As part of the Programme National d'Oceanographie Cotiere, the nutrient dyn
amics of the Bay of Seine were studied between 1992 and 1994 in order to co
mplement work on ecological modelling. Firstly, the River Seine's nutrient
fluxes were established: 80 000-130 000 t a(-1) of dissolved inorganic nitr
ogen, 6 400-8 400 t a(-1) of dissolved phosphorus and 20 000-77 000 t a(-1)
of dissolved silicium. Estuarine processes were taken into account. Conseq
uences of nutrient loading for the bay were then evaluated at the pelagic l
evel (nutrient and chlorophyll enrichments) and the benthic level (distribu
tion of various phosphorus fractions in superficial sediments). The large c
ontinental inputs always induce concentration gradients in the water from t
he mouth of the river to the northwest of the bay. The northward spreading
of fine particulate matter controls the distribution of adsorbed phosphate
and iron-aluminium bound phosphate in sediments. In contrast, calcium bound
phosphate, the main fraction in sediments, is not affected by river inputs
. Organic phosphorus in sediments is related to phytoplankton blooms, with
increasing concentrations during productive periods; afterwards the fast re
cycling prevents sedimentary accumulation. The nutrient depletions observed
beyond the turbid plume during spring 1992 enabled the calculation of nutr
ient uptake rates, and the comparison of these rates with phytoplankton bio
mass (chlorophyll a + phaeopigments). Ratios of nutrient consumption to pig
ment concentration were estimated at 1 mu mol mu g(-1) for nitrogen, 0.05 f
or phosphorus and 0.5 for silicate. These values, as N/P and Si/N uptake ra
tios (respectively 17.5 and 0.4), were similar to usual values. (C) Elsevie
r, Paris.