Abstract
A network of 63 stations was used on four occasions (June 1986, October 1986, February 1987, and May 1987) to study the spatio-temporal distribution of inorganic nutrients in Thau Lagoon (‘l'étang de Thau’), which covers 7500 hectares on the French Mediterranean coast. Three environmental factors, revealed by multiple regression models, govern the distributions observed. Allochthonous inputs from the watershed enrich the environment with nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in the winter and autumn. Internal sources are essentially localized in the shellfish breeding zone of the lagoon. In the summer, shellfish excretions and the rapid remineralization of organic deposits produce ammonium ions. Uptake by phytoplankton has a much larger impact on the seasonal variation of inorganic nitrogen than on that of phosphorus; the latter is present in excess in the lagoon waters. Thus, nitrogen appears to be the primary limiting nutrient for the development of the chorophyllous biomass.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amanieu, M., P. Legendre, M. Trousselier & G. F. Frisoni, 1989. Le programme Ecothau: Théorie écologique et base de la modélisation. Oceanol. Acta 12: 189–199.
Aminot, A. & M. Chaussepied, 1983. Manuel des analyses chimiques en milieu marin. Centre National pour l'Exploitation des Océans, Brest, 395.
Boucher, G. & R. Boucher-Rodoni, 1988. In situ measurement of respiratory metabolism and nitrogen fluxes at the interface of oyster beds. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 44: 229–238.
Canovas, S., 1987. Impact des effluents de la station de lagunage de Mèze sur l'étang de Thau. DEA National d'Hydrologie. Fac. de Pharmacie, Univ. Montpellier I, 144 p.
Comin, F. A., 1982. Seasonal changes of phytoplankton in three coastal lagoons of the Ebro delta in relation to environmental factors. Proc. int. Symp. on coastal lagoons SCOR/IABO/UNESCO. Bordeaux, France. Oceanol. Acta, Sp: 259–267.
Deslous-Paoli, J.M. & J. Jousset, 1987. Transformation du matériel fécal de Crassostrea gigas: évolution biochimique à court terme. Océanis 13: 581–584.
Dufour, P., L. Lemasson & J. L. Cremoux, 1981. Contrôle nutritif de la biomasse du seston dans une lagune tropicale de Côte d'Ivoire. Il Variations géographiques et saisonnières. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 51: 269–284.
Facco, S., D. Degobbis, A. Sfriso & A. A. Orio, 1986. Space and time variability of nutrients in the Venice Lagoon. In D. A. Wolfe (ed), Estuarine Variability. Academic Press: 307–317.
Feuillet-Girard, M., M. Héral, J. M. Sornin, J. M. Deslous-Paoli, J. M. Robert, F. Mornet & D. Razet, 1988. Eléments azotés de la colonne d'eau et de l'ínterface eau-sédiment du bassin de Marennes-Oléron: influence des cultures d'huitres. Aquat. Living Resour. 1: 251–265.
Ge, C., 1988. Contribution à la modélisation physicochimique de l'étang de Thau. Thèse. Univ. Montpellier II, 163 p.
Gilmartin, M. & N. Revelante, 1978. The phytoplankton characteristics of the Barrier Island lagoons of the Gulf of California. Estuar. coast. mar. Sci. 7: 29–47.
Golterman, H. L., 1975. Physiological Limnology. An approach to the physiology of lake ecosystems. Developments in Water Science 2, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company. 488 p.
Grentz C., 1989. Quantification et destinée de la biodéposition en zones de production conchylicole intensive en Méditerranée. Thèse. Univ. d'Aix-Marseille II, 145 p.
Hamon, P. Y. & H. Tournier, 1986. Evolution de la biomasse de mollusques en élevage dans l'étang de Thau de 1980 à 1984. Rev. Trav. Inst. Pêches Marit. 48: 33–44.
Hecky, R. E. & P. Kilham, 1988. Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton in freshwater and marine environments: A review of recent evidence on the effects of enrichment. Limnol. Oceanogr. 33: 796–822.
