title: Biogeochemistry of bulk organic matter and biogenic elements in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent sea.
abstract: This study investigated the distribution and roles of total organic carbon (TOC), biogenic silicon (BSi), various forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and the stable carbon isotope (δ(13)C) in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) and adjacent sea. Terrestrial input accounted for 12-63% of total organic matter in the study area. The distribution of biogenic elements was affected by the Changjiang Diluted Water, the Jiangsu Coastal Current, human activities, marine biological processes, and the sediment grain size. Potentially bioavailable N and P accounted for an average 79.6% of the total N (TN) and 31.8% of the total P (TP), respectively. The burial fluxes for TOC, BSi, TN and TP were 39.74-2194.32, 17.34-517.48, 5.02-188.85 and 3.10-62.72 μmol cm(-2) yr(-1), respectively. The molar ratios of total N/P (1.2-5.0), Si/P (5.0-14.8) and Fe/P (21-61) indicated that much of the P was sequestered in sediments.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education/Qingdao Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Qinzhou University, Qinzhou 535099, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education/Qingdao Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ocean Environment Monitoring Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences Institute of Oceanographic Instrumentation, Qingdao 266001, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education/Qingdao Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: sumeiliu@ouc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Su-Mei
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Sen
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010316:Particle Size; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Biogenic elements; Biogeochemical cycling; East China Sea; Surface sediments; Yangtze River Estuary