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| Titel |
Site-specific features influence sediment stability of intertidal flats |
| VerfasserIn |
E. C. Defew, T. J. Tolhurst, D. M. Paterson |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1027-5606
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ; 6, no. 6 ; Nr. 6, no. 6, S.971-982 |
| Datensatznummer |
250003854
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/hess-6-971-2002.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The factors that influence
the sediment stability and the transport of estuarine mudflats are not yet fully
understood but knowledge of them is essential in coastal
engineering applications and pollution ecology studies. The suggestion that
variation in predictive models of sediment stability might
be due to site-specific characteristics is investigated using data from four
estuarine mudflats (Eden Estuary, Scotland, the Biezelingsche
Ham, Zandkreek, and Molenplaat mudflats in The Netherlands). These estuaries
differ in their environmental conditions, macrofaunal
species composition and local features (e.g. Enteromorpha mats, migratory
biofilms). Stable and unstable sediments were compared,
and mean chlorophyll-a concentrations and granulometry of the sediments
were significantly different between the two groups. Step-wise
multiple linear regressions were applied to the sediment stability data of all
sites to establish the influences on erosion threshold of
microphytobenthic biomass, water content, granulometry, organic carbon content
and the abundance of dominant macrofaunal species. The
stability of each site was influenced by different factors. Sediment stability
of the Eden Estuary was affected by the Enteromorpha
bloom; Biezelingsche Ham was influenced by the highly migratory
nature of the diatom biofilms and the abundance of Corophium volutator;
the polychaete worm Arenicola marina had a net negative
effect on sediment stability of the Zandkreek; and the Molenplaat was influenced
by microphytobenthic biomass. This research highlights the need for
site-specific calibration of models and suggests that a universal proxy parameter
for sediment stability is unlikely to be obtained.
Keywords: sediment stability; erosion threshold;
cohesive strength meter; microphytobenthos; Enteromorpha spp. |
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