长江口北支悬沙浓度在潮周期内和大小潮周期尺度的变化特征及输运研究

Profiles of tidal current and suspended sediment concentration(SSC) were measured in the North Branch of the Changjiang Estuary from neap tide to spring tide in April 2010. The measurement data were analyzed to determine the characteristics of intratidal and neap-spring variations of SSC and suspended sediment transport. Modulated by tidal range and current speed, the tidal mean SSC increased from 0.5 kg/m3 in neap tide to 3.5 kg/m3 in spring tide. The intratidal variation of the depth-mean SSC can be summarized into three types: V-shape variation in neap tide, M-shape and mixed M-V shape variation in medium and spring tides. The occurrence of these variation types is controlled by the relative intensity and interaction of resuspension, settling and impact of water exchange from the rise and fall of tide. In neap tide the V-shape variation is mainly due to the dominant effect of the water exchange from the rise and fall of tide. During medium and spring tides, resuspension and settling processes become dominant. The interactions of these processes, together with the sustained high ebb current and shorter duration of low-tide slack, are responsible for the M-shape and M-V shape SSC variation. Weakly consolidated mud and high current speed cause significant resuspension and remarkable flood and ebb SSC peaks. Settling occurs at the slack water periods to cause SSC troughs and formation of a thin fluff layer on the bed. Fluxes of water and suspended sediment averaged over the neap-spring cycle are all seawards, but the magnitude and direction of tidal net sediment flux is highly variable.     

杭州湾枯季水沙若干特征分析

根据2014年1月及2017年2月杭州湾大、小潮水沙资料,计算了流速、含沙量、单宽潮量、单宽输沙量,进而分析了潮周期断面净潮量、净输沙量和区域冲淤分布。研究发现杭州湾涨、落潮平均流速比值整体较20世纪八九十年代增大,绝大部分区域大于1.0,涨潮流相对增强,澉浦南岸和金山北岸尤为显著。含沙量平面上分布澉浦、杭州湾南岸两个高值区(大潮大于3 kg/m³,小潮大于1.3 kg/m³)以及北岸湾口至乍浦之间的低值区(大潮小于2 kg/m³,小潮小于0.9 kg/m³),随潮汛变化显著,最大含沙量浓度通常滞后于急流时刻。各测站涨、落潮量和输沙量呈现“大涨大落”和“大进大出”的特征,造成杭州湾短时间尺度内的“大冲大淤”。大潮两涨两落金山与乍浦、乍浦与澉浦之间区域净输沙量可达几千万吨,净冲淤则在几百万吨。     

Influences of Nutrient Outwelling from the Mangrove Swamp on the Distribution of Phytoplankton in the Matang Mangrove Estuary, Malaysia

Distributions of dissolved nutrients and Chl. a were investigated in the Sangga Besar River Estuary in the well-managed Matang Mangrove Forest in West Malaysia. In the estuary, spring tide concentrations of ammonium, silicate and phosphate were higher than those in the neap tide, which suggests that these nutrients are flushed from the mangrove area by the inundation and tidal mixing of the spring tide. Ammonium comprised over 50% of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the spring tide, while nitrite tended to dominate in the neap tide, indicating the predominance of nitrification inside the estuary in neap tides. Nutrient concentrations in the creek water were higher than those of estuarine water, indicating the nutrient outwelling from the mangrove swamp and ammonium regeneration from mangrove litter in the creek sediments. The maximum concentration of Chl. a in spring tides reached 80 g/l while it was below 20 g/l in the neap tides. These variations in the phytoplankton biomass and nutrients probably reflect the greater nutrient availability in the spring tide due to outwelling from the mangrove swamp and creek.     

