Applying transport rate for quantifying local transport conditions in estuarine and coastal systems

Abstract

Abstract Transport rate, as a scale complementary to commonly used transport timescales, is useful for quantifying local transport conditions in estuarine and coastal systems. A specific transport rate computed based on tracer release is highlighted for quantifying the local transport condition for long-standing autochthonous constituents originating from the system. The overall flushing capability of the constituents can be quantified by the material turnover time, an analog of turnover time, which can be conveniently computed using transport rate. The transport rate is computed in the James River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, U.S.A., which clearly describes the temporal and spatial variations of local transport conditions and provides an example to evaluate the contribution of physical transport to variations in phytoplankton biomass. The transport rate can also be used to diagnose the relative importance of physical transport against other environmental factors to the dynamics of reactive autochthonous constituents. Given the advantages, the transport rate provides an efficient tool for diagnosing local transport conditions modulating dynamics of autochthonous constituents in estuarine and coastal systems.