Sedimentation of Organic Matter in St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia

Abstract

Sediment traps were placed at two sites in St. Margaret’s Bay. At a deep station (70 m), traps were placed 5 m and 10 m above the bottom; at a shallow station (10 m), six traps were placed between 45 and 197 cm above the bottom. Total catch averaged 118 g C m −2 yr −1 at the deep station and 134 g C m −2 yr −1 at the shallow station. The most probable source of the organic matter was detritus derived from seaweeds and seagrasses, but the most probable source of inorganic material was bottom sediment. It is suggested that the traps were taking bottom sediment resuspended from shallow water, enriched by detritus from seaweeds and seagrasses.