Tidal,diel and semi-lunar changes in the faunal assemblage of an intertidal salt marsh creek

The utilisation of a brackish estuarine marsh by nekton was investigated over a semi-lunar cycle in August 1994. Nekton migrating in and out of the intertidal creeks of the marsh ‘Het Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe’ in the Westerschelde estuary, SW Netherlands, was sampled passively during seven complete tidal cycles. Sampling one tidal cycle yielded three consecutive flood samples and four consecutive ebb samples. Sampling occurred every 2–3 days, covering diel, tidal and semi-lunar situations, thus allowing comparison of tidal, diel and semi-lunar influences on the composition of the intertidal fauna.Two different tidal-migration modes were observed. The mysid shrimp, Mesopodopsis slabberi, showed maximum abundance around high tide. For the remaining common species, the mysid (Neomysis integer), the shrimp (Palaemonetes varians), the crab (Carcinus maenas) and the goby (Pomatoschistus microps) and the amphipod (Corophium volutator), highest densities were recorded during lower water heights. The faunal assemblage shifts between the different tidal stages.On two occasions, consecutive day and night samples were taken. Total densities were higher during the night samples. During spring tide, difference in community composition was noticed between the night and the day samples. During neap tide, day–night differences were less clear. Recorded total densities were highest during spring tide and lowest during neap tide. At maximum water levels, a drop in total density was observed. A shift in community composition occurred between spring and neap tides.     

Variabilité spatio-temporelle de la biomasse microphytobenthique en rade de Brest et en Manche occidentale

Microphytobenthic biomass was estimated in the Bay of Brest (1994) and the western English Channel (Trezen Vraz, 1993) using spectrophotometry. Best results (42 % difference) were obtained with an instantaneous extraction procedure at room temperature, compared with the cold extraction procedure. Chlorophyll biomass in sediment was higher in the western English Channel (65–215 mg Chl a m⁻²) than in the Bay of Brest (10–113 mg Chl a m⁻²), in contrast to total pigment biomass (Chl a + pheo a : 88–254 mg m⁻² at Trezen Vraz vs. 131–934 mg m⁻² in the Bay of Brest). This study emphasized decreasing pigment biomass from the estuary to the open sea. Low benthic pigment biomass in the Bay, compared to eutrophic ecosystems, agrees with previous studies on the pelagic system, suggesting that there is no eutrophication in the Bay of Brest. Microphytobenthic blooms were strongly correlated with environmental factors, such as river floods, light intensity, water temperature and the spring/neap tidal cycle. Turbidity and light could be limiting factors at Roscanvel, i.e. the deepest site facing gyre circulation. The latter would favour sedimentation of silt particles at the sediment-water interface. Microphytobenthos population dynamics would be also dependent on the spring/neap tidal cycle, since maximum chlorophyll biomass occurred at neap tides at all three sites in the Bay of Brest, in contrast to the western English Channel. Lower temporal variations of pigment biomass in sediment were observed in the Channel, compared with the Bay of Brest; maximum chlorophyll biomass in sediment was found to occur three to four weeks after the phytoplankton blooms.     

Contribution of photosynthetic gains during tidal emersion to production of Zostera capricorni in a North Island,New Zealand estuary

Photosynthetic characteristics of intertidal Zostera capricorni were measured under different tidal conditions in Whangapoua Harbour on the eastern Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand, and compared with permanently submerged seagrass beds. Photosynthetic characteristics were measured using pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorom‐etry and oxygen (O2) electrode techniques. Gross light saturated photosynthesis measured as oxygen exchange averaged 5.74 and 5.36 mg O₂ g^–1 dry weight (DW) h^–1 and leaf respiration rates averaged 1.22 and 1.38 mg O₂ g^–1 DW h^–1, for intertidal and subtidal plants respectively. Photosynthesis of both intertidal and shallow subtidal plants was light saturated at between 195 and 242 μmol photons m ^–2 s^–1, suggestive of acclimation to a high light environment. Despite the period of exposure at low tide clearly being an important time for photosynthetic gains for intertidal plants, when water clarity was sufficiently high, maximum rates of photosynthesis were also possible when the beds were submerged. If average water clarity was at the clearer end of a range measured for this site (K_d = 0.85 m^–1) then it was calculated that for intertidal seagrass beds growing at mean sea level in Whangapoua, c. 50% of above‐ground production could occur while plants were submerged.     

