Using spatial variability in the rate of change of chlorophyll a to improve water quality management in a subtropical oligotrophic estuary
Date
2019-08-02Author
Millette, Nicole
Concept link
Kelble, Christopher R.
Concept link
Linhoss, Anna C.
Concept link
Ashby, Steve
Concept link
Visser, Lindsey
Concept link
Metadata
Show full item recordCitable URI
https://hdl.handle.net/1912/25046As published
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00610-5DOI
10.1007/s12237-019-00610-5Abstract
Anthropogenic eutrophication threatens numerous aquatic ecosystems across the globe. Proactive management that prevents a system from becoming eutrophied is more effective and cheaper than restoring a eutrophic system, but detecting early warning signs and problematic nutrient sources in a relatively healthy system can be difficult. The goal of this study was to investigate if rates of change in chlorophyll a and nutrient concentrations at individual stations can be used to identify specific areas that need to be targeted for management. Biscayne Bay is a coastal embayment in southeast Florida with primarily adequate water quality that has experienced rapid human population growth over the last century. Water quality data collected at 48 stations throughout Biscayne Bay over a 20-year period (1995–2014) were examined to identify any water quality trends associated with eutrophication. Chlorophyll a and phosphate concentrations have increased throughout Biscayne Bay, which is a primary indicator of eutrophication. Moreover, chlorophyll a concentrations throughout the northern area, where circulation is restricted, and in nearshore areas of central Biscayne Bay are increasing at a higher rate compared to the rest of the Bay. This suggests increases in chlorophyll a are due to local nutrient sources from the watershed. These areas are also where recent seagrass die-offs have occurred, suggesting an urgent need for management intervention. This is in contrast with the state of Florida listing of Biscayne Bay as a medium priority impaired body of water.
Description
© The Author(s), 2019. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Millette, N. C., Kelble, C., Linhoss, A., Ashby, S., & Visser, L. Using spatial variability in the rate of change of chlorophyll a to improve water quality management in a subtropical oligotrophic estuary. Estuaries and Coasts, 42(7), (2019): 1792-1803, doi:10.1007/s12237-019-00610-5.
Collections
Suggested Citation
Millette, N. C., Kelble, C., Linhoss, A., Ashby, S., & Visser, L. (2019). Using spatial variability in the rate of change of chlorophyll a to improve water quality management in a subtropical oligotrophic estuary. Estuaries and Coasts, 42(7), 1792-1803.The following license files are associated with this item:
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Distribution and expression of the cyanate acquisition potential among cyanobacterial populations in oligotrophic marine waters
Kamennaya, Nina A.; Post, Anton F. (Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, 2013-11)We assessed the significance of cyanate utilization in marine primary productivity from the distribution of a dedicated transporter (encoded by cynABD) in different ocean environments. Several lines of evidence indicate ... -
Assessing phytoplankton nutritional status and potential impact of wet deposition in seasonally oligotrophic waters of the Mid‐Atlantic Bight
Sedwick, Peter N.; Bernhardt, Peter W.; Mulholland, Margaret R.; Najjar, Raymond G.; Blumen, L. M.; Sohst, Bettina M.; Sookhdeo, C.; Widner, Brittany (John Wiley & Sons, 2018-04-06)To assess phytoplankton nutritional status in seasonally oligotrophic waters of the southern Mid‐Atlantic Bight, and the potential for rain to stimulate primary production in this region during summer, shipboard bioassay ... -
Upward nitrate transport by phytoplankton in oceanic waters : balancing nutrient budgets in oligotrophic seas
Villareal, Tracy A.; Pilskaln, Cynthia H.; Montoya, Joseph P.; Dennett, Mark R. (PeerJ, 2014-03-13)In oceanic subtropical gyres, primary producers are numerically dominated by small (1–5 µm diameter) pro- and eukaryotic cells that primarily utilize recycled nutrients produced by rapid grazing turnover in a highly efficient ...