{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.017310252996005325, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.5064935064935066, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Net ecosystem metabolism in Texas shallow water estuaries: an indicator of freshwater inflow effects, scales of variability, and changes due to climate change and watershed development

Estuaries and other coastal ecosystems by definition depend on freshwater inflow to exist. Freshwater inflow rates in many estuaries are changing due to changing land use patterns, water diversions for human consumption, and climate effects, but there are no standard criteria to determine minimum inflow rates. An indicator is required so that a model can be produced that can predict how changing hydrology might affect estuarine metabolic rates, productivity, and impairment. One indicator of estuarine metabolic rates is net ecosystem metabolism (NEM). It is hypothesized that NEM in a Texas shallow water estuary will depend on recently delivered freshwater inflow. To test this hypothesis, daily NEM was calculated from short term changes in dissolved oxygen measurements in Lavaca Bay, Texas and related to freshwater inflow and other environmental conditions. There was a significant relationship between NEM and cumulative ten-day freshwater inflow (FW) in upper Lavaca Bay, with more heterotrophic conditions occurring after high freshwater inflow events. No significant relationship existed between NEM and FW in lower Lavaca Bay, where other environmental conditions may be more influential. An empirical model simulating NEM’s response to FW in upper Lavaca Bay was more accurate during moderate to high