The effect of a tidal cycle on the dynamics of nutrients in a tidal estuary in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

A 24 hour time series survey was carried out during a spring tide (tidal range ca.2 m) of May 1995 on a tidal estuary in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, in the context of an integrated program planned to quantify the dynamics of biophilic elements (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) and the roles played by the macrobenthos on the processes. Three stations were set along a transect line of about 1.4 km, which linked the river to the rear to the innermost part of the subtidal zone. Every hour, at each station, measurements were made of surface water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen concentration, and surface water was collected for the determination of nutrients [NH₄ ⁺−N, (NO₃ ⁻+NO₂ ⁻)−N, PO₄ ³⁻−P and Si (OH)₄−Si]. During the ebb flow, riverine input of silicate and nitrate+nitrite significantly increased the concentrations of both the intertidal and the subtidal stations. Conversely, during the high tide, river nutrient concentrations were lowered by the mixing of fresh water with sea water. As a result, best (inverse) correlations were found at the river station for salinity against silicate (y=-2.9 Sal.+110.7,r ²=0.879) and nitrate+nitrite (y=-1.3 Sal.+48.4,r ²=0.796). In contrast, ammonium nitrogen concentrations were higher at intermediate salinities. Indeed, no significant correlation was found between salinity and ammonium. The effect of the macrobenthos, which is abundant on the intertidal flat, is discussed as a biological component that influences the processes of nutrient regeneration within the estuary. The effect of the tidal amplitude is an important one in determining the extent of the variations in nutrient concentrations at all three stations, which were stronger between the lower low tide and the higher high tide.     

Tidal variability in benthic silicic acid fluxes and microphytobenthos uptake in intertidal sediment

Silicic acid (DSi) benthic fluxes play a major role in the benthic–pelagic coupling of coastal ecosystems. They can sustain microphytobenthos (MPB) development at the water–sediment interface and support pelagic diatoms when river DSi inputs decrease. DSi benthic fluxes have been studied at the seasonal scale but little is known about their dial variations. This study measured the amplitude of such variations in an intertidal area over an entire tidal cycle by following the alteration of DSi pore water concentrations at regular intervals over the flood/ebb period. Furthermore we independently estimated the potential DSi uptake by benthic diatoms and compared it to the variations of DSi pore water concentrations and fluxes. The microphytobenthos DSi demand was estimated from primary production measurements on cells extracted from the sediment. There were large changes in DSi pore water concentration and a prominent effect of tidal pumping: the DSi flushed out from the sediment at rising tide, occurs in a very short period of time, but plays a far more important role in fueling the ecosystem (800 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹), than diffusive fluxes occurring throughout the rest of the tidal cycle (2 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹). This process is not, to our knowledge, currently considered when describing the DSi cycling of intertidal sediments. Moreover, there was a large potential MPB requirement for DSi (812 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹), similar to the advective flow periodically pumped by the incoming tide, and largely exceeded benthic diffusive fluxes. However, this DSi uptake by benthic diatoms is almost undetectable given the variation of DSi concentration profiles within the sediment.     

