Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment

Alistair Grinham; Tony Costantini; Nathaniel Deering; Cameron Jackson; Carissa Klein; Catherine Lovelock; John Pandolfi; Gal Eyal; Michael Linde; Matthew Dunbabin; Brendon Duncan; Nicholas Hutley; Ilha Byrne; Craig Wilson; Simon Albert

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646

Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment

Alistair Grinham, Tony Costantini, Nathaniel Deering, Cameron Jackson, Carissa Klein, Catherine Lovelock, John Pandolfi, Gal Eyal, Michael Linde, Matthew Dunbabin, Brendon Duncan, Nicholas Hutley, Ilha Byrne, Craig Wilson, Simon Albert

The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Major floods pose a severe threat to coastal receiving environments, negatively impacting environmental health and ecosystem services through direct smothering with sediment and nutrient loading. This study examined the short and long-term impacts of the February 2022 major flood event on mud extent and sediment nitrogen flux in Moreton Bay (the Bay), a large, sub-tropical embayment in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Short-term impacts were assessed three days after the flood peak by sampling surface water at 47 sites in the direction of the predominant circulation pattern. Longer-term impacts were assessed by undertaking an intensive sediment survey of 223 sites and a nutrient flux experiment using sediment core incubations to simulate calm and resuspension conditions for the four key sediment classes. Short-term impacts revealed elevated turbidity levels extended across the Bay but were highest at the Brisbane River mouth, ammonium concentrations varied inversely with surface turbidity, whereas nitrate concentrates closely tracked surface turbidity. The sediment survey confirmed fine sediment deposition across 98 % of the Bay. Porewater within the upper 10 cm contained a standing pool of 280 t of ammonium, with concentrations more than three orders of magnitude higher than overlying surface waters. The nutrient flux experiment revealed an order of magnitude higher sediment ammonium flux rate in the sandy mud sediment class compared to the other sediment classes; and for simulated resuspension conditions compared to calm conditions for sand, muddy sand, and mud sediment classes. Scaling across the whole Bay, we estimated a mean annual sediment flux of 17,700 t/year ammonium, with a range of 13,500 to 21,900 t/year. Delivery of fine sediments by major floods over the last 50 years now impact >98 % of the benthic zone and provide a major loading pathway of available nitrogen to surface waters of Moreton Bay; representing a significant threat to ecosystem health.

Original language	English
Article number	170646
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	918
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646
State	Published - 25 Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s)

Funding

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land and sea on which this study was undertaken, and we would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present. Urban Utilities , Healthy Land and Water , Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd. , and The University of Queensland 's Sustainable Urban Seascapes - Moreton Bay (SUSMB) project are gratefully acknowledged for their financial and logistical support. This research was supported by the Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL), a Southern Cross University NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) ISO17025 accredited commercial and research support facility. In addition, we acknowledge N. Dawson of the Analytical Services Laboratory in the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology at The University of Queensland for sample processing and analysis. We gratefully acknowledge Healthy Land and Water who provided access to the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) data for Moreton Bay. Field assistance was provided by J. Lockington, D. Roelfsema and E. Tan. C. Riginos is gratefully acknowledged for advice on study design and survey data interpretation. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land and sea on which this study was undertaken, and we would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present. Urban Utilities, Healthy Land and Water, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd., and The University of Queensland's Sustainable Urban Seascapes - Moreton Bay (SUSMB) project are gratefully acknowledged for their financial and logistical support. This research was supported by the Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL), a Southern Cross University NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) ISO17025 accredited commercial and research support facility. In addition, we acknowledge N. Dawson of the Analytical Services Laboratory in the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology at The University of Queensland for sample processing and analysis. We gratefully acknowledge Healthy Land and Water who provided access to the Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) data for Moreton Bay. Field assistance was provided by J. Lockington, D. Roelfsema and E. Tan. C. Riginos is gratefully acknowledged for advice on study design and survey data interpretation.

