Abstract: To better understand the phosphorus cycle in wetland, an experimental study was made on the phosphorus adsorption characteristics of sediments S₁, S₂ and S₃ sampled from the Congming Dongtan wetland at the Changjiang Estuary. The results showed that phosphorus adsorption process mainly happened within the first 24 h, and then arrived at a balance. The average quick adsorption rate increased with increasing percentages of fine fraction in the sediments, and the adsorption isotherm could be expressed by the Langmuir equation. According to the equation, the phosphorus adsorption capacity of the sediments was estimated to be more than 200 mg·kg^-1, and decreased in the sequence of S₁>S₃>S₂, which was possibly because of the higher percentages of fine fraction and the higher contents of TOC, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg in S₁ than in S₂. Soil temperature and pH also affected the phosphorus adsorption of sediments.

Key words: Plantation, Litterfall, Nutrient, Nutrient translocation