Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition
Knowledge of carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios in organic matter and their changes is important when studying nutrient cycles in aquatic ecosystems. Relationships between δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N values of suspended particulate organic matter (POM), water tempera...
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/12/959 |
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| author | Mikhail S. Golubkov Vera N. Nikulina Alexei V. Tiunov Sergey M. Golubkov |
| author_facet | Mikhail S. Golubkov Vera N. Nikulina Alexei V. Tiunov Sergey M. Golubkov |
| author_sort | Mikhail S. Golubkov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Knowledge of carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios in organic matter and their changes is important when studying nutrient cycles in aquatic ecosystems. Relationships between δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N values of suspended particulate organic matter (POM), water temperature, salinity, pH, redox potential, chlorophyll <i>a</i> concentration, primary production, and biomasses of different taxonomic groups of phytoplankton in the Neva Estuary were statistically analyzed. We tested the hypothesis that the studied physicochemical and biogeochemical characteristics, as well as the species composition of phytoplankton and its productivity, can be significant predictors of changes in the isotopic ratios of suspended particulate organic matter in estuaries. In the Neva Estuary, δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>POM</sub> (−16.8–−27.6‰) and δ<sup>15</sup>N<sub>POM</sub> (2.3–7.3‰) changed synchronously. Statistical analysis showed that for both isotopes, the photosynthetic activity and taxonomic composition of phytoplankton are important. For <sup>13</sup>C<sub>POM</sub>, the second most important factor was water salinity, which was apparently associated with the transition of algae from CO<sub>2</sub> to HCO<sub>3</sub> consumption during photosynthesis in estuarine waters. For <sup>15</sup>N<sub>POM</sub> changes, the most important abiotic factor was pH. The study showed that the dependences of POM isotopic ratios on environmental variables obtained for continental and oceanic waters are also valid in transitional zones such as the Neva Estuary. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:37:06Z |
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| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:37:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
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| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-9561b07aab144ebea7c2acfba11b83092023-11-20T22:08:08ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122020-11-0181295910.3390/jmse8120959Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic CompositionMikhail S. Golubkov0Vera N. Nikulina1Alexei V. Tiunov2Sergey M. Golubkov3Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, RussiaZoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, RussiaA. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninskij prosp., 119071 Moscow, RussiaZoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, RussiaKnowledge of carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios in organic matter and their changes is important when studying nutrient cycles in aquatic ecosystems. Relationships between δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N values of suspended particulate organic matter (POM), water temperature, salinity, pH, redox potential, chlorophyll <i>a</i> concentration, primary production, and biomasses of different taxonomic groups of phytoplankton in the Neva Estuary were statistically analyzed. We tested the hypothesis that the studied physicochemical and biogeochemical characteristics, as well as the species composition of phytoplankton and its productivity, can be significant predictors of changes in the isotopic ratios of suspended particulate organic matter in estuaries. In the Neva Estuary, δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>POM</sub> (−16.8–−27.6‰) and δ<sup>15</sup>N<sub>POM</sub> (2.3–7.3‰) changed synchronously. Statistical analysis showed that for both isotopes, the photosynthetic activity and taxonomic composition of phytoplankton are important. For <sup>13</sup>C<sub>POM</sub>, the second most important factor was water salinity, which was apparently associated with the transition of algae from CO<sub>2</sub> to HCO<sub>3</sub> consumption during photosynthesis in estuarine waters. For <sup>15</sup>N<sub>POM</sub> changes, the most important abiotic factor was pH. The study showed that the dependences of POM isotopic ratios on environmental variables obtained for continental and oceanic waters are also valid in transitional zones such as the Neva Estuary.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/12/959stable isotopescarbonnitrogeneutrophicationsalinityGulf of Finland |
| spellingShingle | Mikhail S. Golubkov Vera N. Nikulina Alexei V. Tiunov Sergey M. Golubkov Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition Journal of Marine Science and Engineering stable isotopes carbon nitrogen eutrophication salinity Gulf of Finland |
| title | Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition |
| title_full | Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition |
| title_fullStr | Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition |
| title_short | Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Suspended Particulate Organic Matter in the Neva Estuary: The Role of Abiotic Factors, Productivity, and Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition |
| title_sort | stable c and n isotope composition of suspended particulate organic matter in the neva estuary the role of abiotic factors productivity and phytoplankton taxonomic composition |
| topic | stable isotopes carbon nitrogen eutrophication salinity Gulf of Finland |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/12/959 |
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