Funders	Funder number
Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology
National Association of Testing Authorities	ISO17025
Traditional Owners of the land
Port of Brisbane
Southern Cross University
University of Queensland

Keywords

Ammonium
Australia
Catchment management
Flood
Moreton Bay
Nitrogen budget
Sediment distribution
Sediment flux
Sub-tropics
Turbidity

Access to Document

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646

Cite this

Grinham, A., Costantini, T., Deering, N., Jackson, C., Klein, C., Lovelock, C., Pandolfi, J., Eyal, G., Linde, M., Dunbabin, M., Duncan, B., Hutley, N., Byrne, I., Wilson, C., & Albert, S. (2024). Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment. Science of the Total Environment, 918, Article 170646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646

@article{6cfefc1de3d44f029d0c43ae01d47a47,

title = "Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment",

abstract = "Major floods pose a severe threat to coastal receiving environments, negatively impacting environmental health and ecosystem services through direct smothering with sediment and nutrient loading. This study examined the short and long-term impacts of the February 2022 major flood event on mud extent and sediment nitrogen flux in Moreton Bay (the Bay), a large, sub-tropical embayment in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Short-term impacts were assessed three days after the flood peak by sampling surface water at 47 sites in the direction of the predominant circulation pattern. Longer-term impacts were assessed by undertaking an intensive sediment survey of 223 sites and a nutrient flux experiment using sediment core incubations to simulate calm and resuspension conditions for the four key sediment classes. Short-term impacts revealed elevated turbidity levels extended across the Bay but were highest at the Brisbane River mouth, ammonium concentrations varied inversely with surface turbidity, whereas nitrate concentrates closely tracked surface turbidity. The sediment survey confirmed fine sediment deposition across 98 % of the Bay. Porewater within the upper 10 cm contained a standing pool of 280 t of ammonium, with concentrations more than three orders of magnitude higher than overlying surface waters. The nutrient flux experiment revealed an order of magnitude higher sediment ammonium flux rate in the sandy mud sediment class compared to the other sediment classes; and for simulated resuspension conditions compared to calm conditions for sand, muddy sand, and mud sediment classes. Scaling across the whole Bay, we estimated a mean annual sediment flux of 17,700 t/year ammonium, with a range of 13,500 to 21,900 t/year. Delivery of fine sediments by major floods over the last 50 years now impact >98 % of the benthic zone and provide a major loading pathway of available nitrogen to surface waters of Moreton Bay; representing a significant threat to ecosystem health.",

keywords = "Ammonium, Australia, Catchment management, Flood, Moreton Bay, Nitrogen budget, Sediment distribution, Sediment flux, Sub-tropics, Turbidity",

author = "Alistair Grinham and Tony Costantini and Nathaniel Deering and Cameron Jackson and Carissa Klein and Catherine Lovelock and John Pandolfi and Gal Eyal and Michael Linde and Matthew Dunbabin and Brendon Duncan and Nicholas Hutley and Ilha Byrne and Craig Wilson and Simon Albert",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s)",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

day = "25",

doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "918",

journal = "Science of the Total Environment",

issn = "0048-9697",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

Grinham, A, Costantini, T, Deering, N, Jackson, C, Klein, C, Lovelock, C, Pandolfi, J, Eyal, G, Linde, M, Dunbabin, M, Duncan, B, Hutley, N, Byrne, I, Wilson, C & Albert, S 2024, 'Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 918, 170646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646

