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| Effect of the water-sediment regulation on dissolved methane in the lower Yellow River estuary and it's adjacent marine area |
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Abstract Surveys were carried out at Kenli during the ninth water-sediment regulation to discuss its effect on distribution and fluxes of dissolved methane in the lower Yellow River. Three surveys were also carried out in the Yellow river estuary and adjacent area in June and July 2009. The water-sediment regulation had great effect on the distribution of the dissolved methane in the Yellow River estuary. Methane concentrations ranged from 9.89 to 205.34nmol/L at station Kenli, which correlated well with suspended sediment and water discharge, showing that dissolved methane in the waters mainly came from the release of fluid mud. Riverine input of CH4 to Bohai Sea was estimated to be about 2.2×105mol during the period of water-sediment regulation, which was about 50% of the total CH4 fluxes from the Yellow river in whole year. CH4 concentrations ranged from 3.71 to 37.77nmol/L in the Yellow River estuary and adjacent area in June and July 2009, which was mainly affected by freshwater plume. Surface waters of this area were over-saturated in methane with respect to atmosphere equilibrium (649.7±292.1)%, hence the Yellow River estuary and adjacent area was a major source of atmospheric methane.
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Received: 28 February 2011
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