Watershed Deforestation and Down-Estuary Transformations Alter Sources, Transport, and Export of Suspended Particles in Panamanian Mangrove Estuaries

摘要: We identified eight Panamanian watersheds in which conversion from wet tropical forest to pastures differed and assessed the effects of degree deforestation, down-estuary transformations, on suspended particulate matter discharged watersheds, entering, traversing through mangrove estuaries, emerging into coastal waters. Deforested larger concentrations matter, with lower % C N, higher mineral content, heavier isotopic signatures fresh reaches estuaries. Down-estuary, sediment entrainment increased non-organic content particulates, watershed-derived imprints deforestation composition were mostly erased by within-estuary transformations. Isotopic C, S demonstrated strong land-sea couplings, indicated that direction coupling was asymmetrical, terrestrial estuarine sources delivering materials waters sediments. Mangrove estuaries therefore both act as powerful modulators human activities land, while also exporting sea.