Nitrogen cycling and budget in Belgian coastal waters: North Sea areas with and without river inputs
Mommaerts, J.-P.; Pichot, G.; Ozer, J.; Adam, Y.A.; Baeyens, W.F.J. (1984). Nitrogen cycling and budget in Belgian coastal waters: North Sea areas with and without river inputs. Rapp. et Proc.-Verb. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer 183: 57-69
The coastal sea off Belgium has been extensively studied for a number of years on a multidisciplinary basis. Thus the stocks within the system's various compartments as well as the carbon or nitrogen fluxes between them resulting from biological activity at several trophic levels have been measured. Further, the tidal and residual circulations have been investigated and modeled in addition to the erosive properties of the flow. There are strong differences between the more coastal part of this area and the open sea. In particular, inputs from rivers and channels seem to exert an influence beyond what could normally be expected in coastal areas.Adequate modelling of the nitrogen cycle in such a diverse environment demanded a fine approach, including a subdivision into 24 boxes connected by advective and diffusive flows. The result of the simulation as well as direct attempts to calculate the nitrogen budget for particular boxes reveal a lack of balance between the flux of particulate matter going into the sediment and the outgoing nutrient flux. Hence, some parts of the area appear to be exporting particulate detritic matter, whereas other parts seem to be collecting it. Hypotheses concerning the possible transfer mechanisms for particulate detritic matter are discussed.
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