Particulate and dissolved amino acids in the lower Mississippi and Pearl Rivers (USA)

Abstract In this study, we present seasonal changes (monthly samples from September 2001 to August 2003) in the abundance and composition of dissolved and particulate amino acids, at one station in the lower Mississippi and Pearl Rivers (LA, MS: USA). Spatial changes over a 4-day transmit from river km 390 to river mouth (Head of Passes, LA) in the Mississippi River, and a two-day downstream sampling from Jackson (MS) to Stennis Space Center (MS) were also determined. Temporal data in the lower Mississippi River showed significantly lower concentrations of dissolved combined amino acids (DCAA, 0.8 to 2.2 μM) and dissolved amino acids in high molecular weight fraction (HMW DAA, 0.2–0.4 μM) than in the Pearl River (DCAA, 1.4–4.3 μM; HMW DAA, 0.4–1.4 μM). Dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) were significantly lower than DCAA in both rivers, and displayed minimal seasonal variability. DCAA, HMW DAA, and particulate amino acids (PAA) were generally higher during high-flow periods, which may have suggested dominance in terrestrial sources. Carbon-normalized yield of PAA (%C-PAA) was generally higher during low-flow conditions and positively correlated with chlorophyll-a (chl-a), reflective of in situ sources. Downstream variability in the lower Mississippi River showed stable DCAA concentrations, a decline in PAA (from 1.06 to 0.43 μM), and a gradual increase in mole percent of non-protein amino acids (%NPAA). This likely reflected bacterial degradation of phytoplankton biomass during falling discharge. Nitrogen-normalized yield of PAA (%N-PAA) was inversely correlated with PAA (R = − 0.7, n = 48), indicative of short-term sedimentation and resuspension events. Conversely, downstream decreases in DCAA and middle-reach peaks of PAA and %N-PAA in the Pearl River, likely resulted from photochemical degradation of DOM as well as algal production during base-flow conditions. The comparisons in abundance and composition of DAA and PAA in these different river systems provides important information on in situ nitrogen and carbon cycling as related to riverine inputs of organic matter to coastal ocean.

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