Biogeochemistry of bulk organic matter and biogenic elements in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent sea

Abstract

This study investigated the distribution and roles of total organic carbon (TOC), biogenic silicon (BSi), various forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and the stable carbon isotope (δ13C) in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) and adjacent sea. Terrestrial input accounted for 12–63% of total organic matter in the study area. The distribution of biogenic elements was affected by the Changjiang Diluted Water, the Jiangsu Coastal Current, human activities, marine biological processes, and the sediment grain size. Potentially bioavailable N and P accounted for an average 79.6% of the total N (TN) and 31.8% of the total P (TP), respectively. The burial fluxes for TOC, BSi, TN and TP were 39.74–2194.32, 17.34–517.48, 5.02–188.85 and 3.10–62.72μmolcm−2yr−1, respectively. The molar ratios of total N/P (1.2–5.0), Si/P (5.0–14.8) and Fe/P (21–61) indicated that much of the P was sequestered in sediments.