Estimates of Denitrification and Nitrification in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments

Denitrification and nitrification in sediments of Tama Estuary and Odawa Bay, Japan, were investigated by the combined use of a continuous-flow sediment-water system and a ¹⁵N tracer technique. At Odawa Bay, the nitrification rate was comparable to the nitrate reduction rate, and 70% of the N₂ evolved originated from nitrogenous oxides (nitrate and nitrite) which were produced by the action of nitrifying bacteria in the sediments. At Tama Estuary, the nitrate reduction rate was 11 to 17 times higher than the nitrification rate, and nitrogenous oxides derived from ammonium accounted for only 6 to 9% of the N₂ evolution by denitrification.     

Simultaneous determinations of nitrification and nitrate reduction in coastal sediments by a 15N dilution technique.

Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate, and nitrate reduction by bacteria in coastal sediments of Mangoku-Ura and Odawa Bay were simultaneously determined by a 15N dilution technique. In muddy sediments of Mangoku-Ura, nitrate reduction proceeded at a rate of 10(-2) to 10 X 10(-2) microgram-atoms of N/g per h. Nitrification was far less intensive. Denitrification, or N2 production from nitrate, accounted for about 30% of the nitrate reduction. A simultaneous occurrence of nitrification and nitrate reduction with a similar rate of 10(-2) microgram-atoms of N/g per h was demonstrated in sandy sediment collected from a Zostera bed of Odawa Bay.     

Denitrification and Ammonia Formation in Anaerobic Coastal Sediments

Simultaneous determinations of nitrogen gas production, ammonia, and particulate organic nitrogen formation in the coastal sediments of Mangoku-Ura, Simoda Bay, and Tokyo Bay were made by using the ¹⁵N-label tracer method. The rate of nitrogen gas production in the sediment surface layer was about 10⁻² μg atom of N per g per h, irrespective of the location of the sediments examined. [¹⁵N]ammonia and -particulate organic nitrogen accounted for 20 to 70% of the three products, and after several hours of incubation, the major fraction of nondenitrified ¹⁵N in Mangoku-Ura and Simoda Bay sediments was recovered as ammonia. In Tokyo Bay sediments, particulate organic nitrogen was produced at a greater rate than was ammonia. The reduction rate data suggest that the pathway of nitrate reduction to ammonia is important in coastal sediments.     

Linkages between organic matter mineralization and denitrification in eight riparian wetlands

Denitrification (N₂ production) and oxygen consumption rates were measured at ambient field nitrate concentrations during summer in sediments from eight wetlands (mixed hardwood swamps, cedar swamps, heath dominated shrub wetland, herbaceous peatland, and a wetland lacking live vegetation) and two streams. The study sites included wetlands in undisturbed watersheds and in watersheds with considerable agricultural and/or sewage treatment effluent input. Denitrification rates measured in intact cores of water-saturated sediment ranged from 20 to 260 mol N m^-2 h^-1 among the three undisturbed wetlands and were less variable (180 to 260 mol N M^-2 h^-1) among the four disturbed wetlands. Denitrification rates increased when nitrate concentrations in the overlying water were increased experimentally (1 up to 770 M), indicating that nitrate was an important factor controlling denitrification rates. However, rates of nitrate uptake from the overlying water were not a good predictor of denitrification rates because nitrification in the sediments also supplied nitrate for denitrification. Regardless of the dominant vegetation, pH, or degree of disturbance, denitrification rates were best correlated with sediment oxygen consumption rates (r ² = 0.912) indicating a relationship between denitrification and organic matter mineralization and/or sediment nitrification rates. Rates of denitrification in the wetland sediments were similar to those in adjacent stream sediments. Rates of denitrification in these wetlands were within the range of rates previously reported for water-saturated wetland sediments and flooded soils using whole core¹⁵N techniques that quantify coupled nitrification/denitrification, and were higher than rates reported from aerobic (non-saturated) wetland sediments using acetylene block methods.     

Interannual patterns of water table height and groundwater derived nitrate in nearshore sediments

Nitrate concentration and microbial nitrogen transformations in ground-water-affected sediments of Great South Bay, NY were examined over several annual cycles. Nitrate concentrations are typically higher at 40 cm depth than at the surface, while salinity generally decreases with depth. Denitrification occurs through the sediment core and is organic substrate limited at depth while being nitrate limited near the sediment-water interface. Denitrification accounts for about 50% of the biological NO₃ ^- decrease between 40 and 15 cm depth interval. Higher than average annual rainfall during 1983 and 1984 was reflected in an elevated water table as well as lower Bay salinities. Conversely, extremely low rainfall occurred in 1985 and 1986, and the water table reached an extreme low in Sep. 1986. Interestingly, the amounts of nitrate in the sediment column of our primary station varied directly with water table height and, presumably, the discharge rate of nitrate enriched groundwater. We suggest that this may be a result of the more efficient removal of advected nitrate by denitrification during low flow conditions.     

