Using nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) of macroalgae to determine the effectiveness of sewage upgrades: changes in the extent of sewage plumes over four years in Moreton Bay, Australia

Costanzo, S. D.; Udy, James; Longstaff, Ben; Jones, Adrian B.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2004.10.018

Cited by 173 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Thus, putative impacts can be identified by their ability to either increase the δ 15 N or increase variability. The effect of anthropic impacts on the δ 15 N in sea grasses and macrophytes is well documented (Holmer et al, 2008;PergentMartini et al, 2006;Costanzo et al, 2005;Vizzini and Mazzola, 2004;Tucker et al, 1999). For example, fish farming activities have been shown to promote the enrichment of 15 N in P. oceanica leaves; the isotopic ratios in the shoots of this plant range between 5.3 ± 0.5‰ and 7.2 ± 0.3‰ (Dolenec et al, 2006) and 5.6 ± 0.6‰ (Vizzini and Mazzola, 2004) when grown in cages.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Water sewage outfall can also be monitored by examining its isotopic signature. Such an assessment can provide information about the dilution patterns of the plume (Costanzo et al, 2001;Tucker et al, 1999) and the recovery status of the sewage after outfall has ceased or improvements in sewage treatment have been made (Costanzo et al, 2005;Rogers, 2003). Furthermore, isotopes can also be used to discriminate nutrient input from storm water in an anthropized body of water (Dillon and Chanton, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracing sewage and natural freshwater input in a Northwest Mediterranean bay: Evidence obtained from isotopic ratios in marine organisms

Lassauque¹,

Lepoint²,

Thibaut³

et al. 2010

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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Elemental carbon and nitrogen levels and isotope ratios were assessed in different biological compartments of a Northwest (NW) Mediterranean bay to trace the various sources of nutrient input from natural (river runoffs) and anthropogenic (harbor outflows, fish farms and urban sewage outfall) sources. Samples from transplanted mussels and natural sea grass communities (Posidonia oceanica leaves and epiphytes) were harvested from different locations throughout the bay during the touristic summer and rainy seasons. The results from the nitrogen analysis revealed that sewage and harbor outflow promote higher nitrogen levels, enrichment of 15 N in the tissues, and a higher seasonal variability in sea grass and epiphytes. In mussel tissues, the δ 15 N was also influenced by sewage and harbor outflow, whereas δ 13 C was influenced by terrestrial inputs. These results suggest that natural and anthropogenic nutrient inputs have a temporary and localized influence and affect the sensitivity of natural isotopic ratios to changes in hydrologic conditions, especially to rain and tourism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracing sewage and natural freshwater input in a Northwest Mediterranean bay: Evidence obtained from isotopic ratios in marine organisms

Lassauque¹,

Lepoint²,

Thibaut³

et al. 2010

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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“…This process removes 14 N-nitrate at a faster rate than 15 N-nitrate because 14 N is lighter and easier to metabolize (Heaton, 1986). The remaining nitrate in sewage effluent is therefore 15 Nenriched and organic nitrogen compounds produced by phytoplankton cells will also tend to become enriched in 15 N (Costanzo et al, 2005), with δ 15 N values reaching up 10 or 20 ‰ in polluted rivers (Kreitler et al, 1978;Macko and Ostrom, 1994;McClelland and Valiela, 1998). Therefore, the 15 N-enriched POM in Têt, Ter and Tordera rivers likely reflects the importance of urban activities in the lowest part of their watersheds.…”

Section: Sources Of Pom Transferred To the Nw Mediterranean Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical characterization of the riverine particulate organic matter transferred to the NW Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2014

