闽江河口潮滩季节性冲淤变化格局及其控制机制

Patterns and controlling factors of seasonal erosion and accretion of estuarine tidal flat in the Minjiang River estuary

  • 摘要: 潮滩是潮汐作用下形成的细颗粒沉积物堆积体,在世界范围内分布广泛,在碳汇和海岸防护中发挥着十分重要的作用。随着河流输沙的减少,河口潮滩冲淤格局发生了变化,直接影响了潮滩功能发挥,亟需开展河口潮滩短周期的冲淤变化过程研究,为评估潮滩功能提供科学依据。根据在福建闽江口琅岐岛潮滩开展的不同季节沉积动力要素(水深、流速、波浪、悬沙浓度)和现场冲淤观测及表层沉积物的粒度分析结果,琅岐岛潮滩表层沉积物在夏季主要以粉砂和黏土组成的细颗粒沉积物为主,冬季则主要以砂和粉砂组成的粗颗粒沉积物为主;潮间带上部的互花米草盐沼总体以持续淤积为主,潮间带中部和下部表现出周期性的冲淤特征,总体以夏季淤积、冬季侵蚀为总特征,并且潮间带中部的冲淤变化幅度较潮间带下部大;冬季潮流流速、波浪作用及悬沙浓度均大于夏季,冬季潮周期内近底部悬沙以净向海输运为主,而夏季则以净向岸输运为主。综上所述,闽江口潮滩冲淤变化主要受动力过程控制,冬季波浪作用导致表层沉积物发生再悬浮,并被较强的潮流净向海输运,导致滩面发生侵蚀;夏季,波浪作用较弱,水体中的悬沙易发生沉降,较弱的潮流将泥沙净向岸输运,导致潮间带发生淤积。

     

    Abstract: Tidal flats are fine-grained sediment deposits formed under tidal action, widely distributed worldwide, and play a crucial role in carbon sinks and coastal protection. With the reduction of sediment flux from river to ocean, patterns and factors of erosion-accretion in estuarine tidal flats have been changed, which directly affects the function of tidal flats. It is urgent to study the short-term erosion-accretion process of estuarine tidal flats to provide scientific supports to understand functions of tidal flats. The tidal flat of Langqi Island at the Minjiang River estuary in Fujian Province was scrutinized in terms of the sediment dynamic parameters (including: inundation height, tidal current velocity, wave height, suspended sediment concentration, and grain size distribution) and on-site observations in different seasons. Results show that, the surficial sediments of the tidal flat are mainly composed of fine particles of silt and clay in summer, and coarse particles of sand and silt in winter. The marsh areas covered with Spartina alterniflora in the upper intertidal zone were characterized by mainly continuous accretion, while the middle-lower intertidal zone exhibited periodic erosion and accretion. The general pattern of erosion-accretion in the tidal flats was characterized by accretion in summer and erosion in winter, and the variations in erosion and accretion in the middle intertidal zone were greater than those in the lower intertidal zone. The tidal current velocity, wave height, and suspended sediment concentration in winter were all greater than those in summer. In winter, the net flux of suspended sediment near bottom was mainly transported seaward within a tidal cycle, while in summer, it was mainly transported landward. Therefore, the seasonal variations of erosion-accretion pattern of the tidal flats in Minjiang River estuary were mainly controlled by hydrodynamic processes. In winter, strong wave action caused significant resuspension of surficial sediment and seaward transportation by tidal currents, leading to erosion of the tidal flat; in summer, the wave action was weak, and the suspended sediment settled due to low bottom shear stress and was transported landward by tidal current, leading to accretion in the intertidal zone.

     

/

返回文章
返回