Publications

Wang, Sufen; Tang, Danling (2014). Preliminary remote sensing observation of sea surface temperature increase during Ulva prolifera blooms. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM HEALTH & MANAGEMENT, 17(3), 299-304.

Abstract
A massive bloom of green macroalgae Ulva prolifera occurred in June 2008 in the Yellow Sea, resulting in perhaps the largest "green tide" event in the history of bloom research. The covered area is about 1,200 km(2) and the impacted area reached 40,000 km(2) on 31 May. This also occurred in the following two years, 2009 and 2010. We analyzed the satellite data from MODIS and the results showed that sea surface temperature increased 1-3 degrees C in U. prolifera bloom locations. The macroalgae in the water may have been the cause of the increase of sea surface temperatures. Rapid increases of U. prolifera biomass during the blooms may have increased radiation absorption of the water, and thus enhanced the rate of heating at the sea surface. The present study represents a preliminary observation, which is an important step for understanding influences of macroalgae on ocean surface conditions.

DOI:
10.1080/14634988.2014.944471

ISSN:
1463-4988