Effects of elevated turbidity and nutrients on the net production of a tropical seagrass community

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:7243854

Caldwell, J W

Dredging effects on seagrass communities in the Florida Keys were examined by (1) comparing impacts on net production resulting from dredging and natural weather events, (2) determining changes in community photosynthetic efficiency, (3) evaluating shading and nutrient effects on net production, and (4) developing a systems dynamics model. Net community production was estimated during numerous meteorological and dredging events using the Odum-Hoskins oxygen technique in flow-through field microcosms. In other experiments, shading and nutrients (phosphorus, nitrate, and ammonia) were manipulated to simulate dredge plume conditions. The greatest depression in net community production resulted from severe thunderstorms and dredging events, respectively. In field microcosm experiments, significant interaction occurred between shading and nutrient concentration. The model of seagrass production was most sensitive to changes in nutrient-seagrass relationships, seagrass production estimates, and seagrass-light interactions. Recovery of seagrass biomass following numerous dredging events (3.5 years) was longer than that from the estimated total annual thunderstorms encountered (1 year) but shorter than recovery from hurricane events (4.1 years).

• Research Organization: Florida Univ., Gainesville (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7243854
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
BIOMASS
PRODUCTION
FLORIDA
DREDGING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
TURBIDITY
WEATHER
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IV
NORTH AMERICA
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SYNTHESIS
USA
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)