In collaboration with scientists from other agencies and academic institutions, studies focus on quantifying the importance of benthic sources of biologically reactive inorganic solutes (for example, dissolved macronutrients and trace metals). The importance is quantified and compared to other solute transport processes (for example, advective transport) and biological requirements for primary production in a wide range of oligotrophic to hypereutrophic aquatic systems. Such results provide critical input to the development and refinement of water-quality (e.g., TMDL) models that must evaluate alternative management scenarios.
