Effects of macroalgal blooms on carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycling in photoautotrophic sediments: An experimental mesocosm

García-Robledo, E.; Corzo, A.

Effects of macroalgal blooms on carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycling in photoautotrophic sediments: An experimental mesocosm

2011

García-Robledo, E. | Corzo, A.

The effects of floating macroalgae (250gDWm⁻²) on photoautotrophic microbenthos were studied in a flow-through mesocosm with a parallel mesocosm without macroalgae serving as Control. Vertical microprofiles of O₂ at the sediment–water interface showed a immediate and complete suppression of photosynthetic activity of microphytobenthos (MPB) under the macroalgal canopy, resulting in a shift of benthic metabolism from autotrophic to heterotrophic. MPB abundance and chlorophyll a content decreased and a change from a diatom-dominated to cyanobacteria-dominated community was observed. Inorganic nitrogen nutrients´ concentrations increased in the porewater as a result of the inhibition of MPB nutrient demand, leading to an increase in net ammonification and anaerobic NOₓ ⁻ consumption rates. No organic matter transfer from macroalgae to the sediment was detected, resulting in a net consumption of the carbon and nitrogen stored in the sediment. In consequence, sediment was progressively impoverished in nitrogen, reducing sediment nutrient regeneration.

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