Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC03 Undergraduate Education

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Mullikin, S, U, Fayetteville State Unversity, Fayetteville, NC 28301, USA, polyanna0223@aol.com

Doblin, M, A, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA, mdoblin@odu.edu

Meseck, S, L, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA, smeseck@odu.edu

Cutter, G, A, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA, gcutter@odu.edu

THE ESTUARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF SELENIUM: ELEMENTAL RATIOS IN FOOD WEB COMPONENTS

Like water, trace elements are transferred from the land to the sea through estuaries. Amongst these elements, selenium is of interest because it is biologically essential and toxic, with this dual role being controlled by its concentration and chemical form. Dissolved selenium compounds are taken up by phytoplankton and incorporated into organic matter. From phytoplankton, particulate Se can then move through the estuarine food web, including zooplankton, bivalves, and fish. Therefore, selenium behaves much like the major bio-elements, carbon and nitrogen, which can be used to trace Se movement. C:N:Se ratios were determined in suspended particles, sediments, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and clams from sites in the San Francisco Bay Estuary from 1998-2000. Selenium concentrations were lowest in sediments (3.1 nmol/g) and highest in the clam, Corbicula Fluminea (32 nmol/g). Se/C was relatively constant with sample type and location (ca.5x10^-6), but Se/N showed distinct trends in location and food web component (e.g., 3x10^-5 in phytoplankton and 4x10^-6 in clams and zooplankton). Thus, Se/N appears to be a good tracer of Se movement through the estuarine food web.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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