• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.1 s.110
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• pp.54-62
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• 2005

The present study was to determine how seasonal rainfall intensity influences nutrient dynamics, ionic contents, oxygen demands, and suspended solids in a lotic ecosystem. Largest seasonal variabilities in most parameters occurred during the two months of July to August and these were closely associated with large spate of rainfall. Dissolved oxygen (DO) had an inverse function of water temperature (r = = = - 0.986, p<0.001). Minimum pH values of<6.5 were observed in the late August when rainfall peaked in the study site, indicating an ionic dilution of stream water by precipitation. Electrical conductivity (EC) was greater during summer than any other seasons, so the overall conductivity values had direct correlation (r = 0.527, p<0.01) with precipitation. Ionic dilution, however, was evident 4 ${\sim}$ 5 days later in short or 1 ${\sim}$ 2 weeks in long after the intense rain, indicating a time-lag phenomenon of conductivity. Daily COD values varied from 0.8 mg $L^{-1}$ to 7.9 mg $L^{-1}$ and their seasonal pattern was similar (r = 0.548, p<0.001) to that of BOD. Total nitrogen (TN) varied little compared to total phosphorus (TP) and was minimum in the base flow of March. In contrast, major input of TP occurred during the period of summer monsoon and this pattern was similar to suspended solids, implying that TP is closely associated (r = 0.890, p<0.01) with suspended inorganic solids. Mass ratios of TN : TP were determined by TP (r= -0.509, p<0.01) rather than TN (r= -0.209, p<0.01). The N : P ratios indicated that phosphorus was a potential primary limiting nutrient for the stream productivity. Overall data suggest that rainfall intensity was considered as a primary key component regulating water chemistry in the stream and maximum variation in water quality was attributed to the largest runoff spate during the summer monsoon.