Effects of Physical and Biochemical Factors on Formation of Hypoxic Water in the Western Interior Parts of the Ariake Sea

Abstract

In the present study, the formation situation and effects of physical and biochemical factors on formation of hypoxic water which has bad influence on the ecosystem and fishery in the interior parts of the Ariake Sea were investigated on the base of observation data and two-layer box model. Formation time rate of hypoxic water was high in the western parts with high COD and mud content. And hypoxic water was occurred and expanded at neap tide with the formation of density stratification. However, the expansions of its formation area were different every each time. Moreover, DO consumption rate in the bottom layer of the study area strongly influenced the formation or not of hypoxic water in consumption with the other physical and biochemical factors.