A three-dimensional water quality model and its application to Jiaozhou Bay, China

A three-dimensional coupled physical and water quality model was developed and applied to the Jiaozhou Bay to study water quality involving nutrients, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and phytoplankton that are closely related to eutrophication process. The physical model is a modified ECOM-si version with inclusion of flooding/draining processes over the intertidal zone. The water quality model is based on WASP5 which quantifies processes governing internal nutrients cycling, dissolved oxygen balance and phytoplankton growth. The model was used to simulate the spatial distribution and the temporal variation of water quality in the Jiaozhou Bay for the period of May 2005 to May 2006. In addition, the effect of reduction of riverine nutrients load was simulated and evaluated. The simulated results show that under the influence of nutrients discharged from river, the concentrations of nutrients and phytoplankton were higher in the northwest and northeast of the bay, and decreased from the inner bay to the outer. Affected by strong tidal mixing, the concentrations of all state variables were vertically homogeneous except in the deeper regions where a small gradient was found. Obvious seasonal variation of phytoplankton biomass was found, which exhibited two peaks in March and July, respectively. The variation of riverine waste loads had remarkable impact on nutrients concentration in coastal areas, but slightly altered the distribution in the center of the bay.     

Coastal environmental assessment and management by ecological simulation in Yeoja Bay, Korea

An eco-hydrodynamic model was used to estimate the carrying capacity of pollutant loads and response of water quality to environmental change in Yeoja Bay, Korea. An energy-system model also was used to simulate the fluctuation in nutrients and organic matter in the bordering wetland. Most water quality factors showed a pulsed pattern, and the concentrations of nutrients and organic matter of seawater increased when input loads of nutrients increased due to freshwater discharge. The well-developed tidal zones and wetlands in the northern area of the bay were highly sensitive to input loads. Residence times of water, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) within the bay were estimated to be about 16 days, 43.2 days, and 50.2 days, respectively. Water quality reacted more sensitively to the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus input than to COD. A plan to reduce the present levels of COD and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) by 20–30% and DIN by at least 50% in pollutant loads is needed for satisfying the target water quality criteria. The natural removal rate of nutrients in wetlands by reeds was assessed to be approximately 10%.     

Changes of seawater quality in Ofunto Bay,Iwate, after the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake

Ofunato Bay was a semi-closed area because of the breakwater effect at the entrance; however, the breakwater was destroyed by a massive tsunami generated by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. Consequently, the physical environment of Ofunato Bay has been changed significantly, i.e., the modification of the stratified structure of seawater inside the bay and the intermittent intrusion of seawater outside the bay. These alterations of physical environment are considered to have an influence on the chemical and biological environment in Ofunato Bay. To elucidate the influence of the tsunami on the aquatic environment, we measured dissolved nutrients, chlorophyll a and dissolved oxygen concentrations, and heterotrophic bacteria abundance inside and outside of Ofunato Bay from 2012 to 2014, and compared these data with those obtained before the earthquake. As compared with before the earthquake, significant changes after the earthquake were (1) decrease of ammonium and phosphate concentrations, (2) increase of chlorophyll a concentration, (3) increase of dissolved oxygen concentration in the bottom, and (4) decrease of heterotrophic bacteria abundance. The collapse of the breakwater and consequential enhanced water exchange were considered to have brought the decrease of nutrient concentration inside the bay. Furthermore, washout of shellfish mariculture rafts by the tsunami decreased the shellfish biodeposits along with the elution of nutrients by heterotrophic bacteria. Decrease of cultivated shellfish further caused a decline in feeding pressure on phytoplankton and, subsequently, increased the phytoplankton biomass that contributed to the decrease of nutrients inside the bay.     

