Distribution of dissolved inorganic nitrogen over the continental slope of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

• Published in: Chinese journal of oceanology and limnology Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 227 - 236
• Main Author: 张璇 石晓勇 温婷婷 张传松 韩秀荣
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 2013; SP Science Press; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Brackish; Chemistry; Cold water masses; continental shelf; Continental shelves; Continental slope; DIN; dissolved inorganic nitrogen; Distribution; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Estuaries; Estuarine dynamics; Eutrophication; Freshwater; Human influences; Marine; Nitrogen; Oceanographic instruments; Oceanography; Offshore; Outer continental shelf; River water; Rivers; spring; surveys; Thermocline; Water currents; Water masses; Water temperature; 东中国海; 台湾暖流; 大陆坡; 氮分布; 溶解无机氮; 长江口; 黄海; South China Sea; Yellow Sea; INW, Huanghai Sea; INW, China, People's Rep., Changjiang Delta; INW, China, People's Rep., Changjiang Estuary; ISEW, Donghai Sea, Taiwan Warm Current; China, People's Rep., Changjiang R; INW, Donghai Sea, Kuroshio Current; INW, Donghai Sea; dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN); East China Sea (ECS); Yellow Sea (YS); distribution
• ISSN: 0254-4059; 2096-5508; 1993-5005; 2523-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s00343-013-1299-8

Based on survey data from April to May 2009, distribution and its influential factors of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) over the continental slopes of the Yellow Sea (YS) and East China Sea (ECS) are discussed. Influenced by the Changjiang (Yangtze) River water, alongshore currents, and the Kuroshio current off the coast, DIN concentrations were higher in the Changjiang River estuary, but lower (<1 μmol/L) in the northern and eastern YS and outer continental shelf area of the ECS. In the YS, the thermocline formed in spring, and a cold-water mass with higher DIN concentration (about 11 μmol/L) formed in benthonic water around 123.2°E. In Changjiang estuary (around 123°E, 32°N), DIN concentration was higher in the 10 m layer; however, the bottom DIN concentration was lower, possibly influenced by mixing of the Taiwan Warm Current and offshore currents.