Estuaries

by Nedwell; Raffaelli; Fitter

• ISBN13: 9780120139293
• ISBN10: 0120139294
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-09-22
• Publisher: Elsevier Science

Summary

The importance and ecological significance of estuaries has been long appreciated. in the last few years, there has been increased research activity, resulting in significant advances in understanding of estuarine ecology. This special thematic volume of Advances in Ecological Research provides an overview of a number of the important areas. Ranging from the macroscale: how differences in river basins influence the loads of nutrients, through the impacts and fates of the nutrient loads, to how both phytoplanktonic and benthic estuarine primary production are regulated. There is also a review of the key factors influencing the outcome of management decisions for estuaries from the point of sustainability of estuarine resources. This volume is essential reading and reference for all those interested in estuaries including ecologists, environmental scientists, botanists, and zoologists.

Table of Contents

Contributors to Volume 29	v
Preface	vii
Catchment Properties and the Transport of Major Elements to Estuaries
D.O. Hessen
Summary	1	(1)
Introduction	2	(4)
Nutrient Loading to Estuaries	6	(13)
Nitrogen Loading and Leakage	6	(13)
Elemental Ratios	19	(6)
The Coupling of Nitrogen and Organic Carbon	25	(5)
Anthropogenic Effects on Nutrient Fluxes	30	(2)
Climatic Effects on Nutrient Fluxes	32	(11)
Acknowledgements	34	(1)
References	34	(9)
Nutrients in Estuaries
D.B. Nedwell
T.D. Jickells
M. Trimmer
R. Sanders
Summary	43	(1)
Introduction	44	(3)
Factors Affecting Estuarine Nutrient Fluxes	47	(36)
Nature of the Loads	47	(5)
Impact of Nutrient Loads in Estuaries	52	(3)
Estimating Nutrient Fluxes Through Estuaries	55	(3)
Interaction Between Primary Production and Nutrient Loads	58	(4)
Sources and Sinks in Estuaries	62	(11)
Benthic Denitrification	73	(8)
Phosphorus in Sediments	81	(2)
Conclusion	83	(10)
References	84	(9)
Primary Production by Phytoplankton and Microphytobenthos in Estuaries
G.J.C. Underwood
J. Kromkamp
Summary	93	(2)
Introduction	95	(4)
Comparison: Methodology	99	(2)
Factors Influencing Primary Production	101	(25)
Factors Influencing the Rate of Photosynthesis	102	(16)
Factors Influencing Biomass of Phytoplankton	118	(3)
Factors Influencing Biomass of Microphytobenthos	121	(3)
Relative Importance of Planktonic and Benthic Primary Production in Estuaries	124	(2)
Inter-annual Changes in Primary Production: Long-term Time Series and Anthropogenic Effects	126	(4)
Alternative Methods and New Developments	130	(25)
N-Uptake	130	(3)
Variable Fluorescence	133	(5)
Acknowledgements	138	(1)
References	139	(16)
Water Flow, Sediment Dynamics and Benthic Biology
D.M. Paterson
K.S. Black
Summary	155	(1)
Introduction	156	(2)
The Influence of Flow	158	(3)
Hydrodynamic Forces	158	(1)
Reynolds Number	158	(3)
The Action of Flow on Sediments	161	(11)
Bed Stress and Velocity Gradients	163	(4)
Measurement of Bed Stress	167	(1)
Erosion Process for Cohesive Sediments	168	(4)
The Living Sediment	172	(6)
The Influence of Organic Material	172	(1)
Erosion of Biological Components	173	(1)
The Infauna	174	(2)
Macrophytes	176	(2)
Remote Sensing and Multidisciplinary Studies	178	(1)
Modelling	179	(6)
Temppral Variability	180	(1)
Spatial Variability	181	(1)
Modelling Approaches	182	(3)
Future Lines of Enquiry	185	(10)
Acknowledgements	186	(1)
References	186	(9)
Ecology of Estuarine Macrobenthos
P.M.J. Herman
J.J. Middelburg
J. Van De Koppel
C.H.R. Heip
Summary	195	(1)
Introduction	196	(9)
The Importance of System Dynamics for Macrobenthos	198	(5)
The Importance of Macrobenthos for System Dynamics	203	(2)
Spatial Distribution and Dynamics of Suspension Feeders	205	(9)
The Sediment Surface as a Boundary Layer	205	(2)
Seston Depletion Above Suspension Feeder Beds	207	(4)
Seston Depletion and Non-linear Density-current Relations	211	(3)
Spatial Distribution and Dynamics of Deposit Feeders	214	(12)
The Sediment as a Habitat	215	(6)
Deposit Feeders and their Food	221	(5)
Internal Dynamics and Benthic Communities	226	(4)
Conclusions	230	(11)
Acknowledgements	231	(1)
References	231	(10)
Integrated Coastal Management: Sustaining Estuarine Natural Resources
S. Crooks
R.K. Turner
Summary	241	(1)
Introduction	242	(10)
Benefits to Society Provided by Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems	243	(2)
Pressures on Estuarine Ecosystems	245	(4)
The Failure of Society to Protect Estuarine Ecosystem Functionality	249	(1)
Scoping Frameworks	250	(2)
Sustainable Development	252	(5)
Integrating Coastal Management	257	(2)
Linking Ecology and Economics	259	(13)
Methods of Valuation (and Limitations)	261	(4)
Environmental Indicators	265	(2)
Integrated Modelling	267	(2)
Evaluation and Decisiorf-making	269	(3)
Conserving Estuarine Natural Resources	272	(5)
Habitat Protection and Restoration	272	(1)
No-net-loss Policies	273	(4)
Concluding Remarks	277	(14)
References	279	(12)
Cumulative List of Titles	291	(4)
Index	295