Late quaternary oceanographic conditions in the Western Bering Sea

The benthic and planktonic foraminiferal assemblages and the distribution of coarse grain-size factions were studied in the upper 4.5 m of the Core SO201-2-85KL (57°30.30′ N, 170°24.79′ E, water depth 968 m) retrieved from the Shirshov Ridge. This part of the core covers 7.5 to 50 kyr BP. The glacial period is established to be characterized by low surface water productivity, the wide distribution of sea ice and/or icebergs in this area, and a high oxygen concentration in the bottom layer. Enhanced productivity is inferred from the maximum abundance of planktonic foraminifers at the very beginning of the deglaciation. The late Bølling-Allerød interstadial and the early Holocene were marked by the further two-phase increase in the surface productivity and the weakened ventilation of the bottom water.     

The hydrography of the mid-latitude Northeast Atlantic Ocean: II: The intermediate water masses

The intermediate water masses in the eastern Atlantic Ocean between 31°N and 53°N were studied by analysis of the distributions of potential temperature, salinity, dissolved nutrients and oxygen. Sub-surface salinity minima are encountered everywhere in the area. At the northern and southern boundary they are connected with the presence of Sub-Arctic Intermediate Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water, respectively, but towards the European ocean margin the sub-surface salinity minima shift to shallower density levels. The sub-surface salinity minima observed west of the Iberian Peninsula represent a water mass formed by winter convection in the Porcupine Sea Bight and the northern Bay of Biscay. These minima gain salt by diapycnal mixing with the underlying Mediterranean Sea Outflow water and with the overlying permanent thermocline. The core of Antarctic Intermediate Water appears to contribute to the formation of Mediterranean Sea Outflow Water since it becomes entrained into the overflow near Gibraltar. This entrainment gives rise to an enhanced concentration of the nutrients in the Mediterranean water in the North Atlantic. The deep salinity minimum, due to the presence of Labrador Sea Water, is restricted mainly to the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. In the Bay of Biscay this water type is strongly modified by enhanced diapycnal mixing near the continental slope. At all intermediate levels the continental slope in the Bay of Biscay seems to be a focal point for water mass modification by diapycnal mixing. Below the core of the Mediterranean Sea Outflow Water the Labrador Sea Water is also strongly modified. Its salinity is strongly enhanced by diapycnal mixing with the overlying core of Mediterranean Sea Outflow Water. An analysis of the oxygen and nutrient data indicates that the large spatial concentration differences at the level of the Labrador Sea Water are caused mainly by ageing of the water. The youngest water is observed at 52°N, and, especially in the Bay of Biscay and off south-west Portugal, the water at levels of about 1700 dbar are strongly enriched in nutrients and depleted in oxygen.     

Observations on the hydrology of bay of Islands,New Zealand

Observations were made on several hydrological features of Bay of Islands during 1970 to 1971. The topography of Bay of Islands allows for a gradual change from estuarine to oceanic conditions within the harbour.

Monthly means of sea surface temperatures ranged between 15°c and 23°c, and some sea stratification was observed during summer. Salinities in the main basin were about 35.5‰; water transparency ranged from 2 m to 6 m by Secchi disc in the estuaries, to more than 15m in outer basin areas. Dissolved oxygen content was high, usually exceeding 100% saturation in surface waters. Water circulation within the bay appears to consist of an anti‐clockwise movement of at least the surface water, induced by a north‐west moving current, possibly derived from the East Auckland Current.

The observations suggest that, except; for the estuarine areas, Bay of Islands is hydrologically a fairly homogeneous, well‐mixed body of water.     

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.     

Chemical alternation of waters in the Kuroshio/Oyashio Interfrontal Zone

An intensive survey has been conducted of the distributions of some chemical properties (dissolved oxygen, nutrients and carbonate properties) in the Kuroshio/Oyashio Interfrontal Zone. Many low-salinity water patches were found down to depths of 640 m. Each chemical property also showed anomalies in these patches, but the degree of variation showed a low correlation with salinity. This may be due to the high variability of biological processes in the surface waters where these patches are formed. Vertical profiles of the chemical properties were also observed along the Kuroshio extension axis from 140.50°E to 146.75°E. The concentrations of nutrients and total carbonate (TC) in the water having densities greater than σ_θ=26.60 can be regarded as being formed by the isopycnal mixing of the Kuroshio component water and Oyashio component water and biological degradation within the density surfaces. This implies that the transport of chemical properties by the diapycnal mixing is negligible in these density layers in the K/O zone.     

