Evolution of multi-annual and large-scale phytoplankton patterns in the Scheldt estuary: The disappearance of phytoplankton accumulation in the brackish region

Estuaries often show regions in which Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) accumulates. The location and magnitude corresponding to such accumulation result from a complex interplay between processes such as river flushing, salinity, nutrients, grazing on phytoplankton, and the light climate in the water column. An example is the multi-annual evolution of...

Seasonal Variations in Flocculation and Erosion Affecting the Large-Scale Suspended Sediment Distribution in the Scheldt Estuary: The Importance of Biotic Effects

Many estuaries exhibit seasonality in the estuary-scale distribution of suspended particulate matter (SPM). This SPM distribution depends on various factors, including freshwater discharge, salinity intrusion, erodibility, and the ability of cohesive SPM to flocculate into larger aggregates. Various authors indicate that biotic factors, such...

Unraveling the essential effects of flocculation on large-scale sediment transport patterns in a tide-dominated estuary

Sediment transport in estuaries and the formation of estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) highly depend on the ability of suspended particulate matter (SPM) to flocculate into larger aggregates. While most literature focuses on the small-scale impact of biological flocculants on the formation of larger aggregates, the influence of the...