TY - JOUR
T1 - Benthic habitat mapping and sediment nutrient fluxes in a shallow coastal environment in Nova Scotia, Canada
AU - Bravo, Francisco
AU - Grant, Jon
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2020/9/5
Y1 - 2020/9/5
N2 - Coastal embayments are dynamic open systems characterized by multiple sedimentary environments with specific biogeochemical properties, which instead are influenced by physicochemical and biological processes (e.g., hydrodynamics, carbon deposition, abiotic-chemical reactions, macrofaunal and microbial activity). In this study, a novel approach that combines benthic habitat mapping, empirical measurements, and multivariate analysis was used 1) to determine the variability of benthic primary production, respiration, and denitrification in different sediment types; and 2) to examine how sediment nutrient fluxes are influenced by organic content, porosity, salinity, temperature, depth, light availability, habitat, and sediment type. Of the total observed variance in benthic metabolic activity, 12.6%–66.5% was accounted for by these variables. Results highlight the important role of benthic diversity and their contribution to energy and matter cycling in coastal sediments. Consideration of these factors is key for the prediction of benthic processes at scales relevant for coastal management and valuation of associated ecosystem services.
AB - Coastal embayments are dynamic open systems characterized by multiple sedimentary environments with specific biogeochemical properties, which instead are influenced by physicochemical and biological processes (e.g., hydrodynamics, carbon deposition, abiotic-chemical reactions, macrofaunal and microbial activity). In this study, a novel approach that combines benthic habitat mapping, empirical measurements, and multivariate analysis was used 1) to determine the variability of benthic primary production, respiration, and denitrification in different sediment types; and 2) to examine how sediment nutrient fluxes are influenced by organic content, porosity, salinity, temperature, depth, light availability, habitat, and sediment type. Of the total observed variance in benthic metabolic activity, 12.6%–66.5% was accounted for by these variables. Results highlight the important role of benthic diversity and their contribution to energy and matter cycling in coastal sediments. Consideration of these factors is key for the prediction of benthic processes at scales relevant for coastal management and valuation of associated ecosystem services.
KW - Benthic habitat mapping
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Metabolic processes
KW - Sediments
KW - Spatial variability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086095332&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecss.2020.106816
DO - 10.1016/j.ecss.2020.106816
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85086095332
SN - 0272-7714
VL - 242
JO - Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
JF - Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
M1 - 106816
ER -