Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia)
An understanding of suspended particulate matter (SPM) dynamics is of great importance to design awareness and management strategies of estuaries. Using a Laser In Situ Scattering and Transmissiometry (LISST) instrument, variations in suspended particle size volumetric concentrations (VC) and partic...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/9/12/1385 |
| _version_ | 1797503260675801088 |
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| author | Ryan J. K. Dunn Jordan Glen Hsin-Hui Lin Sasha Zigic |
| author_facet | Ryan J. K. Dunn Jordan Glen Hsin-Hui Lin Sasha Zigic |
| author_sort | Ryan J. K. Dunn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An understanding of suspended particulate matter (SPM) dynamics is of great importance to design awareness and management strategies of estuaries. Using a Laser In Situ Scattering and Transmissiometry (LISST) instrument, variations in suspended particle size volumetric concentrations (VC) and particle size distributions (PSD) were measured at six sites within Port Curtis estuary (Australia). The port is a macrotidal estuary with significant economic and environmental importance. Observed VC and SPM sizes demonstrated spatial and temporal trends strongly controlled by the variable energy conditions operating on the neap and spring cycle timescale, with a clear trend towards increasing concentrations and decreasing SPM sizes with increasing tidal ranges. Mid-estuary sites were characterized by the greatest depth-averaged VC under transitional and spring conditions. Estuary-wide mean spring tide total water profile concentrations revealed a near 300% increase in comparison to neap tide condition concentrations. In the upper-estuary sites the mean contribution of the combined 2.5–35 µm size classes to the total profile PSDs was greatest during all tidal conditions, whilst within the lower-estuary site the combined 35–130 µm size classes were greatest. Mean contributions of the largest size class (300–500 µm) dominated surface-waters throughout the estuary during the neap tide period, which when compared with the transitional and spring tide conditions, demonstrated changes of −82% to −48% and −82% to −40%, respectively. Overall, the results from this case study provides further evidence of the important influence of neap and spring tidal regimes on SPM dynamics within estuarine settings and the need to observe parameter dynamics on such timescales. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:48:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-90bd475a646a46fe870d1b67d615b9b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:48:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-90bd475a646a46fe870d1b67d615b9b02023-11-23T09:03:01ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122021-12-01912138510.3390/jmse9121385Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia)Ryan J. K. Dunn0Jordan Glen1Hsin-Hui Lin2Sasha Zigic3Ocean Science & Technology, RPS, P.O. Box 1048, Robina, QLD 4230, AustraliaOcean Science & Technology, RPS, P.O. Box 1048, Robina, QLD 4230, AustraliaOcean Science & Technology, RPS, P.O. Box 1048, Robina, QLD 4230, AustraliaOcean Science & Technology, RPS, P.O. Box 1048, Robina, QLD 4230, AustraliaAn understanding of suspended particulate matter (SPM) dynamics is of great importance to design awareness and management strategies of estuaries. Using a Laser In Situ Scattering and Transmissiometry (LISST) instrument, variations in suspended particle size volumetric concentrations (VC) and particle size distributions (PSD) were measured at six sites within Port Curtis estuary (Australia). The port is a macrotidal estuary with significant economic and environmental importance. Observed VC and SPM sizes demonstrated spatial and temporal trends strongly controlled by the variable energy conditions operating on the neap and spring cycle timescale, with a clear trend towards increasing concentrations and decreasing SPM sizes with increasing tidal ranges. Mid-estuary sites were characterized by the greatest depth-averaged VC under transitional and spring conditions. Estuary-wide mean spring tide total water profile concentrations revealed a near 300% increase in comparison to neap tide condition concentrations. In the upper-estuary sites the mean contribution of the combined 2.5–35 µm size classes to the total profile PSDs was greatest during all tidal conditions, whilst within the lower-estuary site the combined 35–130 µm size classes were greatest. Mean contributions of the largest size class (300–500 µm) dominated surface-waters throughout the estuary during the neap tide period, which when compared with the transitional and spring tide conditions, demonstrated changes of −82% to −48% and −82% to −40%, respectively. Overall, the results from this case study provides further evidence of the important influence of neap and spring tidal regimes on SPM dynamics within estuarine settings and the need to observe parameter dynamics on such timescales.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/9/12/1385hydrodynamicsLISST-100particle size distributionresuspensionsediment dynamicssediment transport |
| spellingShingle | Ryan J. K. Dunn Jordan Glen Hsin-Hui Lin Sasha Zigic Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia) Journal of Marine Science and Engineering hydrodynamics LISST-100 particle size distribution resuspension sediment dynamics sediment transport |
| title | Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia) |
| title_full | Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia) |
| title_fullStr | Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia) |
| title_short | Observations of Suspended Particulate Matter Concentrations and Particle Size Distributions within a Macrotidal Estuary (Port Curtis Estuary, Australia) |
| title_sort | observations of suspended particulate matter concentrations and particle size distributions within a macrotidal estuary port curtis estuary australia |
| topic | hydrodynamics LISST-100 particle size distribution resuspension sediment dynamics sediment transport |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/9/12/1385 |
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