A Simple Index of Trophic Status in Estuaries and Coastal Bays Based on Measurements of pH and Dissolved Oxygen

作者：O' Boyle Shane; McDermott Georgina; Noklegaard Tone; Wilkes Robert

来源：Estuaries and Coasts, 2013, 36(1): 158-173.

DOI：10.1007/s12237-012-9553-4

• pH
• Dissolved oxygen
• Eutrophication
• Screening tool
• Irish estuaries and coastal waters

Measurements of pH and dissolved oxygen saturation in summer from 90 Irish estuaries and coastal bays were used to develop a simple index of trophic state. The index is based on the assumption that large fluctuations in both these variables are likely to be a characteristic feature of eutrophication. In this paper, we use a simple index to capture the relative variation in both pH and dissolved oxygen saturation in each water body during a period of 3 years. We show that the index is in good agreement with other trophic status schemes and strongly correlated with parameters indicative of trophic state such as chlorophyll a and biochemical oxygen demand. We conclude that the index could be used as a simple screening tool to group individual water bodies into broad categories that reflect their trophic state.

• 出版日期2013-1