Hénard, D., 1978. Production primaire d'une lagune Méditerranéenne: l'étang de Thau (Hérault). Année 1976. Thèse Doct. Ing., Univ. Montpellier II, 85 p.
Hodghin, E. P. & P. B. Birch, 1982. Eutrophisation of a western Australian estuary. Proc. int. Symp. on coastal lagoons. SCOR/IABO/UNESCO. Bordeaux, France. Oceanol. Acta SP: 313–318.
Murphy, J. & J. P. Riley, 1962. A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural water. Anal. Chim. Acta 27: 31–36.
Myers, V. B. & R. I. Iverson, 1981. Phosphorus and nitrogen limited phytoplankton productivity in north-eastern Gulf of Mexico coastal estuaries. In B. J. Neilson & L. E. Cronin (ed), Estuaries and Nutrients. Humana Press, Clifton, New Jersey: 569–582.
Neveux, J. & M. Panouse, 1987. Spectrofluometric determination of chorophylls and pheophytins. Arch. Hydrobiol. 109: 567–581.
Nixon, S. W.,1982. Nutrients dynamics, primary production and fisheries yields of lagoons. Proc. int. Symp. on coastal lagoons. SCOR/IABO/UNESCO. Bordeaux. France. Oceanol. Acta 357–371.
Nixon S. W. & V. Lee, 1981. The flux of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus between coastal lagoons and offshore waters. UNESCO. Tech. Pap. mar. Sci. 33: 325–348.
Nowicki, B. L. & S. W. Nixon, 1985. Benthic nutrient remineralization in a coastal lagoon ecosystem. Estuaries 8: 182–190.
Okuda, T., 1981. Inorganic and organic nitrogen in some coastal lagoons in Venezuela. UNESCO. Tech. Pap. mar. Sci. 33: 348–358.
Outin, V.,1990. Ecophysiologie de l'huitre Crassostrea Gigas Thunberg en milieu naturel. Rôle des populations d'une lagune méditerranéenne dans les transferts de matières particulaire et dissoute. Thèse. Univ. Paris VI, 152 p.
Seiki, T., H. Izawa & E. Date, 1989. Benthic nutrient remineralization and oxygen consumption in the coastal area of Hiroshima Bay. Wat. Res. 23: 219–228.
Sfriso, A., B. Pavoni, A. Marcomini & A. A. Orio, 1988. Annual variations of nutrients in the lagoon of Venice. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 19: 54–60.
Solorzano, L., 1969. Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenolhypochlorite method. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14: 799–801.
Sornin, J. M., M. Feuillet, M. Héral & J. C. Fardeau, 1986. Influence des cultures d'huitres Crassostrea Gigas sur le cycle du phosphore en zone intertidale: rôle de la biodéposition. Oceanol. Acta 9: 313–322.
Tréguer, P. & L. Le Corre, 1975. Manuel d'analyse des sels nutritifs dans l'eau de mer (utilisation de l'a'autoanalyseur II technicon®). 2nd édit. Lab. Océanol. Chim., Univ. Brest, France, 110 p.
Tournier, H., P. Y. Hamon & S. Landrein, 1982. Synthèse des observations réalisées par l'ISTPM sur les eaux et le plancton de l'étang de Thau de 1974 à 1980. Rev. Trav. Inst. Pêches Marit. 45: 283–318.
Vaulot, D. & G. F. Frisoni, 1986. Phytoplanktonic productivity and nutrients in five Mediterranean lagoons. Oceanol. Acta 9: 57–63.
Vincendeau M. L. & J. M. Robert, 1987. Variations qualitatives saisonnières des produits excrétés par deux mollusques bivalves Crassostrea gigas Thunberg et Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams et Reeve). Oceanis 13: 543–556.
Wood, E. D., F. A. Armstrong & F. A. Richards, 1967. Determination of nitrate in sea water by cadmium-copper reduction to nitrite. J. mar. Biol. Ass. U.K. 47: 23–31.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Picot, B., Péna, G., Casellas, C. et al. Interpretation of the seasonal variations of nutrients in a mediterranean lagoon: étang de Thau. Hydrobiologia 207, 105–113 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041446
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041446