Research Areas > Nutrients > Nutrient Cycling in Estuaries
Research Area: Nutrient Cycling and Eutrophication in Estuaries
Management of eutrophication within an estuary requires an understanding of the balance of nutrient sources, transformation pathways, and nutrient sinks. Estuaries in California vary greatly in their specific biological response to nutrient loads. This variability in response is a result of differences in depth, salinity regime, frequency, timing of freshwater flows, magnitude of tidal forcing, sediment load, stratification, and dominant primary producer communities among estuaries.
SCCWRP Research
Compared to available information about estuaries on the east coast of the US, data regarding the extent of eutrophication in California’s estuaries is sparse. Data describing nutrient loading rates, transformation, and uptake in California estuaries are also lacking. SCCWRP scientists seek to improve understanding of nutrient cycling in California estuaries and develop models that predict estuarine response to nutrient loads.
SCCWRP nutrient cycling project groups include:
This page was last updated on: 8/9/2010