Challenges in estimating primary production in estuaries

Chuanmin Hu1, Henry Briceno2, Raymond Najjar3, David C English1, Shuangling Chen4, Jennifer Cannizzaro4, Maria Herrmann5 and Jeff Absten6, (1)University of South Florida Tampa, Tampa, FL, United States, (2)Florida International University, Southeastern Environmental Research Center, Miami, FL, United States, (3)The Pennsylvania State University, Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, University Park, United States, (4)University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, FL, United States, (5)The Pennsylvania State University, Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, University Park, PA, United States, (6)Florida International University, Miami, United States
Abstract:
Primary production in estuaries represents an important process to regulate carbon cycling and ecology, yet direct measurements of primary production are tedious, and accurate estimates of primary production through alternative ways are technically challenging. Here, using three methods of measuring and/or estimating primary production in several estuaries on the east coast of the United States (Tampa Bay, Biscayne Bay, and Delaware Bay), we compare and discuss their uncertainties and their potential use in constructing remote sensing based long-term records in order to study their long-term changes in response to climate variability and/or human activities. These methods include direct C14 incubations, measurement of dissolved oxygen, and remote sensing models to estimate vertically integrated net primary production. We show the modeling approach with regional parameterization, and discuss possible ways for future improvements.
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