Estimates of open-water oxygen metabolism in the Rhode and West River estuaries, Maryland
Cory, R.L. (1976). Estimates of open-water oxygen metabolism in the Rhode and West River estuaries, Maryland, in: Persoone, G. et al. (Ed.) Proceedings of the 10th European Symposium on Marine Biology, Ostend, Belgium, Sept. 17-23, 1975: 2. Population dynamics of marine organisms in relation with nutrient cycling in shallow waters. pp. 179-195 In: Persoone, G.; Jaspers, E. (Ed.) (1976). Proceedings of the 10th European Symposium on Marine Biology, Ostend, Belgium, Sept. 17-23, 1975: 2. Population dynamics of marine organisms in relation with nutrient cycling in shallow waters. European Marine Biology Symposia, 10(2). IZWO/Universa Press: Wetteren. ISBN 90-6281-002-0. 712 pp., more In: European Marine Biology Symposia., more |
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| Abstract | The Rode and West River estuaries are small embayments on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay about 11 km south of Annapolis, Maryland. Estimates of open-water metabolism for both bays and a common section of the open bay were made for 1973. The estimates are based on the rates of daily change in dissolved oxygen over 24 hr periods. Two principal data sources were utilized: 1) data from a continuous-running water quality monitor and 2) biweekly synoptic data from numerous stations and transects taken at 1 m intervals from surface to bottom. The transects were taken daily and the data recorded were volume weighted by depth/volume increments of 1 m. Temperature, salinity, pH, turbidity, wind velocity and direction, and solar radiation data were collected as correlative information. Solar radiation and turbidity appeared to be the principal factors controlling productivity. Estimates from the continuous-monitored data, consisting of 246 analyses, showed the following: daily net productivity (P) increased from a February monthly mean of 0.45 g O2/m³/day to an August mean of 4.50 g O2/m³/day. Except for a slight rise in April no distinct spring increase was noted. Daily variations in productivity ranged from 0-7.7 g O2/m³/day. Night respiration (R) equalled daily net production, indicating a balanced system. For the entire year, net P averaged 2.04 and night R 2.06 g O2/m³/day or 0.76 and 0.77 g carbon respectively. The estuaries and adjoining bay were divided into seven subsections. Volume-averaged metabolism estimates for each of the sections indicated similarities between the two systems. Greatest annual average production was observed in the bay section, where 9.68 metric tons O2 (3.63 metric tons carbon) per day were produced, whereas the greatest respiration, 10.09 metric tons O2 (3.78 metric tons carbon) per day was observed in Rhode River section 2. Biotic distributions and intensity of commercial fishing activity appear to reflect the metabolic variations of these embayments. Comparison of the two methods of estimating metabolism indicated that the estimate by the thrice daily volume-averaged method was 16-20 % less than estimated from the continuously measured data. |
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