基于潮沟定点观测的潮间带水、沙、盐交换研究

为研究潮间带和潮下带的水、沙、盐交换,于2006年6月25~28日（夏季大潮）和2006年12月29日~2007年1月4日（冬季中-大潮和小潮）在长江口九段沙一典型潮沟的固定点利用OBS-3A和ADP-XR进行了水深、浊度、盐度、流速流向剖面和回声强度观测。结果和结论为：（1）夏季大潮、冬季中-大潮、冬季小潮的潮周期垂向平均流速分别为26.5、15.9和8.4 cm/s,夏、冬季观测到的最大流速分别为84 cm/s和35 cm/s。（2）夏季盐度变化范围为0.65~4.91,平均盐度2.14;冬季盐度变化范围为3.5~10.3,中-大潮和小潮平均盐度分别为6.26和7.98。（3）高悬沙浓度出现在涨潮初期和部分落潮末期的低水位阶段;涨潮阶段的平均悬沙浓度是落潮阶段的1.11~7.0倍。（4）涨、落潮阶段的水体和盐输运量大体上趋于平衡;（5）无论是冬夏季或大小潮,潮沟在潮周期内的净输沙方向均指向陆,即落潮输沙量小于涨潮输沙量（平均小40%）;平均每个潮周期的净输沙量为6102 kg,结合潮盆面积推算的潮周期沉积速率为0.0112 mm/tide,或8.2 mm/a。     

Passive filtering of microbial biomass by Spartina alterniflora

Tidal fluctuations of total microbial biomass (as extractable adenosine triphosphate, ATP) and phytoplankton biomass (as extractable chlorophyll a, CHL) were investigated within a defined tidal basin, the Bly Creek basin, in the North Inlet estuarine ecosystem (South Carolina, U.S.A.). Samples were collected synoptically from a transect across Bly Creek and from a flume covering flats of Spartina alterniflora. The sampling design allowed for water to be sampled as it entered the upper basin and, somewhat later, as it flowed over the grass flats. Tidally induced fluctuations in concentration depended upon tide elevation (spring or neap). During spring tides, ATP and CHL fluctuated out-of-phase with the tide. During neap tides, concentrations of ATP and CHL reached maximum levels on ebbing tide phases. The creek bank area associated with tall Spartina appeared to effectively remove microbial biomass from the water column. The grass flats also appear to be a location where the suspended microbial assemblages may be separated into component populations.     

长江口横沙东滩外侧建设人工岛的自然条件分析

利用2001-2008年的海图资料和2011-2012年枯季现场水文调查数据,分析长江口横沙东滩外侧海域的河势、水动力条件及泥沙含量的潮周期过程,讨论在此建设人工岛的自然条件。结果表明,横沙东滩外侧海域,2001-2008年间冲淤有变化,由滩向海的断面显示上部淤积,下部侵蚀,冲淤转换面在-7~-10m之间,-10~-20m海域整体呈现微冲趋势,但侵蚀速率减缓,河势趋于稳定。横沙东滩受北槽深水航道北导堤影响,向东南方向淤进。定点船测潮流表现出旋转流性质,枯季大潮最大流速不超过188cm/s,小潮最大流速小于134cm/s;北港口外的定点余流显示向口内输运,北槽口外则是向海输运。两测站数据显示枯季大小潮垂线平均含沙量处于0.061~0.116kg/m3之间,水体泥沙含量整体处在较低水平。从自然条件上来说,不考虑风浪影响情况,研究区域内河势渐趋稳定,水深条件良好,水动力条件适宜,水体含沙量较低,在该区域内建设人工岛具有可行性。     

Hydrology of Okarito Lagoon and the inferred effects of selective logging in Okarito Forest

Okarito Lagoon (43° 11′S, 170° 14′E) is a small (20 km²) shore‐parallel, predominantly subtidal estuary, deepest near the landward end, and linked to the sea by two subtidal channels incised through shallow subtidal and intertidal flats which occupy the southern third of the lagoon. Tides at sea vary from 2.1m (spring) to 1.2 m (neap), but in the lagoon the tidal range is constant through the lunar cycle and varies from 0.80 m at the entrance to 0.17 m in the upper lagoon. Tidal water level and flow asymmetries in the subtidal channels are separated by a 1.7 h phase difference. Variations in the net discharge through the inlet result from changing flow cross‐sections rather than from variations in current velocities. Both the tidal‐averaged volume and the tidal compartment of the lagoon vary through the lunar cycle, from maxima at spring tides to minima at neap tides.

