Apparent redox potential discontinuity(aRPD) depth as a relative measure of sediment oxygen content and habitat quality  

作　　者：Travis G.GERWING Alyssa M.ALLEN GERWING Diana J.HAMILTON Myriam A.BARBEAU 

机构地区：[1]Department of Biology,University of New Brunswick [2]Department of Biology,Mount Allison University

出　　处：《International Journal of Sediment Research》2015年第1期74-80,共7页国际泥沙研究（英文版）

基　　金：funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grants to D Hamilton and M Barbeau

摘　　要：As hypoxic conditions spread in our oceans,indices that quickly and efficiently assess oxygen content in sediment pore water,and habitat quality are increasingly becoming desirable.Depth to the apparent redox potential discontinuity（aRPD） in sediment is one such index;however,the relationship between aRPD depth and oxygen content is still unclear.We quantified oxygen content in sediment pore water with a dissolved oxygen（DO） probe,utilizing luminescent technology,to determine how DO concentration varies with depth in the sediment,and with position relative to the aRPD（above versus below） on an intertidal mudflat in the Bay of Fundy,Canada.Based on generalized linear regression models,we found that depth in the sediment was a poor predictor of pore water DO concentration,while position in the sediment relative to the aRPD was a good predictor.Further,sediment above the aRPD had higher DO content than sediment below.We maintain that aRPD depth is a good measure of relative oxygen content in sediment pore water,as well as habitat quality.However,we recommend caution as the factors that influence aRPD depth arc numerous and variable;therefore,the relationship between aRPD depth and DO content should be experimentally confirmed in any system of interest before aRPD depth is used as an indicator.As hypoxic conditions spread in our oceans,indices that quickly and efficiently assess oxygen content in sediment pore water,and habitat quality are increasingly becoming desirable.Depth to the apparent redox potential discontinuity（aRPD） in sediment is one such index;however,the relationship between aRPD depth and oxygen content is still unclear.We quantified oxygen content in sediment pore water with a dissolved oxygen（DO） probe,utilizing luminescent technology,to determine how DO concentration varies with depth in the sediment,and with position relative to the aRPD（above versus below） on an intertidal mudflat in the Bay of Fundy,Canada.Based on generalized linear regression models,we found that depth in the sediment was a poor predictor of pore water DO concentration,while position in the sediment relative to the aRPD was a good predictor.Further,sediment above the aRPD had higher DO content than sediment below.We maintain that aRPD depth is a good measure of relative oxygen content in sediment pore water,as well as habitat quality.However,we recommend caution as the factors that influence aRPD depth arc numerous and variable;therefore,the relationship between aRPD depth and DO content should be experimentally confirmed in any system of interest before aRPD depth is used as an indicator.

关 键 词：Anoxia Apparent redox potential discontinuity（aRPD） Dissolved oxygen Habitat quality Hypoxia Intertidal Marine benthos Sediment pore water. 

分 类 号：P736.2[天文地球—海洋地质]