Diel variations of dissolved ammonia and phosphate in estaurine sediment pore water

Variations of dissolved ammonia and phosphate in pore water at depths of 2 to 40
cm were examined every 3 hr for 27 hr. Eh values were consistently negative and pH ranged from
7.2 to 8.0. Ammonium and phosphate were greatest at 10 cm and both steadily decreased to
40 cm. Maximum ammonium concentrations were 2.7 µM in surface water and 169 µM in the
sediment. Maximum phosphate concentrations were 6.4 µM in surface water to 30.4 µM in
sediment.
Nitrate concentrations were 2.2 to 9.9 µM at 2 cm and 0.1 to 0.8 µM in surface waters. No
nitrate was detected below 2 cm. Dynamic changes in the levels of phosphate and ammonium were observed during the period.

Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution 276

This manuscript is an author version with the final
publication available and may be cited as: Montgomery, J. R., Zimmermann, C., Peterson, G., & Price,
M. (1983). Diel variations of dissolved ammonia and phosphate in estaurine sediment pore water.
Florida Scientist, 46(3-4), 407-414.