Freshwater inflows vary from less than 11 m³.s^‐1 to more than 750 m³.s^‐1. During storms, water level in the lagoon rises rapidly by 2–3 m, then declines to normal over several days. Three water masses, two with salinity and turbidity largely controlled by antecedent rainfall, normally occur in the lagoon. Suspended sediment concentrations in both freshwater inflows and lagoon waters are normally low but increase during floods. Most sediment is supplied by the Waitangi‐taona River or by erosion of tidal channel margins. The lagoon is floored with organic‐rich mud and sandy mud, deposited predominantly from suspension. Surface sediment is consistently muddier than subsurface sediment, probably reflecting an increase in the mud supply since diversion of the Waitangi‐taona River in 1967.

Comparisons of the estimated sediment yield and water inflow effects of the 1967 river diversion with short‐term observations during selective logging suggest that the effects of logging on sediment yield, water balance of the lagoon, and dissolved solids inputs will be small compared with changes caused by diversion of the Waitangi‐taona River.     

Biogeochemical patterns in the Atlantic Inflow through the Strait of Gibraltar

The effects of tidal forcing on the biogeochemical patterns of surface water masses flowing through the Strait of Gibraltar are studied by monitoring the Atlantic Inflow (AI) during both spring and neap tides. Three main phenomena are defined depending on the strength of the outflowing phase predicted over the Camarinal Sill: non-wave events (a very frequent phenomenon during the whole year); type I Internal wave events (a very energetic event, occurring during spring tides); and type II Internal wave events (less intense, occurring during neap tides).During neap tides, a non-wave event comprising oligotrophic open-ocean water from the Gulf of Cádiz is the most frequent and clearly dominant flow through the Strait. In this tidal condition, the inflow of North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) provides the main nutrient input to the surface layer of the Alboran Sea, supplying almost 70% of total annual nitrate transport to the Mediterranean basin. A low percentage of active and large phytoplankton cells and low average concentrations of chlorophyll (0.3–0.4 mg m⁻³) are found in this tidal phase. Around 50% of total annual phytoplankton biomass transport into the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait presents these oligotrophic characteristics.In contrast, during spring tides, patches of water with high chlorophyll levels (0.7–1 mg m⁻³) arrive intermittently, and these are recorded concurrently with the passage of internal waves coming from the Camarinal Sill (type I internal wave events). When large internal waves are arrested over the Camarinal Sill this implies strong interfacial mixing and the probable concurrent injection of coastal waters into the main channel of the Strait. These processes result in a mixed water column in the AI and can account for around 30% of total annual nitrate transport into the Mediterranean basin. Associated with type I internal wave events there is a regular inflow of large and active phytoplankton cells, transported in waters with relatively high nutrient concentrations, which constitutes a significant supply of planktonic resources to the pelagic ecosystem of the Alboran Sea (almost 30% of total annual phytoplankton biomass transport).     

琼州海峡潮流能资源的数值模拟评估

近年来,我国能源消耗量不断的增长使我们更加重视可再生能源的开发利用,而我国近海拥有复杂的海岸线和广阔的大陆架,其中许多海域蕴藏着丰富的潮流能资源。潮流能资源评估则是其电站站址选择、发电量预测等工程设计的首要工作。结合两个站位的潮流实测数据,本文利用FVCOM海洋环流数值模式较好的模拟了琼州海峡潮波传播状况,分析了该海域潮流能资源水平分布规律和时间变化特征,初步估算了该水道的潮流能的理论蕴藏量,并采用FLUX方法对该水道的技术可开发量进行了评估。结果表明,琼州海峡中心海域功率密度高,两岸资源低;可能最大流速、大潮年平均最大功率密度、小潮年平均功率密度和年平均功率密度等特征值分布基本相似;其丰富区域出现在海峡东口南部海域以及海峡中部海域,其中东口南部海域可能最大流速可达4.6 m/s,表层流大潮年平均最大功率密度为5996 W/m²,小潮平均最大功率密度仅为467 W/m²,年平均功率密度为819 W/m²,代表点超过0.7 m/s的潮流流速年统计时间约为4717 h;海峡潮流能资源理论蕴藏量为189.55MW,利用FLUX、FARM、GC方法得到该水道的潮流能可开发量分别为249GW/yr、20.2GW/yr和263GW/yr。     

