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Transfers between a eutrophic ecosystem, the river Rhône, and an oligotrophic ecosystem, the north-western Mediterranean Sea

  • Part One: Trophic Level Interaction
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Abstract

Transfer processes from a eutrophic ecosystem, the river Rhône, to an oligotrophic environment, the north-west Mediterranean Sea, were studied during the winter period, when inputs of dissolved and particulate matter are at their highest.

During a cruise carried out in February 1987, salinity, temperature, turbidity, nutrients, pigments, suspended particulate matter and particulate carbon and nitrogen were measured in surface and subsurface waters near the Rhône outlet.

For most of the parameters the results show that during this period a simple dilution process occurs in the river plume of the Rhône without adsorption, desorption, precipitation or biological uptake, contrary to recordings for some other rivers. All the nutrients discharged into the sea by the Rhône are available for utilization by marine phytoplankters.

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Lochet, F., Leveau, M. Transfers between a eutrophic ecosystem, the river Rhône, and an oligotrophic ecosystem, the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Hydrobiologia 207, 95–103 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041445

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