Interannual patterns of water table height and groundwater derived nitrate in nearshore sediments

Nitrate concentration and microbial nitrogen transformations in ground-water-affected sediments of Great South Bay, NY were examined over several annual cycles. Nitrate concentrations are typically higher at 40 cm depth than at the surface, while salinity generally decreases with depth. Denitrification occurs through the sediment core and is organic substrate limited at depth while being nitrate limited near the sediment-water interface. Denitrification accounts for about 50% of the biological NO₃ ^- decrease between 40 and 15 cm depth interval. Higher than average annual rainfall during 1983 and 1984 was reflected in an elevated water table as well as lower Bay salinities. Conversely, extremely low rainfall occurred in 1985 and 1986, and the water table reached an extreme low in Sep. 1986. Interestingly, the amounts of nitrate in the sediment column of our primary station varied directly with water table height and, presumably, the discharge rate of nitrate enriched groundwater. We suggest that this may be a result of the more efficient removal of advected nitrate by denitrification during low flow conditions.     

The Fate of Nitrate in Intertidal Permeable Sediments

Coastal zones act as a sink for riverine and atmospheric nitrogen inputs and thereby buffer the open ocean from the effects of anthropogenic activity. Recently, microbial activity in sandy permeable sediments has been identified as a dominant source of N-loss in coastal zones, namely through denitrification. Some of the highest coastal denitrification rates measured so far occur within the intertidal permeable sediments of the eutrophied Wadden Sea. Still, denitrification alone can often account for only half of the substantial nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) consumption. Therefore, to investigate alternative NO₃ ⁻ sinks such as dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), intracellular nitrate storage by eukaryotes and isotope equilibration effects we carried out ¹⁵NO₃ ⁻ amendment experiments. By considering all of these sinks in combination, we could quantify the fate of the ¹⁵NO₃ ⁻ added to the sediment. Denitrification was the dominant nitrate sink (50–75%), while DNRA, which recycles N to the environment accounted for 10–20% of NO₃ ⁻ consumption. Intriguingly, we also observed that between 20 and 40% of ¹⁵NO₃ ⁻ added to the incubations entered an intracellular pool of NO₃ ⁻ and was subsequently respired when nitrate became limiting. Eukaryotes were responsible for a large proportion of intracellular nitrate storage, and it could be shown through inhibition experiments that at least a third of the stored nitrate was subsequently also respired by eukaryotes. The environmental significance of the intracellular nitrate pool was confirmed by in situ measurements which revealed that intracellular storage can accumulate nitrate at concentrations six fold higher than the surrounding porewater. This intracellular pool is so far not considered when modeling N-loss from intertidal permeable sediments; however it can act as a reservoir for nitrate during low tide. Consequently, nitrate respiration supported by intracellular nitrate storage can add an additional 20% to previous nitrate reduction estimates in intertidal sediments, further increasing their contribution to N-loss.     

Net sediment N2 fluxes in a southern New England estuary: variations in space and time

Over the past three decades, Narragansett Bay has undergone various ecological changes, including significant decreases in water column chlorophyll a concentrations, benthic oxygen uptake, and benthic nutrient regeneration rates. To add to this portrait of change, we measured the net flux of N₂ across the sediment–water interface over an annual cycle using the N₂/Ar technique at seven sites in the bay for comparison with measurements made decades ago. Net denitrification rates ranged from about 10–90 μmol N₂–N m^?2 h^?1 over the year. Denitrification rates were not significantly different among sites and had no clear correlation with temperature. Net nitrogen fixation (?5 to ?650 μmol N₂–N m^?2 h^?1) was measured at three sites and only observed in summer (June–August). Neither denitrification nor nitrogen fixation exhibited a consistent relationship with sediment oxygen demand or with fluxes of nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, total dissolved inorganic nitrogen, or dissolved inorganic phosphate across all stations. In contrast to the mid-bay historical site where denitrification rates have declined, denitrification rates in the Providence River Estuary have not changed significantly over the past 30 years.     

