Distribution of nutrients and eutrophication assessment in the Bohai Sea of China

Water samples were collected in 120 stations in the Bohai Sea of China to analyze the distribution of dissolved nutrients and assess the degree of eutrophication in August 2002. The result shows that the average concentration of DIN increased and the PO4-P concentration sharply decreased compared to the previous data of corresponding period. The high concentrations of DIN and PO4-P occurred in coastal waters, especially in the bays and some river estuaries, while the high concentrations of SiO3-Si in the surface and middle depth occurred in the central area of the Bohai Sea. The average ratio of DIN/ PO4-P was much higher than the Redfield Ratio (16:1). Apparently, PO4-P was one of the limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growing in the sea. The average concentrations of DON and DOP were higher than their inorganic forms. The results of eutrophication assessment show that 22.1% of all stations were classified as violating the concentration levels of the National Seawater Quality Standard (GB 3097-1997) for DIN and only 3.9% for PO4-P. The average eutrophication index in the overall area was 0.21±0.22 and the high values occurred in Bohai Bay, Liaodong Bay and near the Yellow River estuary. This means that the state of eutrophication was generally mesotrophic in the Bohai Sea, but relatively worse in the bays, especially some river estuaries.

Environmental capacity of chemical oxygen demand in the Bohai Sea: modeling and calculation

A three-dimensional advection-diffusion model coupled with the degradation process is established for describing the transport of chemical oxygen demand (COD). Comparison of the simulated distribution of COD at the surface in the Bohai Sea in August, 2001 with field observations, shows that the model simulates the dataset reasonably well. The Laizhou Bay, Bohai Bay, and Liaodong Bay were contaminated heavily near shore. Based on the optimal discharge flux method, the Environmental Capacity (EC) and allocated capacities of COD in the Bohai Sea are calculated. For seawater of Grades I to IV of the Chinese National Standard, the ECs of COD in the Bohai Sea were 77×104 t/a, 116×104 t/a, 154×104 t/a and 193×104 t/a, respectively. The Huanghe (Yellow) River pollutant discharge accounted for the largest percentage of COD at 14.3%, followed by that of from the Liugu River (11.5%), and other nine local rivers below 10%. The COD level in 2005 was worse than that of Grade II seawater and was beyond the environmental capacity. In average, 35% COD reduction is called to meet the standard of Grade I seawater.

Modelling Nitrogen and Phosphorus Dynamics in a Mesocosm Pelagic Ecosystem in Laizhou Bay in China

A model of nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in mesocosm experiments was established on the basis of a summary and synthesis of the existing models. The established model comprised seven state variables(DIN,PO4-P,DON,DOP,phytoplankton,zooplankton and detritus) and five modules - phytoplankton,zooplankton,dissolved inorganic nutrients,dissolved organic nutrients and detritus. Comparison with the in situ experimental data in Laizhou Bay at the end of August 2002 showed that this model could properly simulate the variations of DIN,PO4-P,and phytoplankton biomass in a mesocosm pelagic ecosystem. It was found that not only the model structure but also the parameters adopted were fit for simulation. The sensitivity of the main state variables to the parameter change was assessed by sensitivity analysis. All these results are useful for studying the control mechanism of biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in Laizhou Bay and other Chinese coastal waters.

A nitrogen and phosphorus dynamic model of mesocosm pelagic ecosystem in the Jiaozhou Bay in China

A nitrogen and phosphorus dynamic model of mesocosm pelagic ecosystem was established according to the summary and synthesis of the models available, in which seven state variables （DIN, PO4-P, DON, DOP, phytoplankton, zooplankton and detritus） were included. Logically it had five modules--phytoplankton, zooplankton, dissolved inorganic nutrients, dissolved organic nutrients and detritus. The results showed that this model could simulate the variations of DIN, PO4-P, DON, DOP, POC and phytoplankton biomass in pelagic ecosystem in mesocosm properly, based on the site experiment data in the Jiaozhou Bay in the autumn of 1999 and the summer of 2000. Not only the logical structure but also the model parameters were feasible, and about 20 parameters were made to fit for the Jiaozhou Bay during the simulation. All of these are necessary to study the control mechanism of nutrients biogeochemical cycling in the Jiaozhou Bay and other China＇ s coastal waters.