Factors influencing fluffy layer suspended matter (FLSM) properties in the Odra River - Pomeranian Bay - Arkona Deep System (Baltic Sea) as derived by principal components analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA)

摘要

Factors conditioning formation and properties of suspended matter resting onthe sea floor (Fluffy Layer Suspended Matter - FLSM) in the Odra river mouth- Arkona Deep system (southern Baltic Sea) were investigated.

Thirty FLSM samples were collected from four sampling stations, during ninecruises, in the period 1996-1998. Twenty six chemical properties of thefluffy material were measured (organic matter-total, humic substances, avariety of fatty acids fractions, P, N, δ13C, δ15N; Li;heavy metals- Co, Cd, Pb, Ni, Zn, Fe, Al, Mn, Cu, Cr). The so obtained dataset was subjected to statistical evaluation.

Comparison of mean values of the measured properties led to conclusion thatboth seasonal and spatial differences of the fluffy material collected atthe stations occured. Application of Principal Component Analysis, andCluster Analysis, to the data set amended with environmental characteristics(depth, salinity, chlorophyll a, distance from the river mouth), led toquantification of factors conditioning the FLSM formation. The five mostimportant factors were: contribution of the lithogenic component(responsible for 25% of the data set variability), time dependent factors(including primary productivity, mass exchange with fine sediment fraction,atmospheric deposition, contribution of material originating fromabrasion-altogether 21%), contribution of fresh autochtonous organic matter(9%), influence of microbial activity (8%), seasonality (8%).