Transport of dissolved organic carbon through a major creek of the North Inlet Ecosystem

Abstract
Tidal fluctuations and transports of dissolved organic C (DOC) were investigated at a major creek draining 1800 ha within the North Inlet ecosystem (South Carolina, USA). Samples were collected every 1.5 h for 50 consecutive hours during neap tides (4 tidal cycles) and 50 consecutive hours during corresponding spring tides of each season. DOC concentrations were variable, ranging from 0.9-13.0 g m-3 of water with as much as 2.5 g m-3 of water variation during a 1.5 h period. DOC was exported from the marsh during each sampling period. Net transports ranged from .apprx. 5-480 g DOC s-1. Annual budgets revealed a DOC export rate as high as 7.5 .+-. 1.8 .times. 109 g C yr-1, corresponding to 416 g DOC m-2 yr-1.