Suspended Particulate Matter Distribution Along the Northern Coast of the Kaliningrad Peninsula
The study of suspended particulate matter in the southeastern Baltic Sea is motivated both by human-induced impact and by the natural features of the Baltic Sea, namely, the high levels of eutrophication and complicated sedimentation conditions. The study area is human-occupied, which contributes to the significance of the findings for sustainable nature, and coastal zone, management. The main aim of this research is to study the spatial distribution variability of suspended particulate matter north of the Kaliningrad Peninsula - in the southeastern Baltic Sea - to gain a better understanding of sedimentation conditions in a semi-enclosed stratified water basin. The data on suspended particulate matter concentration were obtained by filtering seawater through nuclear filters with a 0.45 μm pore diameter, at a pressure of 0.4 mbar. The water samples were taken on a regular grid of stations at standard horizons. The fifteen years (2003-2017) of regular measurements confirmed a multiple increase in the concentration of suspended matter in the coastal zone and revealed potential zones of sediment supply within the coastal zone.