Abstract:

In order to clear the effects of food shortage on the degradation of tidal flats in the Daguhe estuary for benthic shellfish culture, sediment cores were sampled in this area in May of 2009. The effects of the biofilm on the diffusion of nutrients across the water-sediment interface were studied, during which the activeness of the biofilm was restrained by the mercury chloride. The sediments in the area were not only sources of the nutrients in the water body, but also sink of them. Except the sediment in the river way which was near the bay, the biofilm on the surface of sediments restrained the phosphate from diffusing to the water body. In the area, the biofilm on the surface of sediments restrained the ammonia from diffusing to the water body. Thus, it is not the shortage that leads the degradation of ecological function of the tidal flat of the Daguhe estuary.