Nitrogen isotope ratios in estuarine biota collected along a nutrient gradient in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA

Stable nitrogen isotope ratios were used to study the incorporation of anthropogenically-derived nitrogen into the food webs of salt marsh systems along a contamination gradient in Narragansett Bay. Nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N) were measured in six estuarine species collected from three marshes along this gradient, monthly from June to October between 1997 and 1999. A significant decrease in δ15N was found with distance along the estuary for four of the six species. Significant differences were found among monthly isotope ratios for some species. Nitrogen isotope ratios in sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) increased during the summer season with highest δ15N values measured during September and October. This trend was most pronounced at the station receiving the highest nutrient inputs. Elevated δ15N values at this station appeared to correlate with seawater ammonia/nitrate concentration ratios. The temporal variations in δ15N suggest that care should be taken in species selection and the design of sampling schemes of studies using δ15N for monitoring anthropogenic nutrients in aquatic systems. Sampling programs designed to determine long-term trends should consider species that do not show rapid fluctuations in isotope ratios. The mud snail, Nassarius obsoletus, responded this way in the present study. Studies designed to measure short-term changes should include species such as U. lactuca, which rapidly respond to isotope changes. The results from this study also help to establish a baseline for nitrogen isotope values in Narragansett Bay. This information can be used to monitor future trends in nitrogen inputs to this estuary.