Wind-dependent formation of phytoplankton spring bloom in Otsuchi Bay,a ria in Sanriku,Japan

Spring blooms of phytoplankton composed of centric diatoms developed in late February, March, and April in Otsuchi Bay on Sanriku ria coast, Japan. During this period, associated with prolonged seasonal west wind (>1 day), intense exchange of waters occurred between inside and outside the bay: outflow of nearsurface brackish water over inflow of oceanic water at depth. This circulation interrupted formation of the blooms, and transported phytoplankton populations seaward. By such water movements, a significant amount of nutrients in the bay was carried out, otherwise replenished into the bay, depending on water masses located outside the bay. Owing to irregular features of wind events, a bloom lasted from several days to a week. From February to April, supply of nutrients seemed to be replete except for the latter half of the bloom period, and estimates of the critical depth exceeded the depth of the bottom consistently. Thus, net growth of phytoplankton was expected throughout the observation period, and potentially blooms could be formed. However, the blooms were only formed under calm weather. We hypothesize that the exchange of waters dilutes populations in the bay, and that formation of the bloom, that is, accumulation of biomass depends on a balance between the growth of phytoplankton and the dilution of bay water.     

The structure of phytoplankton communities in the eastern part of the Laptev Sea

Studies have been performed on a transect along 130°30′ E from the Lena River delta (71°60′ N) to the continental slope and adjacent deepwater area (78°22′ N) of the Laptev Sea in September 2015. The structure of phytoplankton communities has distinct latitudinal zoning. The southern part of the shelf (southward of 73°10′ N), the most desalinated by riverine discharge, houses a phytoplankton community with a biomass of 175–840 mg/m², domination of freshwater Aulacoseira diatoms, and significant contribution of green algae (both in abundance and biomass). The northern border for the distribution range of the southern complex of phytoplankton species lies between the 8 and 18 psu isohalines (~73°10′ N). The continental slope and deepwater areas of the Laptev Sea (north of 77°30′ N), with a salinity of >27 psu in the upper mixed layer, are populated by the community prevalently composed of Chaetoceros and Rhizosolenia diatoms, very abundant in the Arctic, and dinoflagellates. The phytoplankton number in this area fall in the range of 430–1100 × 10⁶ cell/m², and the biomass, in the range of 3600 mg/m². A moderate desalinating impact of the Lena River discharge is observed in the outer shelf area between 73°20′ and 77°30′ N; the salinity in the upper mixed layer is 18–24 psu. The phytocenosis in this area has a mosaic spatial structure with between-station variation in the shares of different alga groups in the community, cell number of 117–1200 × 10⁶ cells/m², and a biomass of 1600–3600 mg/m². As is shown, local inflow of “fresh” nutrients to the euphotic layer in the fall season leads to mass growth of diatoms.     

Vertical distribution of δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon in the northeastern South China Sea

The δ¹³C of ΣCO₂ along with dissolved oxygen and nutrients in seawater collected near the Luzon Strait were analyzed to provide new data regarding water exchange between the South China Sea and the Pacific. Sampling covered the area 20–22°N and 118–120°E in April, June, and October 1995. Three stations were repeated during these cruises. In addition, sections along 119° and 120°E near the entrance of Luzon Strait were constructed. The depth profiles of δ¹³C from the nine stations presented in this study are similar to those reported from the open ocean. Correlation with chemical parameters (apparent oxygen utilization and phosphate) aids in the interpretation of the δ¹³C data. An apparent shift of δ¹³C profiles between cruises but at the same site was observed and was concluded to be related not to the seasonal change, but to the presence of different water masses exhibiting distinct θ-S relationships.     

