Biogeochemistry of northern and central Great Barrier Reef inter-reef sediments

Nine stations from Great Barrier Reef locations on the inner, mid- and outer -shelf were sampled. Six were located in the channels bewteen the following sets of reefs: Gibson and Howie, Howie and Peart, Adelaide and Hall-Thompson, Taylor and Farquharson, Yamacutta and Taylor and Beaver; Britomart and Otter Reefs. Three stations were located leeward of the following reefs: King, Moss, and Pith Reefs.

Samples were analysed for sediment grain size, pH and percentage silt, sand and clay, water content and other elements (P, S, Mn, and Fe). Sediments were classified as mud, sand, sandy mud or muddy sand.

Mass sediment accumulation rates were calculated.

Solute fluxes across the sediment-water interface and sulfate reduction were measured.

Porewater was analysed for Cl, S, Fe, Ca, Mg, Sr, and Mn.

Fluxes of O2 and sum of CO2 (mmol m-2 day-1), the ratio across the sediment-water interface and net production of sum of CO2 were calculated.

Rates of dissolved inorganic nutrient flux (umol m-2 day-1) were recorded.

To examine the deposition and cycling of carbon and nitrogen in carbonate sediments located between coral reefs of the northern and central sections of the Great Barrier Reef.

The research is a companion to that described in the papers:
Alongi DM, Pfitzner J and Trott LA (2006) Deposition and cycling of carbon and nitrogen in carbonate mud of the lagoons of Arlington and Sudbury Reefs, Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 25: 123-143.
and
Alongi DM, Trott LA and Pfitzner J (2007) Deposition, mineralization, and storage of carbon and nitrogen in sediments of the far northern and northern Great Barrier Reef shelf. Continental Shelf Research 27: 2595-2622.

In the spatial extends the regions have been named against the station and the core numbers listed in the publication.

本研究对大堡礁（Great Barrier Reef）陆架内区、中区与外区的9个采样站位开展了样品采集。其中6个站位设置于以下各组珊瑚礁间的水道中：吉布森礁与豪伊礁、豪伊礁与皮尔特礁、阿德莱德礁与霍尔-汤普森礁、泰勒礁与法夸森礁、亚马库塔礁与泰勒礁与比弗礁；以及布里托马特礁与奥特礁。剩余3个站位设置于金礁、莫斯礁与皮思礁的背风侧。

所有采集的样品均开展了多指标分析：包括沉积物粒度、pH值、粉砂、砂与黏土的百分含量、含水率，以及磷（P）、硫（S）、锰（Mn）与铁（Fe）等元素含量；同时将沉积物划分为泥质、砂质、砂质泥与泥质砂四类。

本研究计算了沉积物的质量堆积速率，测定了沉积物-水界面的溶质通量与硫酸盐还原速率，并对孔隙水中的氯（Cl）、硫（S）、铁（Fe）、钙（Ca）、镁（Mg）、锶（Sr）与锰（Mn）进行了含量检测。

本研究计算了氧气与总二氧化碳的沉积物-水界面通量（单位：mmol·m⁻²·d⁻¹）、二者的界面通量比值，以及总二氧化碳的净产生速率。

本研究记录了溶解态无机营养盐的通量速率（单位：μmol·m⁻²·d⁻¹）。

本研究的核心目标为探究大堡礁北部与中部珊瑚礁间碳酸盐沉积物中的碳、氮沉积与循环过程。

本研究为以下两篇已发表文献所述研究的配套研究：
1. Alongi DM、Pfitzner J与Trott LA（2006）《大堡礁阿灵顿礁与萨德伯里礁泻湖碳酸盐泥中的碳、氮沉积与循环》，《珊瑚礁》（Coral Reefs）25卷：123-143。
2. Alongi DM、Trott LA与Pfitzner J（2007）《大堡礁远北部与北部陆架沉积物中的碳、氮沉积、矿化与储存》，《大陆架研究》（Continental Shelf Research）27卷：2595-2622。

本研究的空间范围依据已发表文献中列出的站位与岩心编号进行划定。