Abstract
Transfer processes from a eutrophic ecosystem, the river Rhône, to an oligotrophic environment, the north-west Mediterranean Sea, were studied during the winter period, when inputs of dissolved and particulate matter are at their highest.
During a cruise carried out in February 1987, salinity, temperature, turbidity, nutrients, pigments, suspended particulate matter and particulate carbon and nitrogen were measured in surface and subsurface waters near the Rhône outlet.
For most of the parameters the results show that during this period a simple dilution process occurs in the river plume of the Rhône without adsorption, desorption, precipitation or biological uptake, contrary to recordings for some other rivers. All the nutrients discharged into the sea by the Rhône are available for utilization by marine phytoplankters.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arfi, R., 1987. Hydrologie et charge nutritive à l'embouchure du Rhône (saison froide). Bull. Ecol. 18: 123–130.
Bapst, A. & C. Beck, 1987. Structures néphéploïdales et thermiques sur le delta du Rhône. In: Coll. int. Océanol. Ecosystèmes de marges continentales. Comm. int. Mer Médit. (CIESM), Monaco (ed.), 26.
Belzile, N. & J. Lebel, 1983. Contribution à l'étude chimique du matériel dissous et particulaire de l'estuaire de la rivière Rimouski. Mar. Chem. 13: 15–34.
Bien, G. S., D. E. Contois & W. H. Thomas, 1958. Removal of soluble silica from fresh-water entering the sea. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 14: 35–54.
Bishop, S. S., K. A. Emmanuele & J. A. Yoder, 1984. Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth in Georgia nearshore waters. Estuaries 7: 506–512.
Blanc, F., M. Leveau & P. Kerambrun, 1975. Eutrophie et pollution: structure et fonctionnement du sous-écosystème planctonique. 10 th European Symposium on Marine Biology, Ostend, Belgium 2: 61–83.
Blanc, F., M. Leveau & K. H. Szekielda, 1969. Effets eutrophiques au débouché d'un grand fleuve (Grand Rhône). Mar. Biol. 3: 233–242.
Cadée, G. C., 1984. Particulate and dissolved organic carbon and chlorophyll a in the Zaïre river, estuary and plume. Neth. J. Sea Res. 17: 426–440.
Caraco, N., A. Tamse, O. Boutros & I. Valiela, 1987. Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth in brackish coastal ponds. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 44: 473–476.
Cauwet, G., 1984. Automatic determination of dissolved organic carbon in the sub ppm range. Mar. Chem. 14: 297–306.
Chase, E. M. & F. L. Sayles, 1980. Phosphorus in suspended sediments of the Amazon River. Estuar. coast. mar. Sci. 11: 383–391.
Correll, D. L. & D. Ford, 1982. Comparison of precipitation and land runoff as sources of estuarine nitrogen. Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci. 15: 45–56.
Coste, B., 1971. Circulation et évolution des composés de l'azote et du phosphore (en particulier des sels nutritifs) dans le bassin occidental de la Méditerranée. Influence sur la production organique. Thèse Doct. ès-Sci. Univ. d'Aix-Marseille II, 256 pp.
Coste, B., 1974. Rôle des apports nutritifs minéraux rhodaniens sur la production organique des eaux du Golfe du Lion. Téthys 6: 727–740.
Coste, B., 1987. Les sels nutritifs dans le bassin occidental de la Méditerranée. Rapp. Comm. int. Mer Médit. 30 (3): 399–410.
Coste, B. & H. J. Minas, 1967. Premières observations sur la distribution des taux de productivité et des concentrations en sels nutritifs des eaux de surface du Golfe du Lion. Cah. océanogr. 19: 417–429.
Fisher, T. R., L. W. Jr Harding, D. W. Stanley & L. G. Ward, 1988. Phytoplankton, Nutrients, and Turbidity in the Chesapeake, Delaware, and Hudson Estuaries. Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci. 27: 61–93.
Halim, Y. & S. A. Morcos, 1966. Le rôle des particules en suspension dans l'eau du Nil en crue dans la répartition des sels nutritifs au large de ses embouchures. Rapp. Comm. int. Mer Médit. 18(3): 733–736.
Holm-Hansen, O., C. J. Lorenzen, R. W. Holmes & J. D. H. Strickland, 1965. Fluorometric determination of chlorophyll. J. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer 30: 3–15.
Jacques, G., 1970. Aspects quantitatifs du phytoplancton de Banyuls sur mer (Golfe du Lion). IV. Biomasse et Production, 1965–1969. Vie Milieu. 21(1-B): 37–102.
Koroleff, F., 1969. Direct determination of ammonia in natural waters as indophenol blue. Int. Counc. Explor. Sea, C.M. 1969/C 9: 19–22.
Krey, J., 1964. Die mittler Tiefenverteibung von Seston, Mikrobiomasse und Detritus im nördlichen Nordatlantik. Kieler Meeresforsch. 20: 18–29.
Laws, E. A. & J. W. Archie, 1981. Appropriate use of regression analysis in marine biology. Mar. Biol. 65: 13–16.
Liss, P. S., 1976. Conservative and non-conservative behaviour of dissolved constituents during estuarine mixing. In J. D. Burton & P. S. Liss (eds), Estuarine chemistry, Academic Press, Lond.: 93–131.
Liss, P. S. & M. J. Pointon, 1973. Removal of dissolved boron and silicon during estuarine mixing of sea and river waters. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 34: 1073–1088.
Lochet, F., 1987. Etude de la structure frontale du Rhône grâce à la mesure en continu de descripteurs hydrobiologiques. In: Coll. int. Océanol. Ecosystèmes de marges continentales. Comm. int. Mer Médit. (CIESM), Monaco (ed.), 27.
Loeillet, C., 1984. Etude statistique des distributions de taille des particules en suspension dans deux zones soumises à l'influence Rhodanienne (Darse 1 de Fos, Golfe du Lion). Thèse Doct. 3eme Cycle, Univ. Aix-Marseille II, 103 pp.
Meybeck, M., 1982. Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus transport by world rivers. Am. J. Sci. 282: 401–450.
Morris, A. W., A. J. Bale & R. J. M. Howland, 1981. Nutrient distributions in an estuary: evidence of chemical precipitation of dissolved silicate and phosphate. Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci. 12: 205–216.
Ryther, J. H. & W. M. Dunstan, 1971. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Eutrophication in the coastal marine environment. Science 171: 1008–1009.
Schindler, D. W., 1981. Studies in lakes and their relevance to the estuarine environment. In: B. J. Neilson & L. E. Cronin (eds), Estuaries and nutrients. Humana Press, Clifton, 71–82.
Stallard, R. F. & J. M. Edmond, 1983. Geochemistry of the Amazon. 2. The influence of geology and weathering environment on dissolved load. J. Geophys. Res. 88: 9671–9688.
Tréguer, P. & P. Le Corre, 1975. Manuel d'analyse des sels nutritifs de l'eau de mer (Utilisation de l'Auto-Analyzer II Technicon R), 2nd édition, Laboratoire d'Océanologie chimique, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, 110 . pp.
Vacarro, R. F. & J. J. Ryther, 1960. Marine phytoplankton and the distribution of nitrite in the sea. J. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer 25: 260–271.
Van Bennekom, A. J., G. W. Berger, W. Helder & T. P. De Vries, 1978. Nutrient distribution in the Zaire estuary and river plume. Neth. J. Sea Res. 12: 296–323.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lochet, F., Leveau, M. Transfers between a eutrophic ecosystem, the river Rhône, and an oligotrophic ecosystem, the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Hydrobiologia 207, 95–103 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041445
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041445