zooplankton gCm- 2 3 gCm- The Westerschelde estuary (260 km in SAWES, Hyperbenthos 3 gSim- Detrital silicate 1991) drains about 21580 square kilometres ofland in 3 gSim- Dissolved silicate one of the most densely populated and highly industri- 3 gNm- Nitrate and nitrite alised regions of Europe (Wollast, 1988). This estuary 3 gNm- Ammonia is unusual due to the high degree of eutrophication 3 gOm- Oxygen which results from the discharge of untreated wastes 3 gCl m- Chlorides (Heip, 1988) and due to the high residence time of the 3 gm- Suspended matter water masses (Soetaert & Herman, 1995a).

About this title

Synopsis

This work presents results of the project "Major Biological Processes in European Tidal Estuaries", funded by the Commission of the European Communities under its Marine Science and Technology Programme. This was one of the first projects in which a large number of European macrotidal estuaries, from the Elbe to the Tagus, were studied simultaneously and compared in a coherent way by application of a standardized methodology. It revealed that these estuaries have many species in common and that their ecology can be understood on the basis of a common concept. A major result of the comparison is that, while salinity gradients explain species succession very well within each estuary, similar succession series are found at different salinity levels in different estuaries. Organic loading and the availability of food may explain these differences. Overall, organic loading appears more important in explaining the functioning of tidal estuarine systems than nutrient loading.

Edition details

• Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0792336992
• ISBN 13: 9780792336990
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 284
• Editor: Heip C.H.R., Herman Peter M.J.