Major substrates for microbial sulfate reduction in the sediments of Ise Bay, Japan

To clarify the anaerobic microbial interactions in the process of carbon mineralization in marine eutrophic environments, the microbial sulfate reduction and methane production rates were examined in coastal marine sediments of Ise Bay, Japan, in autumn 1990. Sulfate reduction rates (51–210 nmol ml⁻¹ day⁻¹ at 24°C) were much higher than the methane production ones (<1.78 nmol ml⁻¹ day⁻¹) in the surface sediments (top 2 cm) at the six stations surveyed (water depth: 10.7–23.3 m). Substrates for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were estimated after the addition of a specific inhibitor for SRB (20 mmol l⁻¹ molybdate) into the sediment slurry, from the substrate accumulation rates. In the presence of the inhibitor, sulfate reduction was completely stopped and volatile fatty acids (mainly acetate) were accumulated, although hydrogen was not. Methane production occurred markedly accompanied by consumption of the accumulated acetate from the third day after the addition of molybdate. The maximum rate of methane production was 1.2–1.9 μmol ml⁻¹ day⁻¹, which was similar to those in highly polluted freshwater sediments such as the Tama River, Tokyo, Japan. These results show that acetate is a common major substrate for sulfate reduction and methane production, and SRB competitively inhibit potential acetoclastic methanogenesis in coastal sediments. Methanogens may potentially inhabit the sediments at low levels of population density and activity.     

Denitrification in Aquifer Soil and Nearshore Marine Sediments Influenced by Groundwater Nitrate

We estimated rates of denitrification at various depths in sediments known to be affected by submarine discharge of groundwater, and also in the parent aquifer. Surface denitrification was only measured in the autumn; at 40-cm depth, where groundwater-imported nitrate has been measured, denitrification occurred consistently throughout the year, at rates from 0.14 to 2.8 ng-atom of N g⁻¹ day⁻¹. Denitrification consistently occurred below the zone of sulfate reduction and was sometimes comparable to it in magnitude. Denitrification occurred deep (14 to 40 cm) in the sediments along 30 km of shoreline, with highest rates occurring where groundwater input was greatest. Denitrification rates decreased with distance offshore, as does groundwater influx. Added glucose greatly stimulated denitrification at depth, but added nitrate did not. High rates of denitrification were measured in the aquifer (17 ng-atom of N g⁻¹ day⁻¹), and added nitrate did stimulate denitrification there. The denitrification measured was enough to remove 46% of the nitrate decrease observed between 40- and 14-cm depth in the sediment.     

Influence of hydrological connectivity of riverine wetlands on nitrogen removal via denitrification

Wetland ecosystems in agricultural areas often become progressively more isolated from main water bodies. Stagnation favors the accumulation of organic matter as the supply of electron acceptors with water renewal is limited. In this context it is expected that nitrogen recycling prevails over nitrogen dissipation. To test this hypothesis, denitrification rates, fluxes of dissolved oxygen (SOD), inorganic carbon (DIC) and nitrogen and sediment features were measured in winter and summer 2007 on 22 shallow riverine wetlands in the Po River Plain (Northern Italy). Fluxes were determined from incubations of intact cores by measurement of concentration changes or isotope pairing in the case of denitrification. Sampled sites were eutrophic to hypertrophic; 10 were connected and 12 were isolated from the adjacent rivers, resulting in large differences in nitrate concentrations in the water column (from <5 to 1,133 μM). Benthic metabolism and denitrification rates were investigated by two overarching factors: season and hydrological connectivity. SOD and DIC fluxes resulted in respiratory quotients greater than one at most sampling sites. Sediment respiration was coupled to both ammonium efflux, which increased from winter to summer, and nitrate consumption, with higher rates in river-connected wetlands. Denitrification rates measured in river-connected wetlands (35–1,888 μmol N m^?2 h^?1) were up to two orders of magnitude higher than rates measured in isolated wetlands (2–231 μmol N m^?2 h^?1), suggesting a strong regulation of the process by nitrate availability. These rates were also significantly higher in summer (9–1,888 μmol N m^?2 h^?1) than in winter (2–365 μmol N m^?2 h^?1). Denitrification supported by water column nitrate (D_W) accounted for 60–100% of total denitrification (Dtot); denitrification coupled to nitrification (D_N) was probably controlled by limited oxygen availability within sediments. Denitrification efficiency, calculated as the ratio between N removal via denitrification and N regeneration, and the relative role of denitrification for organic matter oxidation, were high in connected wetlands but not in isolated sites. This study confirms the importance of restoring hydraulic connectivity of riverine wetlands for the maintenance of important biogeochemical functions such as nitrogen removal via denitrification.     

