Dissolved nutrient fluxes from the nearshore sediments of Bowling Green Bay, central Great Barrier Reef Lagoon (Australia)

Abstract

The fluxes of dissolved inorganic N, P, and Si from the nearshore sediments of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon are significantly lower than those reported from sediments in temperate regions at similar temperatures. The directly measured fluxes range from −23 to +28, −154 to +890, and −990 to +1750 μmol m −2 day −1 for PO 4 3−, ΣN(=NH 4 + + NO 2 − + NO 3 −) and Si, respectively. Estimates suggest that sediments are the major source of dissolved N to near-shore waters of the Lagoon greatly exceeding the dissolved flux from rivers. Resuspension of up to 1 cm of sediment during storms would have a very small effect on the PO 4 3− or Si(OH) 4 concentration of the overlying water, but would significantly raise the ΣN concentration. The productivity of these waters may be controlled at various times by the balance between the steady-state sedimentary flux of nutrients, the fluvial input, and storm resuspension.