Nutrient recycling on the southeastern US continental shelf, March 1, 1985-November 30, 1985

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6397942

Hanson, R B

The southeastern US Coastal Boundary Zone (CBZ) is characterized by extensive salt marshes and rivers, physical processes near tidal inlets, coastal front(s), and seasonal conditions that force water circulation along the coast or across the shelf. The high phytoplankton carrying capacity of CBZ is presumably due to estuaries and rivers that exchange waters (nitrogen) with the CBZ. Our research addresses the hypothesis that the CBZ is a regenerative system and microbial recycling of ''old'' nitrogen supports the high rates of primary production off the southeastern US coast. We investigated how water circulation patterns in the spring (SPREX 1985) affects biological transformations and transport of nitrogen across the southeastern US continental shelf. Our research focused on NH/sub 4//sup +/ regeneration using isotopic tracer (/sup 15/N) techniques to assess nitrogen recycling. 3 figs., 10 tabs.

• Research Organization: Skidaway Inst. of Oceanography, Savannah, GA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG09-85ER60311
• OSTI ID: 6397942
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60311-1; ON: DE86003918
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONTINENTAL SHELF
NITROGEN CYCLE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
COASTAL WATERS
EAST COAST
ESTUARIES
MICROORGANISMS
NITROGEN 15
PHYTOPLANKTON
USA
WATER CURRENTS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CURRENTS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLANKTON
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURFACE WATERS
520101* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- Radiometric Techniques- (-1989)