Denitrification and N2O effluxes in the Bothnian Bay (northern Baltic Sea) river sediments as affected by temperature under different oxygen concentrations

Denitrification rates and nitrous oxide (N₂O) effluxes were measured at different temperatures and for different oxygen concentrations in the sediments of a eutrophied river entering the Bothnian Bay. The experiments were made in a laboratory microcosm with intact sediment samples. ¹⁵N-labelling was used to measure denitrification rates (Dw). The rates were measured at four temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20°C) and with three oxygen inputs (<0.2, 5, and 10 mg O₂ l⁻¹). The temperature response was highly affected by oxygen concentration. At higher O₂ concentrations (5 and 10 mg O₂ l⁻¹) a saturation over 10°C was observed, whereas the anoxic treatment (<0.2 mg O₂ l⁻¹) showed an exponential increase in the temperature interval with a Q ₁₀ value of 3.1. The result is described with a combined statistical model. In contrast with overall denitrification, the N₂O effluxes from sediments decreased with increasing temperature. The N₂O effluxes had a lower response to oxygen than denitrification rates. The N₂O/N₂ ratio was always below 0.02. Increased temperatures in the future could enhance denitrification rates in boreal river sediments but would not increase the amount of N₂O produced.     

The dark side of the hyporheic zone: depth profiles of nitrogen and its processing in stream sediments

1. Although it is well known that sediments can be hot spots for nitrogen transformation in streams, many previous studies have confined measurements of denitrification and nitrate retention to shallow sediments (<5 cm deep). We determined the extent of nitrate processing in deeper sediments of a sand plains stream (Emmons Creek) by measuring denitrification in core sections to a depth of 25 cm and by assessing vertical nitrate profiles, with peepers and piezometers, to a depth of 70 cm. 2. Denitrification rates of sediment slurries based on acetylene block were higher in shallower core sections. However, core sections deeper than 5 cm accounted for 68% of the mean depth‐integrated denitrification rate. 3. Vertical hydraulic gradient and vertical profiles of pore water chloride concentration suggested that deep ground water upwelled through shallow sediments before discharging to the stream channel. The results of a two‐source mixing model based on chloride concentrations suggested that the hyporheic zone was very shallow (<5 cm) in Emmons Creek. 4. Vertical profiles showed that nitrate concentration in shallow ground water was about 10–60% of the nitrate concentration of deep ground water. The mean nitrate concentrations of deep and shallow ground water were 2.17 and 0.73 mg NO₃‐N L^?1, respectively. 5. Deep ground water tended to be oxic (6.9 mg O₂ L^?1) but approached anoxia (0.8 mg O₂ L^?1) after passing through shallow, organic carbon‐rich sediments, which suggests that the decline in the nitrate concentrations of upwelling ground water was because of denitrification. 6. Collectively, our results suggest that there is substantial nitrate removal occurring in deep sediments, below the hyporheic zone, in Emmons Creek. Our findings suggest that not accounting for nitrate removal in deep sediments could lead to underestimates of nitrogen processing in streams and catchments.     

Denitrification in Marl and Peat Sediments in the Florida Everglades

The potential for denitrification in marl and peat sediments in the Shark River Slough in the Everglades National Park was determined by the acetylene blockage assay. The influence of nitrate concentration on denitrification rate and N₂O yield from added nitrate was examined. The effects of added glucose and phosphate and of temperature on the denitrification potential were determined. The sediments readily denitrified added nitrate. N₂O was released from the sediments both with and without added acetylene. The marl sediments had higher rates than the peat on every date sampled. Denitrification was nitrate limited; however, the yields of N₂O amounted to only 10 to 34% of the added nitrate when 100 μM nitrate was added. On the basis of measured increases in ammonium concentration, it appears that the balance of added nitrate may be converted to ammonium in the marl sediment. The sediment temperature at the time of sampling greatly influenced the denitrification potential (15-fold rate change) at the marl site, indicating that either the number or the specific activity of the denitrifiers changed in response to temperature fluctuations (9 to 25°C) in the sediment. It is apparent from this study that denitrification in Everglades sediments is not an effective means of removing excess nitrogen which may be introduced as nitrate into the ecosystem with supply water from the South Florida watershed and that sporadic addition of nitrate-rich water may lead to nitrous oxide release from these wetlands.     

