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Spatiotemporal aspects of silica buffering in restored tidal marshes

Jacobs, Sander ; Struyf, Eric LU ; Maris, Tom and Meire, Patrick (2008) In Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 80(1). p.42-52
Abstract
Losses of pelagic diatom production resulting from silica limitation have not only been blamed for toxic algal blooms, but for the reduction in ability of coastal food webs to support higher trophic levels. Recent research has shown the importance of advective seepage water fluxes of dissolved silica (DSi) from freshwater marshes to pelagic waters during moments of riverine Si-limitation. In this study, we investigated the potential impact of recently installed new tidal areas along the Schelde estuary, located in former polder areas and characterized by so-called controlled reduced tidal regimes (CRT). Nine mass-balance studies were conducted in a newly constructed CRT in the freshwater Schelde estuary. During complete tidal cycles both... (More)
Losses of pelagic diatom production resulting from silica limitation have not only been blamed for toxic algal blooms, but for the reduction in ability of coastal food webs to support higher trophic levels. Recent research has shown the importance of advective seepage water fluxes of dissolved silica (DSi) from freshwater marshes to pelagic waters during moments of riverine Si-limitation. In this study, we investigated the potential impact of recently installed new tidal areas along the Schelde estuary, located in former polder areas and characterized by so-called controlled reduced tidal regimes (CRT). Nine mass-balance studies were conducted in a newly constructed CRT in the freshwater Schelde estuary. During complete tidal cycles both DSi and amorphous silica (ASi) concentrations were monitored at the entrance culverts and in different habitats in the marsh. A swift DSi-delivery capacity was observed despite the shifted spatiotemporal frame of exchange processes compared to reference marshes. As silica-accumulating vegetation is not yet present, and difference with reference marshes' deliveries is surprisingly small, we indicate diatomaceous debris and phytoliths to be the main silica source. Although further research is necessary on the driving forces of the different processes involved, restoration of former agricultural areas under CRT-regime provide the potential to buffer silica in the estuary. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Schelde estuary, silica, eutrophication, nutrient cycles, tidal flats, wetlands, restoration, 51 degrees 03 ' 53 '' N, 4 degrees 08, ' 55 '' E, Belgium
in
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
volume
80
issue
1
pages
42 - 52
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000260696000006
  • scopus:52349116861
ISSN
1096-0015
DOI
10.1016/j.ecss.2008.07.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9226e9b8-ec7e-41bd-bb76-39b7a0bc357e (old id 1283463)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:31:44
date last changed
2022-01-27 06:21:53
@article{9226e9b8-ec7e-41bd-bb76-39b7a0bc357e,
  abstract     = {{Losses of pelagic diatom production resulting from silica limitation have not only been blamed for toxic algal blooms, but for the reduction in ability of coastal food webs to support higher trophic levels. Recent research has shown the importance of advective seepage water fluxes of dissolved silica (DSi) from freshwater marshes to pelagic waters during moments of riverine Si-limitation. In this study, we investigated the potential impact of recently installed new tidal areas along the Schelde estuary, located in former polder areas and characterized by so-called controlled reduced tidal regimes (CRT). Nine mass-balance studies were conducted in a newly constructed CRT in the freshwater Schelde estuary. During complete tidal cycles both DSi and amorphous silica (ASi) concentrations were monitored at the entrance culverts and in different habitats in the marsh. A swift DSi-delivery capacity was observed despite the shifted spatiotemporal frame of exchange processes compared to reference marshes. As silica-accumulating vegetation is not yet present, and difference with reference marshes' deliveries is surprisingly small, we indicate diatomaceous debris and phytoliths to be the main silica source. Although further research is necessary on the driving forces of the different processes involved, restoration of former agricultural areas under CRT-regime provide the potential to buffer silica in the estuary. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Jacobs, Sander and Struyf, Eric and Maris, Tom and Meire, Patrick}},
  issn         = {{1096-0015}},
  keywords     = {{Schelde estuary; silica; eutrophication; nutrient cycles; tidal flats; wetlands; restoration; 51 degrees 03 ' 53 '' N; 4 degrees 08; ' 55 '' E; Belgium}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{42--52}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science}},
  title        = {{Spatiotemporal aspects of silica buffering in restored tidal marshes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2008.07.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ecss.2008.07.003}},
  volume       = {{80}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}