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Nutrient biogeochemistry in the water column (N, P, Si) and porewater (N) of sandy sediment of the Scheldt estuary (SW-Netherlands)

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Abstract

The Scheldt river drains a densely populated and industrialized area in northern France, western Belgium and the south-west Netherlands. Mineralization of the high organic load carried by the river leads to oxygen depletion in the water column and high concentrations of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Upon estuarine mixing, dissolved oxygen concentrations are gradually restored due to reaeration and dilution with sea water. The longitudinal redox gradient present in the Scheldt estuary strongly affects the geochemistry of nutrients.

Dissolved nutrients in the water column and dissolved nitrogen species in sediment porewaters were determined for a typical summer and winter situation. Water column concentration-salinity plots showed conservative behaviour of dissolved Si during winter. During summer (and spring) dissolved Si may be completely removed from solution due to uptake by diatoms. The geochemistry of phosphorus was governed by inorganic and biological processes. The behaviour of nitrogen was controlled by denitrification in the anoxic fluvial estuary, followed by nitrification in the upper estuary (prior to oxygen regeneration). In addition, nitrogen was taken up during phytoplankton blooms in the lower estuary.

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen species in porewaters from the upper 20 cm of sediments were obtained from a subtidal site in the middle of the lower estuary. Dissolved nutrient concentrations were low in the upper 10–15 cm of the sandy and organic poor (<1% POC) sediments mainly as a result of strong sediment mixing.

The porewater profiles of ammonium and nitrate were evaluated quantitatively, using a one-dimensional steady-state diagenetic model. This coupled ammonium-nitrate model showed ammonification of organic matter to be restricted to the upper 4 to 7 cm of the sediments. Total nitrification ranged from 3.7–18.1 mmol m−2 d−1, converting all ammonium produced by ammonification. The net balance between nitrification and denitrification depended on the season. Nitrate was released from the sediments during winter but is taken up from the water column during summer. These results are in good agreement with data obtained from the independently calibrated water column model for the Scheldt Estuary (VAN GILSet al., 1993).

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Author notes

  1. Pascal M. A. Boderie

    Present address: Delft Hydraulics, PO Box 177, 2600 MH, Delft, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geochemistry, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Utrecht, PO Box 80.021, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Pascal M. A. Boderie, John J. G. Zwolsman & Cornelis H. Van der Weijden

  2. National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management, Ministry of Transport and Public Works, PO Box 8039, 43430 EA, Middelburg, The Netherlands

    Gijsbertus T. M. Van Eck

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  1. Pascal M. A. Boderie
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  2. John J. G. Zwolsman
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  3. Gijsbertus T. M. Van Eck
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  4. Cornelis H. Van der Weijden
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Boderie, P.M.A., Zwolsman, J.J.G., Van Eck, G.T.M. et al. Nutrient biogeochemistry in the water column (N, P, Si) and porewater (N) of sandy sediment of the Scheldt estuary (SW-Netherlands). Netherlands Journal of Aquatic Ecology 27, 309–318 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02334794

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