Patterns and Trends in Secchi Disk Depth Over Three Decades in the Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Complex
This study conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of spatial and temporal variations in Secchi disk depth and the key internal and external variables that influence its variability in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.
Description
Water clarity is an important ecosystem indicator of eutrophication in the Chesapeake Bay. Although a variety of measures are available to quantify light availability in water, Secchi disk depths have been the most consistent and frequent measure employed in water monitoring programs. Because light availability is influenced by multiple variables, such as phytoplankton biomass, non-living suspended particles, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), understanding the factors driving long-term variability and trends in water clarity is critical for targeting watershed management actions related to eutrophication. This study, published in Estuaries and Coasts, conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of spatial and temporal variations in Secchi disk depth and the key internal and external variables that influence its variability in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries over the past 30 years.
Citation
Testa, J.M., Lyubchich V., and Q. Zhang, 2019. “Patterns and trends in Secchi disk depth over three decades in the Chesapeake Bay estuarine complex”, Estuaries and Coasts, 42(4): 927-943, doi: 10.1007/s12237-019-00547-9.
Category: Report