Deep-water circulation at low latitudes in the western North Pacific

Full-depth conductivity-temperature-depth-oxygen profiler (CTDO₂) data at low latitudes in the western North Pacific in winter 1999 were analyzed with water-mass analysis and geostrophic calculations. The result shows that the deep circulation carrying the Lower Circumpolar Water (LCPW) bifurcates into eastern and western branch currents after entering the Central Pacific Basin. LCPW colder than 0.98°C is carried by the eastern branch current, while warmer LCPW is carried mainly by the western branch current. The eastern branch current flows northward in the Central Pacific Basin, supplying water above 0.94°C through narrow gaps into an isolated deep valley in the Melanesian Basin, and then passes the Mid-Pacific Seamounts between 162°10′E and 170°10′E at 18°20′N, not only through the Wake Island Passage but also through the western passages. Except near bottom, dissolved oxygen of LCPW decreases greatly in the northern Central Pacific Basin, probably by mixing with the North Pacific Deep Water (NPDW). The western branch current flows northwestward over the lower Solomon Rise in the Melanesian Basin and proceeds westward between 10°40′N and 12°20′N at 150°E in the East Mariana Basin with volume transport of 4.1 Sv (1 Sv=10⁶ m³ s⁻¹). The current turns north, west of 150°E, and bifurcates around 14°N, south of the Magellan Seamounts, where dissolved oxygen decreases sharply by mixing with NPDW. Half of the current turns east, crosses 150°E at 14–15°N, and proceeds northward primarily between 152°E and 156°E at 18°20′N toward the Northwest Pacific Basin (2.1 Sv). The other half flows northward west of 150°E and passes 18°20′N just east of the Mariana Trench (2.2 Sv). It is reversed by a block of topography, proceeds southward along the Mariana Trench, then detours around the south end of the trench, and proceeds eastward along the Caroline Seamounts to the Solomon Rise, partly flowing into the West Mariana and East Caroline Basins. A deep western boundary current at 2000–3000 m depth above LCPW (10.0 Sv) closes to the coast than the deep circulation. The major part of it (8.5 Sv) turns cyclonic around the upper Solomon Rise from the Melanesian Basin and proceeds along the southern boundary of the East Caroline Basin. Nearly half of it proceeds northward in the western East Caroline Basin, joins the current from the east, then passes the northern channel, and mostly enters the West Caroline Basin (4.6 Sv), while another half enters this basin from the southern side (>3.8 Sv). The remaining western boundary current (1.5 Sv) flows over the middle and lower Solomon Rise, proceeds westward, then is divided by the Caroline Seamounts into southern (0.9 Sv) and northern (0.5 Sv) branches. The southern branch current joins that from the south in the East Caroline Basin, as noted above. The northern branch current proceeds along the Caroline Seamounts and enters the West Mariana Basin.     

柘林湾水体溶解氧的分布特征及其与营养盐的关系

根据2001年7月～2002年7月间对柘林湾进行的溶解氧和营养盐含量的调查数据,探讨柘林湾海域溶解氧的时空分布规律及其与营养盐之间的相关关系.结果表明柘林湾的溶解氧含量年均值为5.88mg/dm^3,呈河口、湾外高,湾内低的平面分布规律.回归分析表明,柘林湾溶解氧含量与NO3-N含量呈显著的正相关关系,与PO4-P、NH3-N含量呈显著的负相关关系.大规模的养殖生产是影响柘林湾水体DO含量的一个重要因素.     

