Title: Biogeochemistry of the intertidal area of the Fraser River estuary
Abstract: The Fraser River estuary provides vital habitat for a wide range of wildlife as well as serving as an important agricultural, industrial, and urban area. The input of contaminants (i.e. inorganics, organics, nutrients) at any point along the river is of concern, as they can eventually be transported downriver and deposited in the estuarine sediments. Sturgeon Bank was the site of a direct sewage outfall from the Iona Island sewage treatment plant from 1963 to 1988. In 1988, sewage was redirected to discharge directly into the Strait of Georgia. This study integrates previous studies directed at assessing the recovery of the Fraser River estuary intertidal region, and presents baseline information on the state of this intertidal region. Four biogeochemical processes that occur within the Fraser River estuary intertidal region were assessed: 1) deposition and erodibility of sediments within the Sturgeon Bank intertidal region; 2) intertidal pore-water and sediment geochemistry; 3) nutrient cycling and benthic microalgal biomass; and 4) secondary productivity.