Tidal asymmetry in a tidal creek with mixed mainly semidiurnal tide,Bushehr Port,Persian Gulf

This study investigated the tidal asymmetry imposed by both the interaction of principal tides and the higher harmonics generated by distortions within a tidal creek network with mixed mainly semidiurnal tide in the Bushehr Port, Persian Gulf. Since velocity and water-level imposed by principal triad tides K₁-O₁-M₂ are in quadrature, duration asymmetries during a tidal period in this short, shallow inverse estuary should be manifest as skewed velocities. The principal tides produce periodic asymmetries including a strong ebb-dominance and a weak flood-dominance condition during spring and neap tides respectively. The higher harmonics induced by nonlinearities engender a flood-dominance condition where the convergence effects are higher than frictional effects, and an ebbdominance condition where intertidal storage are extended. Since the triad K₁-O₁-M₂ driven asymmetry is not overcome by higher harmonics close to the mouth, the periodic asymmetry dominates within the creek in which higher harmonics reinforce the weak flood-dominance (strong ebb-dominance) condition in the convergent channel (divergent area). Also, the maximum flood and the maximum ebb from all harmonic constituents occurred close to high water slack time during both spring and neap tides in this short creek. Since occational wetting of intertidal areas happened close to the high water (HW) time during spring tide, the water level flooded slowly close to the HW time of the spring tide.     

Phytoplankton pigment change as a photoadaptive response to light variation caused by tidal cycle in Ariake Bay,Japan

Underwater light environment and photosynthetic accessory pigments were investigated in Ariake Bay in order to understand how change of the pigments occurs in response to the tidal-induced changes in underwater light conditions. We hypothesize that phytoplankton increases photo-protective pigments and decreases light-harvesting pigments under higher light condition in the mixed layer caused by tidal cycle. Contribution rates of non-phytoplankton particles (a _nph (400–700)) for light attenuation coefficient (K _d ) was highest (32–85%), and those of phytoplankton particles (a _ph (400–700)), dissolved organic matter (a _g (400–700)) and water were 6–32, 6–21 and 5–23%, respectively. Mean K _d was higher during the spring tide (0.55 ± 0.23 m⁻¹) than the neap tide (0.44 ± 0.16 m⁻¹), and the K _d difference was caused by the substances resuspension due to the tidal current. In contrast, ratios of photo-protective pigments (diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin) per chlorophyll a ((DD+DT)/Chl a) were higher during the neap tide (0.10 ± 0.03 mg mg-Chl a ⁻¹) than the spring tide (0.08 ± 0.03 mg mg-Chl a ⁻¹). And there was significant positive correlation between (DD+DT)/Chl a and mean relative PAR in the mixed layer ($ \overline {I_{mix} } $ \overline {I_{mix} } ). Moreover, there was significant negative correlation between ratios of light-harvesting pigments (fucoxanthin) per Chl a (Fuco/Chl a) and $ \overline {I_{mix} } $ \overline {I_{mix} } . These results suggested that phytoplankton in Ariake Bay increase photo-protective pigments and decrease light-harvesting pigments in the higher light condition of less turbid, shallower mixed layer during neap tide than spring tide.     

