Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea
In estuaries, the sources of organic matter, its composition, and its functional role in the coastal ecosystem food web are all influenced by dominant estuarine processes. We investigated seasonal variations in the quantity and composition of dissolved inorganic nutrients, suspended particulate matt...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.580260/full |
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| author | Riaz Bibi Hee Yoon Kang Dongyoung Kim Jaebin Jang Goutam Kumar Kundu Goutam Kumar Kundu Young Kyun Kim Chang-Keun Kang |
| author_facet | Riaz Bibi Hee Yoon Kang Dongyoung Kim Jaebin Jang Goutam Kumar Kundu Goutam Kumar Kundu Young Kyun Kim Chang-Keun Kang |
| author_sort | Riaz Bibi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In estuaries, the sources of organic matter, its composition, and its functional role in the coastal ecosystem food web are all influenced by dominant estuarine processes. We investigated seasonal variations in the quantity and composition of dissolved inorganic nutrients, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and phytoplankton across a low-turbidity estuarine–coastal continuum in Gwangyang Bay, South Korea. The narrow estuarine channel has a sharp salinity gradient (from 0 to around 30) and low SPM concentrations (<20 mg L–1). The channel carries river discharge, with a large quantity of nutrients (NO3 and SiO2), into the bay. The especially low SPM concentrations in the estuary (range: 2.0–29.1 mg L–1), and generous nutrient source, create an exceptionally low-turbidity condition in the water column and high primary productivity with no conspicuous spatial or seasonal trends. Gradually increasing δ13C values, low POC:Chla (<200), and low molar C:N (4–8) in the SPM, together with higher Chla concentrations at low SPM locations along the longitudinal transect, suggest that local production of phytoplankton has a strong influence on the distributional patterns of particulate organic matter. Short water-residence times, within the bay system, impede the accumulation of diverse-origin organic matter. The community composition of phytoplankton, distinguished by their size group, also plays a role in characterizing SPM quantity and composition. The results indicate that autochthonous pelagic production governs biogeochemical features in the low-turbidity estuarine embayment, contrasting with a prevalence of allochthonous organic matter, and its active processing, in highly turbid and/or longer residence-time systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:30:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1072c63b6da4dbf80a6f3cf0a8e7953 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:30:17Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1072c63b6da4dbf80a6f3cf0a8e79532022-12-22T01:52:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452020-10-01710.3389/fmars.2020.580260580260Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, KoreaRiaz Bibi0Hee Yoon Kang1Dongyoung Kim2Jaebin Jang3Goutam Kumar Kundu4Goutam Kumar Kundu5Young Kyun Kim6Chang-Keun Kang7School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaDepartment of Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, BangladeshSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South KoreaIn estuaries, the sources of organic matter, its composition, and its functional role in the coastal ecosystem food web are all influenced by dominant estuarine processes. We investigated seasonal variations in the quantity and composition of dissolved inorganic nutrients, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and phytoplankton across a low-turbidity estuarine–coastal continuum in Gwangyang Bay, South Korea. The narrow estuarine channel has a sharp salinity gradient (from 0 to around 30) and low SPM concentrations (<20 mg L–1). The channel carries river discharge, with a large quantity of nutrients (NO3 and SiO2), into the bay. The especially low SPM concentrations in the estuary (range: 2.0–29.1 mg L–1), and generous nutrient source, create an exceptionally low-turbidity condition in the water column and high primary productivity with no conspicuous spatial or seasonal trends. Gradually increasing δ13C values, low POC:Chla (<200), and low molar C:N (4–8) in the SPM, together with higher Chla concentrations at low SPM locations along the longitudinal transect, suggest that local production of phytoplankton has a strong influence on the distributional patterns of particulate organic matter. Short water-residence times, within the bay system, impede the accumulation of diverse-origin organic matter. The community composition of phytoplankton, distinguished by their size group, also plays a role in characterizing SPM quantity and composition. The results indicate that autochthonous pelagic production governs biogeochemical features in the low-turbidity estuarine embayment, contrasting with a prevalence of allochthonous organic matter, and its active processing, in highly turbid and/or longer residence-time systems.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.580260/fullestuarine baylow turbidityshort residence timeC poolbiogeochemical processes |
| spellingShingle | Riaz Bibi Hee Yoon Kang Dongyoung Kim Jaebin Jang Goutam Kumar Kundu Goutam Kumar Kundu Young Kyun Kim Chang-Keun Kang Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea Frontiers in Marine Science estuarine bay low turbidity short residence time C pool biogeochemical processes |
| title | Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea |
| title_full | Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea |
| title_fullStr | Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea |
| title_short | Dominance of Autochthonous Phytoplankton-Derived Particulate Organic Matter in a Low-Turbidity Temperate Estuarine Embayment, Gwangyang Bay, Korea |
| title_sort | dominance of autochthonous phytoplankton derived particulate organic matter in a low turbidity temperate estuarine embayment gwangyang bay korea |
| topic | estuarine bay low turbidity short residence time C pool biogeochemical processes |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.580260/full |
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