title: Water quality dynamics in an urbanizing subtropical estuary(Oso Bay, Texas).
abstract: Results are presented from a study of water quality dynamics in a shallow subtropical estuary, Oso Bay, Texas, which has a watershed that has undergone extensive urbanization in recent decades. High inorganic nutrient, dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll concentrations, as well as low pH (<8), were observed in a region of Oso Bay that receives wastewater effluent. Despite being shallow (<1 m) and subjected to strong winds on a regular basis, this region also exhibited episodic hypoxia/anoxia. The low oxygen and pH conditions are likely to impose significant stress on benthic organisms and nekton in the affected area. Signatures of eutrophied water were occasionally observed at the mouth of Oso Bay, suggesting that it may be exported to adjacent Corpus Christi Bay and contribute to seasonal hypoxia development in that system as well. These results argue for wastewater nutrient input reductions in order to alleviate the symptoms of eutrophication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Unit 5860, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, United States. Electronic address: michael.wetz@tamucc.edu.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Unit 5860, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, United States.
authors.forename: Kenneth C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Unit 5860, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, United States.
authors.forename: Kelsey V B
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Unit 5860, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, United States.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78412, United States.
authors.forename: Blair
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sterba-Boatwright
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D063366:Estuaries; D005068:Eutrophication; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D013781:Texas; D014507:Urbanization; D060753:Water Quality / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Estuary; Eutrophication; Hypoxia; Phytoplankton; Wastewater; Water quality