Distribution and behaviour of phosphate and silicate based nutrients with respect to tidal variations in the surface water of the Terengganu river estuar

Abstract

Estuaries can be considered as vital natural resources and are a unique ecosystem at the interface between terrestrial and marine environments. The increase in population density centred on the coastal features and associated anthropogenic activities, such as trade, industry, agriculture and recreation can diversely affect these sensitive environments. The Terengganu River estuary, located on the East Coast of Peninsula Malaysia, is one such estuarine environment that experiences large supplies of contaminants along its passages and within its wider catchment. This thesis investigates the distribution and behaviour of nutrients (P and Si) and chlorophyll (chl-a) over the tidal cycle of the surface water of Terengganu River estuary, as essential parameters for addressing the widespread problem of estuarine eutrophication.