Journal article
Long-term sediment accretion and nutrient deposition in a tidal marsh of the Delaware Bay
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, v 167(1), pp 87-103
01 Mar 2020
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Long-term sediment accretion and nutrient concentrations were investigated in tidal marsh sediments of the Murderkill River, Delaware. Radionuclides (Pb-210 and Cs-137), stable isotopes (C-13 and N-15), organic matter concentrations and nutrient concentrations were measured. Tidal marsh sediment accumulation rates ranged from 0.10 to 0.20 g cm(-2) yr(-1), and accretion rates ranged from 0.31 to 0.74 cm yr(-1). The Carbon (C) to nitrogen (N) ratio (similar to 24) was higher in the downcore of upstream sites, and a similar C/N ratio was identified in surface sediment cores at the downstream sites. The sediment N concentration in the surface sediments was highest at the upstream sites (mostly >= 1% of N) and decreased downstream. Total nitrogen concentrations were highest from 1910 to 1920 (similar to 1.5% N), decreased to approximately 0.6% N by 1940, and then remained constant to present. The dominance of the C4 plant Spartina (cordgrass) over C3 plants after the 1940s may be due to an upward movement of saline water associated with hydrologic changes and a rise in relative sea level. Surface sediments in all of the cores have more total phosphorus (TP) than below ground. The downstream site closest to the estuary had an abrupt increase in surface TP (i.e., 0-10 cm). Sediment TP increased slightly from 2003 to present time (i.e., from 0.07 to 0.11% P). Sediment accumulation and accretion rates in the Murderkill River marshes are similar to the accretion rates determined by previous studies in the region.
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Details
- Title
- Long-term sediment accretion and nutrient deposition in a tidal marsh of the Delaware Bay
- Creators
- David J. Velinsky - Drexel UniversityBhanu Paudel - Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, v 167(1), pp 87-103
- Publisher
- Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
- Number of pages
- 17
- Grant note
- Watershed Assessment and Management Section, Division of Watershed Stewardship, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000620404300008
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85122723118
- Other Identifier
- 991019168634604721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Ecology