chemoclines
A chemocline is a layer within a body of water where the concentration of chemical species changes rapidly with depth, forming a sharp redox or chemical boundary. It is not defined by temperature or density but by abrupt shifts in chemical composition, such as oxygen, sulfide, methane, nitrate, iron, or manganese. Chemoclines often occur in stratified aquatic systems where vertical mixing is limited, so distinct chemical zones can persist over time.
In stratified lakes and coastal seas, a chemocline typically separates an oxic upper layer from an anoxic
Detection and study of chemoclines involve profiling the water column with sensors and samples. Instruments measure
Ecological and biogeochemical significance centers on the redox boundary, where many essential reactions and microbial processes