Abstract:
Studies on the behaviour and flux of nutrients in Tapi Estuary, Suratthani province were conducted during the dry season (April) and the wet season (October) of 1997. It was found that in the dry season dissolved nitrate+nitrite and silicate, in the salinity range 6-20 psu, behaved conservatively but dissolved ammonia and phosphate behaved non-conservatively. However, all nutrients behaved non-conservatively in the wet season. Dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were found to behaved non-conservatively in both seasons. Nutrient fluxes were found to have a riverward direction in the dry season. Dissolved ammonia, phosphate, silicate and particulate phosphorus had a seaward direction in the wet season. Fluxes of nutrients were found to be higher in the wet than the dry season. Salt fluxes were found to have a seaward direction in both seasons.