Denitrification, nutrient regeneration and carbon mineralization in sediments of Galveston Bay, Texas, USA.

Benthic denitrification, oxygen consumption, and nutrient regeneration rates in sediments were measured in Galveston Bay, Texas. Temperature variations in the bay water contributed to 52% of the variation of denitrification rates. Only 28% of the variation was attributed to organic carbon content, and 15% was attributed to salinity. Denitrification contributed the greatest to total carbon mineralization. The rates of sediment denitrification, oxygen consumption, and nutrient fluxes in Galveston Bay are lower than the other Gulf of Mexico estuaries. These differences are due to sediment organic matter content.