Estudo da origem da matéria orgânica em sedimentos do fundo com base na razão C/N no estuário de Bons Sinais – Quelimane

Abstract

The Bons Sinais Estuary is characterized by being an area of great influences, natural as well as anthropogenic, being a transitory intermediate area has organic matter coming from several sources. This work characterized the relative contributions of sediment organic matter sources in the Bons Sinais estuary in 15 bottom samples. The granulometry, the content of organic carbon and total nitrogen, the ratio between carbon and nitrogen (C / N) were used for this purpose. The spatial granulometric distribution, with content of fines predominantly constituted by clay and silt, revealed the dynamic character of the region. The most depositional sites were the channel opposite the fishermen's neighborhood and at the confluences of the Licuar and Cuacua rivers. The presence of sand is small and extremely localized, in front of the view of Inhangome, site with sandbars. The amount of organic matter increased with the content of fine sediments, being the higher values found in the more depositional regions, which was already expected. The results of the C / N ratio show the presence of organic matter composed of different sources: autochthonous and allochthonous organic material.