Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS17 Biogeochemical Dynamics of River-Dominated Margins (Disciplinary and Environmental Connections)

Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2001, Time: 12:00:00 PM

Location: Dona Ana

Coble, P, G, USF College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, USA, pcoble@marine.usf.edu

Boehme, J, , USF College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, USA, jboehme@marine.usf.edu

Del Castillo, C, E, NASA Earth System Science Office, John C. Stennis Space Center, USA, carlos.delcastillo@ssc.nasa.gov

Conmy, R, N, USF College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, USA, rconmy@marine.usf.edu

Stovall-Leonard, A, , USF College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, USA, antoya@marine.usf.edu

USING PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES TO UNDERSTAND CYCLING OF COLORED DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER: I. RIVER ENDMEMBERS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

Entry of freshwater into coastal areas is accompanied by high levels of dissolved carbon, which carries a color and fluorescence signature characteristic of the drainage basin of the river of origin. This water mass also carries an additional chemical signature consisting of dissolved nutrients that stimulate phytoplankton production as well as residual dissolved pollutants that can impact sensitive nursery areas of the estuary. The CDOM signal, combined with river discharge data, permits the use of satellite radiometers to monitor and assess the impact of rivers on coastal ecosystems, provided optical properties of rivers are specified. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River is the dominant fresh water source and its extent in flood years can reach as far as the east coast of Florida. In this paper, we will discuss the variability in optical and physical properties of the major rivers along the coast from the Mississippi River in Louisiana to the Shark River in the Florida Everglades. Emphasis will be on the extent to which these rivers are distinguishable using fluorescence spectroscopy and over what range of dilution, photobleaching, and new production this characterization holds.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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