Short-term laboratory mixing experiments have been used to simulate estuarine mixing and to examine key processes in regulating mixing behavior of different chemical
NMS-E973 (e.g. Wang et al., 2010 and Lin et al., 2012a). In a previous study, little difference was observed for the mixing behavior of P species between field studies and laboratory experiments in the Bay of St Louis in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Lin et al., 2012a). As pointed out above, the Jiulong River has experienced increasing anthropogenic influence over the past several decades. In contrast, the Jourdan and Wolf rivers, both discharging into the Bay of St. Louis, remained rather pristine with much lower DIP abundance. Thus, in addition to physical conditions such as mixing/flushing time, and primary production in a specific estuary, the abundance of DIP and particulate P composition in river end-member and coastal waters are
slime molds likely important factors controlling the mixing behavior of P in the Jiulong River estuary.
