Hypoxic water mass in the highly turbid well-mixed macrotidal Rokkaku River Estuary, Ariake Sea, Japan

Abstract

Hypoxic water masses are usually formed in the bottom layer of stratified water columns. However, we found that hypoxia was formed throughout the water column in a well-mixed macrotidal estuary, the Rokkaku River Estuary, Japan. There was a spring-neap variation in the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration where hypoxia developed during spring tides. Minimum DO concentration was observed 1 or a few days after the spring tide. When hypoxia developed, all the water column from bottom to surface became hypoxic (<2 mg l−1 or < 30% saturation). The hypoxic water mass was associated with the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM). Oxygen demand of water in this area was very large (>2 mg l−1 day−1). Potential oxygen consumption by microorganisms was positively correlated with turbidity. Concentration of suspended solid (SS) at the ETM exceeded 1000 mg l−1. Furthermore, particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration in the estuary increased in spring tides. C/N ratio and δ13C of organic matter suggested that POC was transported from the sea into the estuary. These results suggest that the active resuspension of organic matter caused by the strong tidal current during spring tides enhanced the respiratory activity of microorganisms and the main source of the organic matter was detrital material from the sea. Such a large amount of organic matter should fuel microbial respiration effectively. Since microbial oxygen consumption was larger than the oxygen supply from the water surface even in the well mixed condition, a hypoxic water mass was formed in this estuary.