Coupling of nitrification and denitrification in two estuarine sediments

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1984.29.3.0609· OSTI ID:6355767

Jenkins, M C; Kemp, W M

Nitrification and denitrification in estuarine sediments were measured by /sup 15/N isotopic tracer techniques at two stations in the Patuxent River estuary for April and August. A close coupling of the two processes was demonstrated directly from the evolution of labeled N/sub 2/ following /sup 15/NH/sub 4//sup +/ amendments during spring experiments. In contrast, this coupled nitrification-denitrification was decreased by two orders of magnitude in the summer, even though the capacity for denitrification remained similar to spring levels. This pattern of sharply seasonal nitrification was corroborated with measurements of bacterial relative abundance. Ambient rates of nitrification-denitrification were inferred from /sup 15/N experiments in these sediments.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Cambridge
• OSTI ID: 6355767
• Journal Information: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States), Journal Name: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States) Vol. 29:3; ISSN LIOCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520101* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DENITRIFICATION
ESTUARIES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NITRATES
NITRIFICATION
NITROGEN 15
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEDIMENTS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURFACE WATERS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VARIATIONS