CONCENTRATION OF NUTRIENTS AND C:N:P RATIOS IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS OF A TROPICAL COASTAL LAGOON COMPLEX AFFECTED BY AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF

The content of nutrients and the C,N,P ratios were analysed in the sediment of a tropical coastal lagoon system in northwestern Mexico, that receives heavy agricultural runoff since 1950. The relationship between the C,N,P ratios and the sediment type was evaluated in the coastal lagoon system of Ba...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: G de la Lanza-Espino, FJ Flores-Verdugo, S Hernandez-Pulido, I Penié-Rodríguez
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2011
País:México
Institución:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Repositorio:Redalyc-UNAM
OAI Identifier:oai:redalyc.org:15421447004
Acceso en línea:https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=15421447004
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Agrociencias
agricultural runoff
Nutrients in sediments
tropical coastal lagoon
Descripción
Sumario:The content of nutrients and the C,N,P ratios were analysed in the sediment of a tropical coastal lagoon system in northwestern Mexico, that receives heavy agricultural runoff since 1950. The relationship between the C,N,P ratios and the sediment type was evaluated in the coastal lagoon system of Bahía de Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón in order to identify the possible origins of the organic matter, from phytoplancton, mangroves, river inflow or agricultural wastewaters. In general, the results of the nutrient content analyses fell into two groups based on the particle size of the sediment, 1) sandy sediments in Bahía de Altata where the concentration of carbon varied from 662 to 974 umol g-1, that of nitrogen from 11 to 75 umol g-1 and that of phosphorus from 11 to 27 umol g-1, with a molar ratio of 34-66,1-5,1, and 2) silty clay sediments in Laguna Ensenada del Pabellón with high contents of carbon (2324 to 4080 umol g-1), nitrogen (121 to 635 umol g-1) and phosphorus (18 to 40 umol g-1), and a high C,N,P ratio (102-202,6-16,1). This distribution is associated with agricultural runoff and discharges from a sugar cane processing factory.