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Watershed Deforestation and Down-Estuary Transformations Alter Sources, Transport, and Export of Suspended Particles in Panamanian Mangrove Estuaries

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Abstract

We identified eight Panamanian watersheds in which conversion from wet tropical forest to pastures differed and assessed the effects of degree of deforestation, and down-estuary transformations, on the suspended particulate matter discharged from the watersheds, entering, traversing through mangrove estuaries, and emerging into coastal waters. Deforested watersheds discharged larger concentrations of suspended particulate matter, with lower % C and N, higher mineral content, and heavier isotopic signatures into fresh reaches of estuaries. Down-estuary, sediment entrainment increased non-organic content of particulates, and watershed-derived imprints of deforestation on composition of particulate matter were mostly erased by within-estuary transformations. Isotopic signatures of C, N, and S in particulate matter demonstrated strong land-sea couplings, and indicated that the direction of the coupling was asymmetrical, with terrestrial and estuarine sources delivering particulate materials to coastal waters and sediments. Mangrove estuaries therefore both act as powerful modulators of human activities on land, while also exporting particulate materials to sea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Biological Laboratory, The Ecosystems Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543, USA

    I. Valiela, M. Bartholomew, A. Giblin, J. Tucker, C. Harris & M. Otter

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, CC573, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    P. Martinetto

  3. Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543, USA

    L. Camilli

  4. Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, Massachusetts, 02540, USA

    T. Stone

Authors
  1. I. Valiela
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  2. M. Bartholomew
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  3. A. Giblin
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  4. J. Tucker
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  5. C. Harris
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  6. P. Martinetto
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  7. M. Otter
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  8. L. Camilli
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  9. T. Stone
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Correspondence to I. Valiela.

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Author Contribution

IV and AG conceived the work, obtained the funding, drafted the paper, and guided all the field and analytic work; MB worked on statistical analyses and graphics; JT, CH, PM, and LC were involved in the field work and chemical analyses; MO did the mass spectrometry and elemental analysis; TS was responsible for the remote sensing work; all authors reviewed and edited the many versions of the text.

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Figure SI 1

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Limon, the watershed-estuary system with 92% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 9383 kb)

Figure SI 2

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Manglarito, the watershed-estuary system with 91% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 8638 kb)

Figure SI 3

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Pixvae, a watershed-estuary system with 73% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 8629 kb)

Figure SI 4

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Luis, a watershed-estuary system with 73% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 9470 kb)

Figure SI 5

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Chamuscado, the watershed-estuary system with 66% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 8940 kb)

Figure SI 6

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips during 2009 to 2012, from Rio de la Mona, the watershed-estuary system with 47% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 8658 kb)

Figure SI 7

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied in sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Salmonete, the watershed-estuary system with 29% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Quickbird imagery acquired April 5, 2003. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 9430 kb)

Figure SI 8

Sampling stations 1-9, occupied during sampling trips between 2009 to 2012, from Rio Grande, the watershed-estuary system with 23% forest cover (Table 1). Sample locations varied to capture salinity gradient and exiting water; some points are overlapping, and do not show as separate samplings. Sampling points overlaid on Aster satellite imagery acquired February 7, 2006. Specific dates and latitude and longitude for each station are provided in Supplementary Information in Valiela and others (2013). (TIFF 5053 kb)

Figure SI 9

Comparisons of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and potential sources, including sediments from mangrove estuaries, mangrove leaves, and large particulate matter (POM) collected from water ebbing the estuaries. The data shown stratified into three bins of % forest cover on the watersheds, and three bins of salinity. (TIFF 518 kb)

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Valiela, I., Bartholomew, M., Giblin, A. et al. Watershed Deforestation and Down-Estuary Transformations Alter Sources, Transport, and Export of Suspended Particles in Panamanian Mangrove Estuaries. Ecosystems 17, 96–111 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-013-9709-5

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