THE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF NUTRIENTS AND TRACE-METALS IN HOOD CANAL, A PUGET-SOUND FJORD

The summer stratification of the surface layer of much of Hood Canal ( a Puget Sound fjord) results in a surface layer low in nutrients and a deep layer low in dissolved oxygen and enriched in nutrients. Deviati ons from the dissolved oxygen:nutrient linear relationships are manife stations of several chemical and biological processes. The low dissolv ed oxygen concentrations (50 mumol) result in the redistributions of F e in the sediment column while Mn is redistributed within the water co lumn. Trace metals are also taken up by organisms in the surface layer and regenerated in the deep layer in the order Zn > > Cd > Cu = Ni Re generated Zn is adsorbed on to resuspended bottom sediments that are e nriched in Fe oxyhydroxides while Cd is adsorbed throughout the water column. Particulate distributions of Cu and Ni indicate these metals a re also participating in biogeochemical cycles, albeit to a lesser ext ent.