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Richardson_Thesis_May2018.pdf (1.53 MB)

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HYDROLOGICAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS DRIVING NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS RETENTION IN A FRESHWATER ESTUARY

Richardson, Bree Lacey
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1529269594773022

Abstract Details

2018, MS, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Biological Sciences.
Human alterations to the global nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles negatively impact ecosystems and threaten human health. Nutrient runoff from agricultural land use practices degrades water quality by stimulating hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and harmful algal blooms. Wetlands are often relied on by humans to provide multiple ecosystem services at a relatively low cost. The objective of this thesis was to better understand the mechanisms driving N and P cycling in Old Woman Creek estuary (OWCE), an unaltered wetland along the coast of Lake Erie. We assessed the seasonal hydrologic influence on nutrient loading to OWCE, estimated an annual mass balance to determine nutrient removal capabilities, determined spatial heterogeneity of N and P removal mechanisms, investigated the vertical distribution of nutrients in surface waters, and determined the potential for wetland sediments to facilitate N and P release. We used daily water quality and hydrologic measurements to calculate complete annual mass balances for water, N, and P for water years 2016 and 2017. We collected water and sediment samples during June 2016, August 2016, April 2017, and August 2017 to assesses the denitrification potential and P storage and conducted a continuous flow-through experiment. The hydrology and seasonal variation of individual wetlands is important to consider when assessing nutrient removal potential. We found that while on the mass balance scale OWCE retains N and P, spatially there is variation where nutrient retention is occurring based on indicators of N and P removal mechanisms, but variation occurred within similar locations demonstrating duel nutrient removal potential. However, sediments have the potential to release N and P in the water column. Biological activity in the wetland may be an important driver in retaining N and P released from the sediment. Overall, nutrient removal in the wetland is controlled by a combination of loading into the wetland, autotroph activity, microbial processes, and temporal variation. Our study demonstrates that OWCE is an efficient wetland in removing nutrients from the water column.
Lauren Kinsman-Costello (Advisor)
Darron Bade (Committee Member)
Christopher Blackwood (Committee Member)
99 p.
Biogeochemistry; Environmental Science; Water Resource Management
Biogeochemistry, estuary, nitrogen, phosphorus

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Citations

  • Richardson, B. L. (2018). HYDROLOGICAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS DRIVING NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS RETENTION IN A FRESHWATER ESTUARY [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1529269594773022

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Richardson, Bree. HYDROLOGICAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS DRIVING NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS RETENTION IN A FRESHWATER ESTUARY. 2018. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1529269594773022.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Richardson, Bree. "HYDROLOGICAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS DRIVING NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS RETENTION IN A FRESHWATER ESTUARY." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1529269594773022

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.