Growth dynamics of eelgrass, Zostera marina, in the intertidal zone of Seomjin Estuary, Korea

To examine the growth dynamics of eelgrass, Zostera marina, in the intertidal zone of Seomjin Estuary, Korea, we surveyed environmental factors such as water temperature, underwater irradiance, tidal exposure, and nutrient concentrations in the water column and sediment pore water in relation to the shoot density, biomass, morphological characteristics, and growth of Z. marina inhabiting the upper and lower intertidal zones. The survey was conducted monthly from January 2003 to December 2004. The water temperature of the two areas displayed seasonal fluctuations. Underwater irradiance was significantly higher in the upper intertidal zone than in the lower intertidal zone. Tidal exposure was also markedly longer in the upper intertidal zone than in the lower intertidal zone, whereas tidal exposure was highest in the spring and lowest in the summer in both areas. Water column NH₄ ⁺ and sediment pore water NO₃ ^?+NO₂ ^? concentrations were significantly higher in the upper intertidal zone than the lower intertidal zone. The eelgrass shoot density, biomass, morphology, and leaf productivity were significantly higher in the lower intertidal zone than in the upper intertidal zone. Both areas displayed a clear seasonal variation depending on changes in water temperature. However, leaf turnover time was significantly shorter in the upper intertidal zone than in the lower intertidal zone, with a higher turnover rate in the upper intertidal zone. Compared to the seagrasses in the lower intertidal zone, those in the upper intertidal zone showed more effective adaptations to the stress of long tidal exposure through downsizing and increased turnover time. These results suggest that tidal exposure, coupled with desiccation stress, can be a limiting factor for seagrass growth in the intertidal zone, along with underwater irradiance, water temperature, and nutrient availability.     

Observed and computed lateral circulation patterns in a partly mixed estuary

Observations of lateral residual circulation patterns are presented for three sections in the upper reaches of the Tamar Estuary. The data include measurements over spring and neap tidal cycles, and are compared with predictions from a depth-averaged, numerical model of the lateral circulation.The model shows features of the lateral structure which also occur in the observed data. The computed mass-transport Stokes drift has a similar lateral structure at spring and neap tides for all sections, and is up-estuary in the deeper, central part of a section, and down-estuary on the intertidal areas near the banks. A distinctive feature of this drift is the reduction in lateral structure when axial density gradients are ignored.The mass-transport residual current has a characteristic lateral structure when the run-off is not too high. The current in the central part of a section is slow (less than a few cm s⁻¹), and may be up- or down-estuary, depending on the magnitude of the run-off. The current over the intertidal areas is faster (∼ 10 cm s⁻¹) and directed down-estuary. This distribution consists of three components: (a) a run-off induced current which has a river-like form, (b) density currents which are up-estuary in the deeper part of a section and down-estuary over the intertidal and shallow areas, and (c) tidally-driven currents which have a similar form to density currents, and whose formation depends strongly on the existence of intertidal areas.Results from this paper are compared with published observations of lateral circulation patterns for several other estuaries.     

The effects of semi-lunar spring and neap tidal change on nitrification, denitrification and N2O vertical distribution in the intertidal sediments of the Yangtze estuary, China

To explore the influences of semi-lunar spring and neap tidal changes on nitrogen cycling in intertidal sediments, a comparative study among waterlogged, desiccated and reflooded systems was carried out in August 2005 and February 2006 by analyzing nitrification, denitrification and N₂O depth profiles in the intertidal flats of the Yangtze estuary. Laboratory experiments showed that alternating emersion and inundation resulted in the significant changes in nitrification and denitrification rates in the intertidal sediment systems. Due to the desiccation-related effects, lowest nitrification and denitrification rates were observed in the desiccated sediment cores. Highest nitrification and denitrification rates were however detected in the waterlogged and reflooded systems, respectively. It is hypothesized that the highest nitrification rates in the waterlogged sediments were mainly attributed to higher nitrifier numbers and NH₄⁺ being more available, whereas the availability of NO₃⁻ might dominate denitrification in the reflooded sediments. In addition, the highest N₂O concentrations were detected in the reflooded sediment cores, and the lowest found in the dried sediment cores. It was also shown that N₂O in the intertidal sediments was mainly from nitrification under the desiccated condition. In contrast, N₂O in the intertidal sediments was produced mainly via denitrification under the waterlogged and reflooded conditions. It is therefore concluded that the semi-lunar tidal cycle has a significant influence on nitrification, denitrification and N₂O production in the intertidal sediment systems.