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Marine Biology Commons

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Biogeochemistry

William & Mary

Theses/Dissertations

2000

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

Organic Matter Composition Of Sediments And The History Of Eutrophication And Anoxia In The Mesohaline Chesapeake Bay, Andrew R. Zimmerman Jan 2000

Organic Matter Composition Of Sediments And The History Of Eutrophication And Anoxia In The Mesohaline Chesapeake Bay, Andrew R. Zimmerman

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

To evaluate the effects of anthropogenic alteration of the Chesapeake Bay (CB) watershed since European settlement, the historical progression of eutrophication and anoxia in the mesohaline region of CB was reconstructed. Lipid biomarker and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic and elemental composition of CB surficial sediments were examined seasonally in order to identify the present sources of organic matter to CB sediments and the processes controlling their distribution. Temporal variability in surficial sediment composition could be linked to seasonal changes in phytoplankton community composition and biomass while spatial variation was dominated by the delivery of alloclithonous versus autochthonous sources of …