Diazotroph activity in surface Narragansett Bay sediments in summer is stimulated by hypoxia and organic matter delivery

Abstract

Estuaries, residing at the interface of freshwater systems and oceans, are attractive habitats for human populations. Human activities impact estuarine ecosystems in a variety of ways, including anthropogenic nutrient loading from agriculture, sewage treatment, and fossil fuel emissions. A consequence of anthro-pogenic nutrient delivery to estuaries is increased hypoxic conditions, something that has been documented as growing in severity in estuaries worldwide (