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Abstract.A large amount of terrestrial organic matter is annually delivered by rivers to the continental shelf, where this material is either degraded, buried or transferred to the deep sea by hydrodynamic processes such as storms. The relative amount of terrestrial organic matter in the marine sediments is often determined by analysing the stable isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) and the C / N ratio of organic matter because the various particulate organic matter (POM) sources have distinct isotopic compositions. With the objective to refine and better interpret POM sources in the marine environment, we have characterized monthly terrestrial POM delivered by eight rivers discharging to the NW Mediterranean Sea: the Rhône, Hérault, Orb, Aude, Têt, Fluvià, Ter and Tordera rivers. These rivers were simultaneously sampled from November 2008 to December 2009 and the concentrations of total suspended matter (TSM), particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PN), as well as their stable isotopic ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) were determined.During the survey, three rainstorm events with winds coming from the E-NE and the S-SE impacted the NW Mediterranean. Depending on the direction of incoming winds, the fluvial response (amount of water discharge and TSM) was different. Rivers draining the Alps (Rhône River) and Central Massif (Hérault, Orb, and Aude rivers) were mostly impacted by rainstorms associated with winds coming from the S-SE, while rivers draining the Pyrenees (Têt, Fluvià, and Ter rivers) and the Montseny Massif (Tordera River) were impacted by rainstorms associated with winds coming from the E-NE. In addition, the spatial evolution of water discharges shows a different hydrological regime of the Rhône River, with relatively constant and high water stages and TSM concentrations when compared to coastal rivers, characterized by long periods of low water stages. TSM concentrations are positively correlated to water discharges (high water flows resuspended riverbed sediments) but show an inverse relationship with POC and PN relative contents (mostly due to dilution and by low availability of light in river waters during flood events). TSM in most of the coastal rivers have on average 2.5-3 times higher POC and PN mean contents than the Rhône River (8.5 and 1.5 %, respectively, for coastal rivers compared to 3.6 and 0.5 %, respectively, for the Rhône River). This discrepancy may be caused by the long drought periods in small coastal Mediterranean watersheds that enhance the eutrophication in studied coastal rivers. The δ 13 C ratios of organic matter also reflect this discrepancy between high and low water stages with values ranging from −33.2 to −24.5 ‰. The enriched 13 C values (−26.3 ± 0.4 ‰ for the Rhône River and −26.9 ± 1.2 ‰ for coastal rivers), measured during high water stages, express mostly a mixture of terrestrial source (plant remains and soils) whereas

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“…The focus on nitrogen was recommended based on results from a coupled physical and biogeochemical model of Moreton Bay [11,35] and on phytoplankton bioassay experiments that found that phytoplankton productivity responded primarily to nitrogen additions [37,38]. Lower sewage nitrogen signals in the bay [39,40] and declines in annual mean phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a concentration) [36,41] suggested that the investments were effective in reducing the symptoms of eutrophication that had prevailed in earlier decades.…”

Section: Water Quality and The Ecology Of Reservoirsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science to Support Management of Receiving Waters in an Event-Driven Ecosystem: From Land to River to Sea

Leigh

Burford

Connolly

et al. 2013

Water

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Managing receiving-water quality, ecosystem health and ecosystem service delivery is challenging in regions where extreme rainfall and runoff events occur episodically, confounding and often intensifying land-degradation impacts. We synthesize the approaches used in river, reservoir and coastal water management in the event-driven subtropics of Australia, and the scientific research underpinning them. Land-use change has placed the receiving waters of Moreton Bay, an internationally-significant coastal wetland, at risk of ecological degradation through increased nutrient and sediment loads. The event-driven climate exacerbates this issue, as the waterways and ultimately Moreton Bay receive large inputs of nutrients and sediment during events, well above those received throughout stable climatic periods. Research on the water quality and ecology of the region's rivers and coastal waters has underpinned the development of a world-renowned monitoring program and, in combination with catchment-source tracing methods and modeling, has revealed the key mechanisms and management strategies by which receiving-water quality, ecosystem health and ecosystem services can be maintained and OPEN ACCESS

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Using nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) of macroalgae to determine the effectiveness of sewage upgrades: changes in the extent of sewage plumes over four years in Moreton Bay, Australia

Cited by 173 publications

References 14 publications

Tracing sewage and natural freshwater input in a Northwest Mediterranean bay: Evidence obtained from isotopic ratios in marine organisms

Tracing sewage and natural freshwater input in a Northwest Mediterranean bay: Evidence obtained from isotopic ratios in marine organisms

Biogeochemical characterization of the riverine particulate organic matter transferred to the NW Mediterranean Sea

Science to Support Management of Receiving Waters in an Event-Driven Ecosystem: From Land to River to Sea

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