Water circulation dynamics, water column nutrients and plankton productivity in a well-flushed tropical bay in Kenya

Water circulation, water column nutrients and plankton productivity were studied in a tropical bay with high rates of water exchange (60% to 90% per tide) and short residence times (3 to 4 h). The water circulation is predominantly affected by the semi-diurnal tides, which cause strong and reversing currents in the mangrove creeks (0.60 m·s⁻¹) and currents of low magnitude in the neighbouring seagrass and coral reef zones (< 0.30 m·s⁻¹). Tidal asymmetry, with relatively stronger ebb than flood flows in the mangrove creeks, promotes the net export of nutrients from the river mouth and of organic matter from the mangroves to the seagrass beds. The main sources of the dissolved inorganic nutrients are two rivers (the Kidogoweni and Mkurumuji) which discharge (up to 17.0 m³·s⁻¹) in the upper and lower regions of the bay. The increased input of nutrients did not cause eutrophic conditions since nutrients were rapidly flushed out of the bay. The mangrove biotope generated small amounts of dissolved nutrients which are likely to be used for primary production within the mangrove zone. The production of nutrients in the mangrove zone was masked by high rates of flushing, such that no appreciable nutrient signal was detected in the dry season when the influence of the rivers diminished. The rates of primary production were low in the mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef biotopes in the dry season. Primary production increased slightly during the rainy season. The level of chlorophyll a in the mangrove biotope increased during ebb tides and decreased during flood tides. The highest zooplankton densities, which could not be related directly to primary production in the water-column, occurred at the seagrass station during the wet season.     

Impact of atmospheric and physical forcings on biogeochemical cycling of dissolved oxygen and nutrients in the coastal Bay of Bengal

Time-series observations were conducted off Visakhapatnam, central west coast of Bay of Bengal, from October 2007 to April 2009 to examine the influence of physical and atmospheric processes on water column nutrients biogeochemistry. The thermal structure displayed inversions of 0.5 to 1.0° C during winter and were weaker in summer. The water column was vertically stratified during the entire study period and was stronger during October–November 2007 and August–December 2008 compared to other study periods. High concentrations of chlorophyll-a and nutrients were associated with the extreme atmospheric events. The strong relationship of nutrients with salinity indicates that physical processes, such as circulation, mixing and river discharge, have a significant control on phytoplankton blooms in the coastal Bay of Bengal. Phosphate seems to be a controlling nutrient during winter whereas availability of light and suspended matter limits production in summer. Formation of low oxygen conditions were observed in the bottom waters due to enhanced primary production by extreme atmospheric events; however, re-oxygenation of bottom waters through sinking of oxygen-rich surface waters by a warm core (anticyclonic) eddy led to its near recovery. This study reveals that atmospheric and physical processes have significant impacts on the water column biogeochemistry in the coastal Bay of Bengal.     

Antarctic bottom water flow in the western part of the Romanche Fracture Zone based on the measurements in October of 2011

The properties of the Antarctic Bottom Water flow in the region of its inflow to the channel of the Romanche Fracture Zone at 22°10′–22°30′ W are studied on the basis of CTD and LADCP profiling in the western part of the equatorial fracture zone. A deep water cataract was found at the sill over the southern wall of the fracture with a depth of approximately 4600 m, which is associated with the abyssal flow, whose potential temperature is lower than 1°C. The inflow of water into the channel of the fracture in this temperature range is fully localized over this sill. The minimum potential temperature θ recorded in 2011 near the bottom was equal to 0.51°C, which is lower approximately by 0.12°C than the minimum temperatures ever measured in the western part of the fracture. The water transport in the cataract was estimated at 0.2 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³/s), which is approximately 30% of the known estimates of the total transport of Antarctic Bottom Water (θ < 1.9°C) through the fracture. The extremely high intensity of the cross isothermal mixing in the cataract region was found. The analysis of the bottom topography data, including the historical WOD09 dataset, shows that the inflow of water with 1.00° < θ < 1.70°C into the channel of the fracture is most likely fully localized in a few passages in the region of the survey in 2011, while the water exchange with the abyssal waters with θ > 1.70°C through the Romanche Fracture Zone between the West and East Atlantic can also occur through the depressions in the southern and northern walls of the fracture in the region of the Vema Deep.     

