Distribution and characteristics of suspended particulate matter in a heavily eutrophic estuary, Tokyo Bay, Japan.
Bulk suspended particulate matter (SPM), chlorophyll a (Chl a), ignition loss, particulate organic carbon (POC), organic nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus (PIP), and organic phosphorus were investigated in the heavily eutrophic Arakawa River estuary, Japan. Chl a was high (approximately 35 microg l(-1)) in summer and low (approximately 6.7 microg l(-1)) in winter and autumn. POC from living phytoplankton accounted for approximately 34% and approximately 70% of total POC during low- and high-biomass seasons, respectively. During the low-biomass season, detrital POC distribution was conservative, and less reactive, land-derived materials mainly composed particulate organic materials (POM), but complex mixing of land-derived POM and autochthonous planktonic detritus caused nonconservative detrital POC behavior during the high-biomass season. PIP concentration in SPM decreased with increasing salinity, likely by desorption of soluble orthophosphate (ortho-P). The ortho-P released from SPM, 56% of the ortho-P input from the Arakawa River to the bay, was a significant potential source of biologically available phosphorus causing eutrophication of coastal environments.
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba AIST West, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8569, Japan. m.suzumura@aist.go.jp
Masahiro
M
Suzumura
Haruyo
H
Kokubun
Nao
N
Arata
D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005068:Eutrophication; D007564:Japan; D010316:Particle Size; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
D014873:Water Pollutants; D002734:Chlorophyll; D010758:Phosphorus; D000077194:Chlorophyll A