Nitrogen transformations at the sediment–water interface across redox gradients in the Laurentian Great Lakes

The capacity of a lake to remove reactive nitrogen (N) through denitrification has important implications both for the lake and for downstream ecosystems. In large oligotropic lakes such as Lake Superior, where nitrate (NO₃ ^?) concentrations have increased steadily over the past century, deep oxygen penetration into sediments may limit the denitrification rates. We tested the hypothesis that the position of the redox gradient in lake sediments affects denitrification by measuring net N-fluxes across the sediment–water interface for intact sediment cores collected across a range of sediment oxycline values from nearshore and offshore sites in Lake Superior, as well as sites in Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Across this redox gradient, as the thickness of the oxygenated sediment layer increased from Lake Erie to Lake Superior, fluxes of NH₄ ⁺ and N₂ out of the sediment decreased, and sediments shifted from a net sink to a net source of NO₃ ^?. Denitrification of NO₃ ^? from overlying water decreased with thickness of the oxygenated sediment layer. Our results indicate that, unlike sediments from Lake Erie and Lake Huron, Lake Superior sediments do not remove significant amounts of water column NO₃ ^? through denitrification, likely as a result of the thick oxygenated sediment layer.     

Denitrification potential of a river floodplain during flooding with nitrate-rich water: grasslands versus reedbeds

Denitrification is a major mechanism for nitrogen removal from nitrogen-rich waters, but it requires oxygen-poor conditions. We assessed denitrification rates in nitrate-rich but also oxygen-rich river water during its stay in a floodplain. We measured diurnal oxygen fluctuations in floodwater along the river Rhine, and carried out an experiment to assess denitrification rates during day, evening and night. Denitrification in floodwater and flooded sediment were measured, comparing activity of periphyton and sediment from agricultural grasslands and reedbeds. Floodwater along the river Rhine was oxygen-saturated (> 10 mg O₂/L) during the day, but oxygen largely disappeared during the night (0.4–0.8 mg O₂/L). Independent of oxygen concentrations, denitrification in surface water alone hardly occurred. In flooded sediments, however, denitrification rates were much higher (1.1–1.5 mg N m^–2 h^–1), particularly at dark and oxygen-poor conditions (nighttime). In the experimental jars, reedbed-periphyton bacteria achieved similar denitrification rates as bacteria in sediment, but overall periphyton denitrification was of minor importance when calculated per square meter. Apart from oxygen levels, maximum denitrification appeared to be regulated by nitrate diffusion from water into the sediment, as the maximum quantity of N denitrified in the sediment equalled the quantity of N lossed from the surface water. Assessed 24-hr denitrification rates in the flooded floodplains (c. 15 mg N m^–2 d^–1) were similar in grasslands and reedbeds, and were rather low compared to rates in other floodplains.     

Diurnal patterns of denitrification, oxygen consumption and nitrous oxide production in rivers measured at the whole-reach scale

1. Denitrification, net oxygen consumption and net nitrous oxide flux to the atmosphere were measured in three small rivers (discharge approximately 2–27 m³ s^?1) at the whole reach scale during Spring and Summer, 2002. Two of these rivers (Iroquois River and Sugar Creek in north‐west Indiana – north‐east Illinois, U.S.A.) drained agricultural catchments and the other (Millstone River in central New Jersey, U.S.A.) drained a mixed suburban–agricultural catchment. 2. Denitrification, oxygen consumption and N₂O flux were measured based on net changes in dissolved gas concentrations (N₂, O₂, and N₂O) during riverine transport, correcting for atmospheric exchange. On each date, measurements were made during both light and dark periods. 3. Denitrification rates in these rivers ranged from 0.31 to 15.91 mmol N m^?2 h^?1, and rates within each river reach were consistently higher during the day than during the night. This diurnal pattern could be related to cyclic patterns of nitrification driven by diurnal variations in water column pH and temperature. 4. Oxygen consumption ranged from 2.56 to 241 mmol O₂ m^?2 h^?1. In contrast to denitrification, net oxygen consumption was generally higher during the night than during the day. 5. River water was consistently supersaturated with N₂O, ranging from 102 to 209% saturated. Net flux of N₂O to the atmosphere ranged from 0.4 to 60 μmol N m^?2 h^?1. Net flux of N₂O was generally higher at night than during the day. The high flux of N₂O from these rivers strengthens the argument that rivers are an important contributor to anthropogenic emissions of this greenhouse gas.     

