The Oceanography and Modelling of the Pontevedra Ria (NW Spain) ...

A multidisciplinary study the oceanography of the Pontevedra Ria (NW Spain), including hydrography, biogeochemistiy and biogeochemical modelling, has been performed. The hydrographical variability of the Pontevedra Ria was dependent on freshwater inputs and upwelling of nutrient-rich East North Atla...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dale, Andrew W.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: University of Plymouth 2003
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.24382/4829
https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/1966
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Summary:A multidisciplinary study the oceanography of the Pontevedra Ria (NW Spain), including hydrography, biogeochemistiy and biogeochemical modelling, has been performed. The hydrographical variability of the Pontevedra Ria was dependent on freshwater inputs and upwelling of nutrient-rich East North Atlantic Central Water from the shelf. Intrusions of the Poleward Current were also detected during winter. A stratified box model approach predicted that upwelling water fluxes into the ria of 2-4x10³ m³ s-1, of which >30% rises to the surface waters inside the ria. Freshwater residence time varied from ~4-9 d in the central ria and 1-4 d in the internal ria. Nutrients concentrations showed a strong fluvial and oceanic signal, with a clear zone of near-bed aerobic remineralisation in the internal ria. Nutrient flux experiments showed that high nutrient fluxes, particularly ammonium (3.5 mg N mˉ² hˉ¹), coincided with period of high water influx to the ria. These were related to stirring of quasi-benthic ...