Articles | Volume 22, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-7769-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-7769-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
08 Dec 2025
Research article |
| 08 Dec 2025
| 08 Dec 2025
Benthic macrofaunal carbon fluxes and environmental drivers of spatial variability in a large coastal-plain estuary
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Raymond Najjar
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Emily Rivest
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
Ryan Woodland
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences, Cambridge, MD, USA
Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
Pierre St-Laurent
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
Spencer Davis
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Catherine R. Czajka, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Emily B. Rivest, Pierre St-Laurent, Mark J. Brush, and Fei Da
Biogeosciences, 22, 3181–3206, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3181-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3181-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Under future acidification, warming, and nutrient management, substantial reductions in shell and tissue weights of Eastern oysters are projected for the Chesapeake Bay. Lower oyster growth rates will be largely driven by reduced calcium carbonate saturation states and reduced food availability. Oyster aquaculture practices in the region will likely be affected, with site selection becoming increasingly important as impacts will be highly spatially variable.
Kyle E. Hinson, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Raymond G. Najjar, Maria Herrmann, Zihao Bian, Gopal Bhatt, Pierre St-Laurent, Hanqin Tian, and Gary Shenk
Biogeosciences, 20, 1937–1961, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1937-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1937-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Climate impacts are essential for environmental managers to consider when implementing nutrient reduction plans designed to reduce hypoxia. This work highlights relative sources of uncertainty in modeling regional climate impacts on the Chesapeake Bay watershed and consequent declines in bay oxygen levels. The results demonstrate that planned water quality improvement goals are capable of reducing hypoxia levels by half, offsetting climate-driven impacts on terrestrial runoff.
Melissa Ward, Tye L. Kindinger, Heidi K. Hirsh, Tessa M. Hill, Brittany M. Jellison, Sarah Lummis, Emily B. Rivest, George G. Waldbusser, Brian Gaylord, and Kristy J. Kroeker
Biogeosciences, 19, 689–699, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-689-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-689-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we synthesize the results from 62 studies reporting in situ rates of seagrass metabolism to highlight spatial and temporal variability in oxygen fluxes and inform efforts to use seagrass to mitigate ocean acidification. Our analyses suggest seagrass meadows are generally autotrophic and variable in space and time, and the effects on seawater oxygen are relatively small in magnitude.
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Short summary
Even though bottom-dwelling animals in coastal waters are well studied, their impact on carbon cycling is unclear. We analyzed thousands of bivalves in Chesapeake Bay to understand what shapes their distribution and role in carbon movement. Bivalves were most abundant in shallow, low-salinity waters with moderate oxygen and high nitrate. They use 18–45 % of available carbon in the Upper Bay, and their carbon dioxide output exceeds what escapes into the air, highlighting their ecosystem impact.
Even though bottom-dwelling animals in coastal waters are well studied, their impact on carbon...
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