Nitrogen budget in Tokyo Bay with special reference to the low sedimentation to supply ratio

In order to determine why the sedimentation to supply ratio of nutrients in Tokyo Bay is markedly small, the nitrogen budget was investigated for 1979, when a systematic and continuous observation of flow and salinity was carried out. The data were analyzed by use of a simple advective-diffusive box model and dissolved oxygen balance in the lower layer was also examined. The calculated values of two-layer flow, settling, primary production, mineralization, denitrification, and dissolved oxygen consumption were comparable to those observed.The factors making the sedimentation to supply ratio makedly small were summarized as: 1) a strong and stable two-layer flow generated by a large freshwater supply, 2) further intensification of this two-layer flow by the northern winter monsoon, 3) coincidence of the discharge region with the supply region of nutrients caused by the transverse inclination of the interface, probably due to the earth's rotation. 4) effective discharge of nutrients from the bay due to a strong tidal flow and a possible cyclonic tidal residual circulation in the inner bay mouth, 5) incomplete consumption of nutrient salts by phytoplankton in the upper layer even in the most productive season, and 6) possible denitrification in the anaerobic bottom water in summer and in the bottom sediment itself throughout the year in the inner bay.