Seasonal variations of riverine organic carbon contents in Makou and Hekou gauge stations of the Zhujiang River, China

Abstract

Water samples were collected and analyzed in high water season (July 1997) and in middle water season (October, 1997) from two main lower reach gauge stations of the Zhujiang (Pearl) River, namely Hekou and Makou, respectively. Content of particulate organic carbon is always higher than that of dissolved organic carbon in both seasons, which is obviously different from the global average pattern, i.e. dissolved organic carbon is the dominant component of the transported riverine organic carbon. The content of dissolved and particulate organic carbon changes with the water levels in a direct ratio. The percentage of organic carbon in total suspended substance changes with the content of total suspended substance in an inverse ratio. The more intense is the soil erosion in the drainage, the more concentrated is the riverine organic carbon in the river. The contribution of autochthonous organic carbon is large in high water season than in middle water season.