TY - JOUR

T1 - Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment

AU - Grinham, Alistair

AU - Costantini, Tony

AU - Deering, Nathaniel

AU - Jackson, Cameron

AU - Klein, Carissa

AU - Lovelock, Catherine

AU - Pandolfi, John

AU - Eyal, Gal

AU - Linde, Michael

AU - Dunbabin, Matthew

AU - Duncan, Brendon

AU - Hutley, Nicholas

AU - Byrne, Ilha

AU - Wilson, Craig

AU - Albert, Simon

PY - 2024/3/25

Y1 - 2024/3/25

N2 - Major floods pose a severe threat to coastal receiving environments, negatively impacting environmental health and ecosystem services through direct smothering with sediment and nutrient loading. This study examined the short and long-term impacts of the February 2022 major flood event on mud extent and sediment nitrogen flux in Moreton Bay (the Bay), a large, sub-tropical embayment in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Short-term impacts were assessed three days after the flood peak by sampling surface water at 47 sites in the direction of the predominant circulation pattern. Longer-term impacts were assessed by undertaking an intensive sediment survey of 223 sites and a nutrient flux experiment using sediment core incubations to simulate calm and resuspension conditions for the four key sediment classes. Short-term impacts revealed elevated turbidity levels extended across the Bay but were highest at the Brisbane River mouth, ammonium concentrations varied inversely with surface turbidity, whereas nitrate concentrates closely tracked surface turbidity. The sediment survey confirmed fine sediment deposition across 98 % of the Bay. Porewater within the upper 10 cm contained a standing pool of 280 t of ammonium, with concentrations more than three orders of magnitude higher than overlying surface waters. The nutrient flux experiment revealed an order of magnitude higher sediment ammonium flux rate in the sandy mud sediment class compared to the other sediment classes; and for simulated resuspension conditions compared to calm conditions for sand, muddy sand, and mud sediment classes. Scaling across the whole Bay, we estimated a mean annual sediment flux of 17,700 t/year ammonium, with a range of 13,500 to 21,900 t/year. Delivery of fine sediments by major floods over the last 50 years now impact >98 % of the benthic zone and provide a major loading pathway of available nitrogen to surface waters of Moreton Bay; representing a significant threat to ecosystem health.

AB - Major floods pose a severe threat to coastal receiving environments, negatively impacting environmental health and ecosystem services through direct smothering with sediment and nutrient loading. This study examined the short and long-term impacts of the February 2022 major flood event on mud extent and sediment nitrogen flux in Moreton Bay (the Bay), a large, sub-tropical embayment in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Short-term impacts were assessed three days after the flood peak by sampling surface water at 47 sites in the direction of the predominant circulation pattern. Longer-term impacts were assessed by undertaking an intensive sediment survey of 223 sites and a nutrient flux experiment using sediment core incubations to simulate calm and resuspension conditions for the four key sediment classes. Short-term impacts revealed elevated turbidity levels extended across the Bay but were highest at the Brisbane River mouth, ammonium concentrations varied inversely with surface turbidity, whereas nitrate concentrates closely tracked surface turbidity. The sediment survey confirmed fine sediment deposition across 98 % of the Bay. Porewater within the upper 10 cm contained a standing pool of 280 t of ammonium, with concentrations more than three orders of magnitude higher than overlying surface waters. The nutrient flux experiment revealed an order of magnitude higher sediment ammonium flux rate in the sandy mud sediment class compared to the other sediment classes; and for simulated resuspension conditions compared to calm conditions for sand, muddy sand, and mud sediment classes. Scaling across the whole Bay, we estimated a mean annual sediment flux of 17,700 t/year ammonium, with a range of 13,500 to 21,900 t/year. Delivery of fine sediments by major floods over the last 50 years now impact >98 % of the benthic zone and provide a major loading pathway of available nitrogen to surface waters of Moreton Bay; representing a significant threat to ecosystem health.

KW - Ammonium

KW - Australia

KW - Catchment management

KW - Flood

KW - Moreton Bay

KW - Nitrogen budget

KW - Sediment distribution

KW - Sediment flux

KW - Sub-tropics

KW - Turbidity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184657129&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170646

M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???

C2 - 38325481

AN - SCOPUS:85184657129

SN - 0048-9697

VL - 918

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

M1 - 170646

ER -

Nitrogen loading resulting from major floods and sediment resuspension to a large coastal embayment

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this