Organic matter oxidation and sediment chemistry, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Sampling stations were in the open lagoon of Mangrove Bay (on the the upper west coast of North West Cape), and within the back-lagoon of Ningaloo Reef.At each station, triplicate sediment cores were taken for interstitial sulphate and hydrogen sulphide; dissolved metals (Ca, Mg, Sr, Mn, Fe); total alkalinity; dissolved inorganic and photo-oxidizable nutrients and Cl-; DOC; solid-phase nutrients (TOC, Toal N, P, Fe and S); and sulphate reduction (the last used a different set of cores). Duplicate cores were taken for pH and Eh measurements. Other samples were taken at each site for benthic respiration (C02 and O2), grain size, porosity and temperature. Sediment characteristics were recorded as percent sand, silt, clay or CaCO3.Samples were collected during November 1993 and October 1994. To compare and contrast microbial decomposition of organic matter and sediment chimistry in lagoonal sands of a sheltered sanctuary zone (Mangrove Bay) with sands composed mainly of reef-derived carbonates in the intertidal back-lagoon of Ningaloo Reef.