Thermal Stratification in Saldanha Bay (South Africa) and Subtidal, Density-driven Exchange with the Coastal Waters of the Benguela Upwelling System

A study was conducted to understand the mechanisms driving observed subtidal variability in the stratification of Saldanha Bay, located in the southern Benguela system. It was found that the 6–8 day period variability in bay stratification was caused by the inflow and outflow of cold upwelled water driven by changing baroclinic pressure gradients between the coastal and bay domains. The direction and magnitude of the pressure gradients were governed by coastal upwelling activity and a lag in the response of the bay to changes in density structure in the coastal ocean. When the pressure gradients were bayward and cold water was being driven into the bay the cycle was termed to be in an ‘ active phase ’ and the reverse was termed the ‘ relaxation phase ’. The upwelling-favourable equatorward wind stress impacted the bay stratification in two ways: on the regional scale, wind drives upwelling and governs the inflow–outflow of cold upwelled bottom water, which strengthens stratification; conversely, on the local bay scale, wind drives vertical mixing, which weakens stratification. A four-phase model is used to describe the observed variability in stratification in the bay. The associated density-driven exchange flows are capable of flushing the bay in 6–8 days, about one-third of the time for tidal exchange alone (c. 25 days). These inflows of cold bottom water are ecologically critical as they supply nutrients to the bay and thus impose a control on new production within the bay environment. Further ecological implications of this bay–ocean exchange include export of phytoplankton new production to the coast, limitation of the risk of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the division of the system into two distinct ecosystems (bay and lagoon).     

The hydrography of the mid-latitude Northeast Atlantic Ocean — Part III: the subducted thermocline water mass

The ventilation of the permanent thermocline in the ocean margin of the mid-latitude eastern North Atlantic Ocean was studied by analysis of a historic data set of over 2200 hydrographic stations. This data set contains physical (pressure, temperature, salinity) and bio-geochemical (dissolved oxygen, silica, nitrate and phosphate) parameters. The large-scale structure of the Eastern North Atlantic Central Water in the permanent thermocline is presented. Conservative tracer distributions are described as are those of the non-conservative tracers like apparent oxygen utilization and dissolved nutrients. The hydrographic structure agrees with ventilation of the thermocline by southward subducted Mode Water from the eastern North Atlantic. Estimates of the oxygen diapycnal diffusion term and the distribution of pre-formed nutrients indicate that diapycnal mixing is not important for the large-scale distribution of bio-geochemical tracers in the thermocline. Only along the west Iberian continental slope may enhanced boundary mixing have some local influence on these tracer distributions. From the observed meridional ageing trend a characteristic southward velocity of −1 cm/s and a total subduction of 4.5 Sv between 32 and 52°N east of 20°W are estimated.     

东海富营养化封闭海水养殖海域浮游植物分布与控制因子

The distribution of phytoplankton and its correlation with environmental factors were studied monthly during August 2012 to July 2013 in the Yantian Bay. A total of 147 taxa of phytoplankton were identified, and the average abundance was in the range of 0.57×10~4 to 7.73×10~4 cell/L. A total of 19 species dominated the phytoplankton assemblages, and several species that are widely reported to be responsible for microalgae blooms were the absolutely dominant species, such as Skeletonema costatum, Navicula sp., Thalassionema nitzschioides,Pleurosigma sp., and Licmophora abbreviata. The monthly variabilities in phytoplankton abundance could be explained by water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN), and suspended solids. The results of a redundancy analysis showed that p H and nutrients, including DIN and silicate(SiO_4), were the most important environmental factors controlling phytoplankton assemblages in specific months. It was found that nutrients and pH levels that were mainly influenced by mariculture played a vital role in influencing the variation of phytoplankton assemblages in the Yantian Bay. Thus, a reduction of mariculture activities would be an effective way to control microalgae blooms in an enclosed and intensively eutrophic bay.