Organic Matter in Reef Waters
67
Table 2.8. Suspended organic matter (Cp, IlgC)-') in reef waters
Place
Reef zone
Cp
Author
Enivetok atoll
Surrounding ocean 10-30
Marshall et al. (1975)
Flat
20-240
Gerber and Marshall. (1974)
Lagoon
20-30
Gerber and Marshall (1974)
Fanning atoll
Flat
150
Gordon (1971)
Lagoon
80
Gordon (1971)
Kawaratli atoll
Surrounding ocean 75
Quasim and Sankaranarayanan (1970)
Flat
1035
Quasim and Sankaranarayanan (1970)
Lagoon
355
Abrolhos reefs (Western
Surrounding oecan 14-42
Crossland et al. (1984)
Australia)
Reef crest
870-940
Crossland et al. (1984)
Lagoon
330-870
Crossland et al. (1984)
Lizard I. (GBR)
Windward slope
150-280
Crassland and Barnes (1983)
Leeward reef
180-310
Crassland and Barnes (1983)
Abako reef (Bahamas)
Flat
130-240
Marshall et al. (1975)
South Caicos
Flat
200
Marshall et al. (1975)
reef (Caribbean)
Lagoon
130
Marshall et al. (1975)
Kaneohe Bay (Hawaii)
Flat
500
Marshall et al. (1975)
Lagoon
420
Marshall et al. (1975)
Grand Lameshur (Virgin Islands) Flat
710
Hickel (1972)
more (Gerber and Marshall 1974; Westrum and Meyers 1978). Up the reefs
of Abrolhos it increased more than ten times - from 0.3 to 4.2mgCl- 1
(Crossland et al. 1984). On the polluted reefs of the Kaneohe bay it was also
high. The largest content of organic matter in the reef waters on the
cross-sections were recorded up the reef flat. In waters of the lagoon it
decreases (Fig. 2.13).
The content of suspended organic matter (SaM) is also much higher in
reef waters compared with the surrounding oceanic waters (Table 2.8), and
attains its maximum over the flat, where it is 5-10 times higher than in the
open ocean: 100-150 Ilg C 1-1. Up the flat of some barrier reefs it reached
even 200-500 Ilg C 1-1 (Glynn 1973a), and over the flat of the Kawaratti atoll
and up the reefs of Abrolhos it attained 1-1.5 mg C 1-1. The same high
content of suspended organic matter was recorded in waters of Hawaiian
reefs in the Kaneohe bay and of the reefs of the Virgin Islands which are
subjected to anthropogenic pollution (400-700 Ilg C 1-1). In lagoonal waters
its content decreases because of settling of the organic particles. Still it
remains several times more than in the open ocean. The ratio "DOM/
SaM", in oceanic waters 50-100, decreases in water over the reefs to
10-30, and in polluting reefs even to 3-7. The content of carbon in
suspended material 10-15% per dry weight in oceanic waters, decreases in
reef waters to 4-8% (Hickel 1972). Thus the dry weight of total suspended
matter in reef waters is large, 1-20mgl-t, which is 10-20 times more than
in oceanic waters.
The stock of LaM after the BOD data could be evaluated in reef waters
as being within 0.6-2.5 mg C 1- 1 (Motoda 1940; Sorokin et al. 1983; see
Table 2.9), while in waters of the open ocean it is 2-5 times less: 0.30.5 mg C 1-1 (Sorokin and Mamaeva 1980). In oceanic waters this relatively
67
Table 2.8. Suspended organic matter (Cp, IlgC)-') in reef waters
Place
Reef zone
Cp
Author
Enivetok atoll
Surrounding ocean 10-30
Marshall et al. (1975)
Flat
20-240
Gerber and Marshall. (1974)
Lagoon
20-30
Gerber and Marshall (1974)
Fanning atoll
Flat
150
Gordon (1971)
Lagoon
80
Gordon (1971)
Kawaratli atoll
Surrounding ocean 75
Quasim and Sankaranarayanan (1970)
Flat
1035
Quasim and Sankaranarayanan (1970)
Lagoon
355
Abrolhos reefs (Western
Surrounding oecan 14-42
Crossland et al. (1984)
Australia)
Reef crest
870-940
Crossland et al. (1984)
Lagoon
330-870
Crossland et al. (1984)
Lizard I. (GBR)
Windward slope
150-280
Crassland and Barnes (1983)
Leeward reef
180-310
Crassland and Barnes (1983)
Abako reef (Bahamas)
Flat
130-240
Marshall et al. (1975)
South Caicos
Flat
200
Marshall et al. (1975)
reef (Caribbean)
Lagoon
130
Marshall et al. (1975)
Kaneohe Bay (Hawaii)
Flat
500
Marshall et al. (1975)
Lagoon
420
Marshall et al. (1975)
Grand Lameshur (Virgin Islands) Flat
710
Hickel (1972)
more (Gerber and Marshall 1974; Westrum and Meyers 1978). Up the reefs
of Abrolhos it increased more than ten times - from 0.3 to 4.2mgCl- 1
(Crossland et al. 1984). On the polluted reefs of the Kaneohe bay it was also
high. The largest content of organic matter in the reef waters on the
cross-sections were recorded up the reef flat. In waters of the lagoon it
decreases (Fig. 2.13).
The content of suspended organic matter (SaM) is also much higher in
reef waters compared with the surrounding oceanic waters (Table 2.8), and
attains its maximum over the flat, where it is 5-10 times higher than in the
open ocean: 100-150 Ilg C 1-1. Up the flat of some barrier reefs it reached
even 200-500 Ilg C 1-1 (Glynn 1973a), and over the flat of the Kawaratti atoll
and up the reefs of Abrolhos it attained 1-1.5 mg C 1-1. The same high
content of suspended organic matter was recorded in waters of Hawaiian
reefs in the Kaneohe bay and of the reefs of the Virgin Islands which are
subjected to anthropogenic pollution (400-700 Ilg C 1-1). In lagoonal waters
its content decreases because of settling of the organic particles. Still it
remains several times more than in the open ocean. The ratio "DOM/
SaM", in oceanic waters 50-100, decreases in water over the reefs to
10-30, and in polluting reefs even to 3-7. The content of carbon in
suspended material 10-15% per dry weight in oceanic waters, decreases in
reef waters to 4-8% (Hickel 1972). Thus the dry weight of total suspended
matter in reef waters is large, 1-20mgl-t, which is 10-20 times more than
in oceanic waters.
The stock of LaM after the BOD data could be evaluated in reef waters
as being within 0.6-2.5 mg C 1- 1 (Motoda 1940; Sorokin et al. 1983; see
Table 2.9), while in waters of the open ocean it is 2-5 times less: 0.30.5 mg C 1-1 (Sorokin and Mamaeva 1980). In oceanic waters this relatively