서해 근소만에서 영양염의 조석 및 계절 변화

Abstract

In order to find the effect of intertidal sediments on nutrient cycle in coastal environment, we measured ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate concentrations every hour during at least 12 hours in the entrance of Keunso Bay during four seasons. The content of ammonia and silicate do not change considerably with season, but nitrate shows large seasonal variation. In summer, nitrate concentration was much lower than in other seasons, which resulted from large biological uptake and active denitrification in intertidal sediments during summer. Phosphate also exhibit seasonal variations, but not that large like nitrate. N/P and N/Si ratios were lower in summer than in other seasons, which was due to active denitrification in the intertidal sediments during summer. For all seasons, ammonia concentrations were higher at low tide than at high tide, but nitrate concentrations were higher at high tide. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations measured in spring, summer, and winter were higher at high tide than at low tide, but in fall, they were higher at low tide than at high tide. For spring and winter, phosphate and silicate concentrations were higher at low tide than at high tide, while in summer and fall, they were higher at high tide than at low tide. In Keunso Bay, intertidal sediments affect significantly the nutrient cycle around the coastal areas. The intertidal sediments act as a source for ammonia and silicate, but as a sink for nitrate. However, phosphate is not considerably influenced by intertidal sediments.