Land?Use Intensity Increases Benthic N ₂ O Emissions Across Three Sub?Tropical Estuaries

Estuaries play an important role in regulating nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes to the atmosphere, but little is known about how catchment land-use changes influence benthic N2O cycling. We measured seasonal and constructed budgets three sub-tropical estuaries draining catchments with contrasting levels of intensity. Benthic habitats were a net sink minimally impacted Noosa River Estuary (?287 nmol m?2 h?1) source highly Brisbane (126 h?1). Vegetated can act as uptakes ?286 ?35 h?1 Maroochy Estuaries, respectively. significantly correlated NO3? fluxes, suggesting availability was control on fluxes. Combining flux data surface water emissions measurements showed that increased helped drive increasing water–air over intensity gradient. Overall, our results show driven both diversity sediment composition dynamics estuarine ecosystems. This highlights quality nitrogen loading need be considered order reduce greenhouse gases coastal