Abstract
The spatial distributions of denitrifier numbers in the tidal sediment (0∼4cm depth) in the interior parts of the Ariake Sea changed largely with the properties of tidal flat and seasons. The denitrifier numbers in summer were many in the muddy tidal flat in the interior parts of this bay and about 18,000MPNs/g-dry on the average. But, its numbers were few in the sandy and mud-sandy tidal flats in the east and west coast areas and about 1,700MPN/g-dry on the average. A close relation between the denitrifier numbers in the tidal sediment (0∼4cm depth) and its mud (clay and silt) content was found and its numbers rose with the increase of mud content. The vertical distribution of denitrifier numbers in the muddy tidal flat was high near the surface layer (0∼2cm depth) where Eh was almost zero in summer, but its distribution decreased in other season. The denitrification rate in the muddy tidal flat changed largely with time (0.35-13.86mg-N·m-2·d-1). The denitrification activity in the muddy tidal flat was assumed to be affected by the environmental factors and substrate concentration other than the denitrifier numbers.
