Phosphate-mineral interactions and potential consequences for nutrient cycling

Biogeochemical cycling of phosphate is a key component in the overall production rate of coastal ecosystems. Mineral phases in the near-shore sediments play a significant role in the return of phosphate remineralized in the upper sediments to the water column. Sequential Extraction (SEDEX) of the solid-phase associated P04-3 yielded reservoir profiles of phosphate at three sites off of the Massachusetts coast. These extractions found Fe-associated P04 to be the dominant phase associated with rapid porewater-solid P exchange. Additionally, a seasonal enrichment/depletion pattern of phosphate fluxes relative to total carbon was observed from the sediments. These observations established the behavior of phosphate in coastal sediments as interconnected with the ongoing Fe-cycling in the sediments as well.

Department dc:contributor.department

Joint Program in Oceanography

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Oates, Richard Hunter

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• William Martin.

• Joint Program in Oceanography.
• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/45702

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/45702