title: Use of a real-time remote monitoring network (RTRM) to characterize the Guadalquivir estuary (Spain).
abstract: The temporal variability of hydrological variables in the Guadalquivir estuary was examined during three years through a real-time remote monitoring network (RTRM). The network was developed with the aim of studying the influence of hydrodynamical and hydrological features within the estuary on the functioning of the pelagic ecosystem. Completing this data-gathering network, monthly cruises were performed in order to measure biogeochemical variables that are indicative of the trophic status of the aquatic environment. The results showed that several sources of physical forcing, such as wind, tide-associated currents and river discharge were responsible for the spatio-temporal patterns of dissolved oxygen, salinity and turbidity in the estuary. The analysis was conducted under tidal and flood regime, which allowed us to identify river discharge as the main forcing agent of the hydrology inside the estuary. In particular, episodes of elevated turbidity detected by the network, together with episodes of low salinity and dissolved oxygen were closely related to the increase in water supply from a dam located upstream. The network installed provided accurate data that can be rapidly used for research or educational applications and by policy-makers or agencies in charge of the management of the coastal area.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Costera, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía, ICMAN-CSIC, Puerto Real, 11519, Cadiz, Spain. gabriel.navarro@icman.csic.es
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Isabel Emma
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Huertas
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Costas
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Flecha
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díez-Minguito
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: López-Rodas
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003199:Computer Systems; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013030:Spain; D014159:Transducers; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water