Skip to content

Terrestrial Nutrients and Dissolved Organic Matter Input to the Coral Reef Ecosystem via Submarine Springs

  • Dini Adyasari
  • Hannelore Waska
  • Kirstin Daehnke
  • Till Oehler
  • Atas Pracoyo
  • Doni Prakasa Eka Putra
  • Nils Moosdorf

Departments

Global Change Impacts and Adaptation

Abstract

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) transports terrestrial nutrients and dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the ocean. An elevated concentration of nutrients and DOM can act as stressors enhancing coral disease and mortality, but only a few studies address the impacts of groundwater-borne nutrients and DOM on coral reef ecosystems. This study quantifies and characterizes nutrients, nitrate (NO3–) stable isotopes, and DOM molecular composition of coastal groundwater discharging to the reef ecosystem via submarine springs in Lombok, Indonesia. NO3– isotopic values point to both natural (soil) and anthropogenic (wastewater and fertilizer) origins of nutrients in the coastal aquifer. Submarine springs are fed by different groundwater sources and deliver land-based NO3–, dissolved silica, phosphate, and labile DOM to the reef water column. Terrestrial nutrients and DOM undergo rapid turnover in the reef water column due to biogeochemical processes and biological uptake. Meanwhile, reef and offshore water likely act as sources of more stable, reworked DOM formulas and its mineralization product, ammonium. We observed that submarine springs consistently deliver similar nutrient loadings, creating a long-term environmental threat to coral reef sustainability. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding coastal biogeochemistry and hydrological processes in sensitive tropical ecosystems, particularly those adjacent to modified land-use watersheds.

Cite this activity

Adyasari D., Waska H., Daehnke K., Oehler T., Pracoyo A., Putra D.P.E. and Moosdorf N. (2021) Terrestrial Nutrients and Dissolved Organic Matter Input to the Coral Reef Ecosystem via Submarine Springs. ACS ES&T Water 1(8): 1887-1900. 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00134

Details

Research topics
Date 29.07.2021
Journal ACS ES&T Water
Issue 8
Volume 1
Pages 1887-1900
Open Access Closed Access
Open Access Status Closed Access
Eprints_link https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/4727
Peer-Reviewed

Research Spectrum

The content on this page is maintained by the authors.