The kinetics of denitrification in permeable sediments

Permeable sediments comprise the majority of shelf sediments, yet the rates of denitrification remain highly uncertain in these environments. Computational models are increasingly being used to understand the dynamics of denitrification in permeable sediments, which are complex environments to study experimentally. The realistic implementation of such models requires reliable experimentally derived data on the kinetics of denitrification. Here we undertook measurements of denitrification kinetics as a function of nitrate concentration in carefully controlled flow through reactor experiments on sediments taken from six shallow coastal sites in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia. The results showed that denitrification commenced rapidly (within 30 min) after the onset of anoxia and the kinetics could be well described by Michaelis–Menten kinetics with half saturation constants (apparent K_m) ranging between 1.5 and 19.8 μM, and maximum denitrification rate (V_max) were in the range of 0.9–7.5 nmol mL^?1 h^?1. The production of N₂ through anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) was generally found to be less than 10 % of denitrification. V_max were in the same range as previously reported in cohesive sediments despite organic carbon contents one order of magnitude lower for the sediments studied here. The ratio of sediment O₂ consumption to V_max was in the range of 0.02–0.09, and was on average much lower than the theoretical ratio of 0.8. As a consequence, models implemented with the theoretical ratio of 0.8 are likely to overestimate denitrification by a factor of ~3. The most likely explanation for this is that the microbial community is not able to instantaneously shift or optimally use a particular electron acceptor in the highly dynamic redox environment experienced in permeable sediments. In contrast to previous studies, we did not observe any significant rates of oxic denitrification.     

Use of an industrial effluent as a carbon source for denitrification of a high-strength wastewater

Denitrification of a high-strength synthetic wastewater (150 g NO^- ₃ l^-1) was carried out using a wine distillery effluent as an example of an industrial carbon source (22.7 g chemical oxygen demand l^-1). Two configurations were tested: one consisted of an acidogenesis reactor followed by a denitrifying reactor and the other was a single reactor directly fed with the raw effluents. In both cases, denitrification was achieved at a nitrate load of 9.54 g NO^- ₃ l^-1 day^-1 (2.19 g N as NO^- ₃ l^-1 day^-1) with good specific reduction rates: 32.6 mg and 35.2 mg N as NO _x  g volatile suspended solids h^-1, calculated on a single day, for the two-step and the one-step process respectively. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium did not occur, even in the one-step process. Received: 26 October 1995/Received revision: 15 February 1996/Accepted: 20 February 1996     

Nitrogen dynamics at the sediment–water interface in shallow, sub-tropical Florida Bay: why denitrification efficiency may decrease with increased eutrophication

Nitrogen (N) dynamics at the sediment–water interface were examined in four regions of Florida Bay to provide mechanistic information on the fate and effects of increased N inputs to shallow, subtropical, coastal environments. Dissimilatory nitrate (NO₃ ^?) reduction to ammonium (DNRA) was hypothesized to be a significant mechanism retaining bioreactive N in this warm, saline coastal ecosystem. Nitrogen dynamics, phosphorus (P) fluxes, and sediment oxygen demand (SOD) were measured in north-central (Rankin Key; eutrophic), north-eastern (Duck Key; high N to P seston ratios), north-western (Murray Key; low N to P ratios), and central (Rabbit Key; typical central site) Florida Bay in August 2004, January 2005, and November 2006. Site water was passed over intact sediment cores, and changes in oxygen (O₂), phosphate (o-PO₄ ^3?), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), NO₃ ^?, nitrite (NO₂ ^?), and N₂ concentrations were measured, without and with addition of excess ¹⁵NO₃ ^? or ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ to inflow water. These incubations provided estimates of SOD, nutrient fluxes, N₂ production, and potential DNRA rates. Denitrification rates were lowest in summer, when SOD was highest. DNRA rates and NH₄ ⁺ fluxes were high in summer at the eutrophic Rankin site, when denitrification rates were low and almost no N₂ came from added ¹⁵NO₃ ^?. Highest ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ accumulation, resulting from DNRA, occurred at Rabbit Key during a picocyanobacteria bloom in November. ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ accumulation rates among the stations correlated with SOD in August and January, but not in November during the algal bloom. These mechanistic results help explain why bioreactive N supply rates are sometimes high in Florida Bay and why denitrification efficiency may decrease with increased NO₃ ^? inputs in sub-tropical coastal environments.