Abstract

We investigated the spatiotemporal variations of dissolved inorganic nutrients along a saline gradient to estimate nutrient fluxes in the Seomjin River estuary during dry (March 2005, March 2006, March 2007, and March 2008) and rainy seasons (August 2005, July 2006, July 2007, and July 2008). Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations were similar in the endmembers of freshwater for the rainy and dry seasons. In contrast, the concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphate and silicate in the rainy season were approximately 2-3 times higher than those in the dry season. River discharge was approximately 10 times higher in the rainy season (<TEX>$212m^3sec^{-1}$</TEX>) than in the dry season (<TEX>$21m^3sec^{-1}$</TEX>). The fluxes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, and silicate were 2.91, 0.004, and 2.51 tons <TEX>$day^{-1}$</TEX> in the dry season and 7.45, 0.421, and 30.5 tons <TEX>$day^{-1}$</TEX> in the rainy season, respectively. Although the range of nutrient concentrations were similar to previous results from investigations in the Seomjin River estuary, the nutrient fluxes were differed according to river discharge for different survey periods.

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