MEPS 390:79-95 (2009)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08199

ABSTRACT: Benthic fluxes of nutrients and dissolved nitrous oxide (N₂O) were determined by benthic chamber incubations in 2 regions on the northeastern near-shore continental shelf of the Gulf of Cádiz (depth range: 8 to 34 m), one off the Guadalquivir River mouth and the other in the Bay of Cádiz and its neighboring shelf. In total, 25 in situ benthic chamber incubations were performed during June 2006, November 2006, and February 2007 to investigate the main factors controlling benthic nutrient recycling and its significance at the study site. Nutrient benthic fluxes (in m^–2 d^–1) varied between –0.9 and 1.0 mmol NO₃^–, –0.3 and 0.3 mmol NO₂^–, –1.2 and 3.5 mmol NH₄⁺, –0.04 and 0.22 mmol HPO₄^2–, and 0.2 and 2.9 mmol Si(OH)₄. Benthic fluxes of N₂O, ranging from –1.2 to 10.4 µmol N-N₂O m^–2 d^–1, accounted on average for <1% of total inorganic nitrogen fluxes. The regeneration of NH₄⁺ and Si(OH)₄ was mainly influenced by organic carbon oxidation rates and bulk organic carbon in surface sediments, whereas HPO₄^2– regeneration was mostly influenced by bottom water oxygen concentration and water depth. Denitrification was estimated to account for between 9 and 13% of organic matter remineralization and for a loss of between 57 and 67% of potentially recyclable nitrogen. Overall, benthic remineralization was estimated to degrade about 47% of overlying primary production, supplying about 15 and 12% of the phytoplankton N and P requirements, respectively. This highlights the importance of benthic organic matter remineralization on the biogeochemistry of the northeastern continental shelf of the Gulf of Cádiz.

KEY WORDS: Benthic fluxes · Nutrient regeneration · Denitrification · Nitrous oxide · Macrofauna · Coastal sediments · Gulf of Cádiz