Publications

Niu, Y; Liu, CL; Lu, XL; Zhu, LX; Sun, QW; Wang, SF (2021). Phytoplankton blooms and its influencing environmental factors in the southern Yellow Sea. REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE, 47, 101916.

Abstract
Phytoplankton blooms are a widespread phenomenon in oceans that support the food webs and ecosystem. In this study, we analyzed temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton blooms in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) during 2003-2018, using the 8-day satellite datasets. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was performed to evaluate seasonal variability of phytoplankton blooms in the SYS. The first two EOF modes explained the main features of phytoplankton blooms in the SYS. The first EOF mode and the second EOF mode accounted for 49% and 10% of the total spatial variance of blooms in the SYS, respectively. The indices of phytoplankton phenology (bloom timing) revealed distinct phytoplankton growth patterns/regimes in different subregions of the SYS. Specifically, the coastal area of Shandong Peninsula (CASP) showed significantly higher biomass and longer duration of phytoplankton blooms from fall to following early spring, which spanned an average of about 20 weeks. However, spring and fall blooms were observed in the central area of the SYS (CASYS). The spring bloom was more than twice the size of the fall bloom. By exploring the relationships between the phytoplankton biomass and the physical and biological parameters between these two regions, we established that a relatively stable shallow water depth and sufficient nutrients concentrations were the mechanisms driving phytoplankton blooms. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI:
10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101916

ISSN:
2352-4855