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A nutrient mass balance for nitrogen and phosphorous for the nearshore water of the west coast of Barbados, W.I., July 1996 to May 1997 /

A mass balance approach was used in an attempt to quantify nutrient flux to the nearshore at the West Coast, Barbados, W.I. Total nitrogen and total phosphorus levels of the groundwater at inland pumping stations and above beach margins, as well as in the water of the nearshore zone and approximately 2 km offshore, were obtained. Nearshore groundwater seepage rates and salinity data were also taken. This study attempted to use this raw data to estimate flushing rates, nutrient loading rates, and nutrient loss rates, to ultimately create a picture of the fate of nutrients as they travel in groundwater into the nearshore zone. Annual loading for the entire West Coast was calculated at 1.46 x 105 kg NO3---N for nitrogen and 1.19 x 103 kg PO4 3---P for phosphorus. Mean nutrient levels in groundwater above the beach margin were estimated at 969.83 muM for nitrogen and 3.63 muM for phosphorus. For nitrogen and phosphorus respectively, these levels were twice and three times higher than at the pumping stations farther inland; and there was also a fourfold and fivefold drop in nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively, in the nearshore zone relative to this groundwater above the beach margin. This indicated that the dense coastal population at the West Coast was adding significant amounts of nutrient to groundwater after it had left the inland pumping stations. There were no patterns of gradation in nutrient concentrations detected within the immediate nearshore, making completion of an accurate mass balance impossible, though indicating that there was significant advection of submarine groundwater offshore, beyond the study zone. This may contribute to the poor health of West Coast reefs, where sewage and fertiliser leaching and runoff are suspected as the primary sources for nutrient input to submarine groundwater to the south and northern parts of the West Coast, respectively.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.29931
Date January 1999
CreatorsWellington, Christine.
ContributorsRasmussen, Joseph (advisor)
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageMaster of Science (Department of Biology.)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 001738083, proquestno: MQ55098, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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