Effects of phosphorus limitation on sinking velocities of phytoplankton during summer in the Changjiang River Estuary

The sinking of phytoplankton is critical to organic matter transportation in the ocean and it is an essential process for the formation of coastal hypoxic zones.This study was based on a field investigation conducted during the summer of 2022 in the Changjiang River(Yangtze River) Estuary(CJE) and its adjacent waters.The settling column method was employed to measure the sinking velocity(SV) of different size fractions of phytoplankton at the surface of the sea and to analyze their environmental control mechanisms.The findings reveal significant spatial variation in phytoplankton SV(-0.55-2.41 m/d) within the CJE.High-speed sinking was predominantly observed in phosphate-depleted regions beyond the CJE front.At the same time,an upward trend was more commonly observed in the phosphate-rich regions near the CJE mouth.The SV ranges for different sizefractionated phytoplankton,including micro-(>20 μm),nano-(2-20 μm),and picophytoplankton(0.7-2 μm),were-0.50-4.74 m/d,-1.04-1.59 m/d,and-1.24-1.65 m/d,respectively.Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between SV and dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP),implying that the influence of DIP contributes to SV.The variations in phytoplankton alkaline phosphatase activity suggested a significant increase in SV across all size fractions in the event of phosphorus limitation.Phytoplankton communities with limited photo synthetic capacity(maximum photochemical efficience,Fv/Fm <0.3) were found to have higher SV than that of communities with strong capacity,suggesting a link between sinking and alterations in physiological conditions due to phosphate depletion.The findings from the in situ phosphate enrichment experiments confirmed a marked decrease in SV following phosphate supplementation.These findings suggest that phosphorus limitation is the primary driver of elevated SV in the CJE.This study enhances the comprehension of the potential mechanisms underlying hypoxic zone formation in the CJE,providing novel insights into how nearshore eutrophication influences organic carbon migration.

Coastal hypoxia response to the coupling of catastrophic flood,extreme marine heatwave and typhoon:a case study off the Changjiang River Estuary in summer 2020

Massive bodies of low-oxygen bottom waters are found in coastal areas worldwide,which are detrimental to coastal ecosystems.In summer 2020,the response of coastal hypoxia to extreme weather events,including a catastrophic flooding,an extreme marine heatwave,and Typhoon Bavi,is investigated based on multiple satellite,four cruises,and mooring observations.The extensive fan-shaped hypoxia zone presents significant northward extension during July-September 2020,and is estimated as large as 13 000 km^(2) with rather low oxygen minimum(0.42 mg/L) during its peak in 28-30 August.This severe hypoxia is attributed to the persistent strong stratification,which is indicated by flood-induced larger amount of riverine freshwater input and subsequent marine heatwave off the Changjiang River Estuary.Moreover,the Typhoon Bavi has limited effect on the marine heatwave and coastal hypoxia in summer 2020.

Effect of Reclamation Time and Land Use on Soil Properties in Changjiang River Estuary,China

The objective of this study is to analyze soil physical and chemical properties,soil comprehensive functions and impact factors after different years of reclamation.Based on the survey data taken from 216 soil sampling points in the Fengxian Reclamation Area of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary,China in April 2009 and remotely sensed TM data in 2006,while by virtue of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA),geo-statistical analysis (GA),prin-cipal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA),it was concluded that:1) With the in-crease in reclamation time,soil moisture,soil salinity,soil electric conductivity and soil particle size tended to decline,yet soil organic matter tended to increase.Soil available phosphorous tended to increase in the early reclamation period,yet it tended to decline after about 49 years of reclamation.Soil nitrate nitrogen,soil ammonia nitrogen and pH changed slightly in different reclamation years.Soil physical and chemical properties reached a steady state after about 30 years of reclamation.2) According to the results of PCA analysis,the weighted value (0.97 in total) that represents soil nutrient factors (soil nitrate nitrogen,soil organic matter,soil available phosphorous,soil ammonia nitrogen,pH and soil particle size) were higher than the weighted value (0.48 in total) of soil limiting factors (soil salinity,soil elec-tric conductivity and soil moisture).The higher the F value is,the better the soil quality is.3) Different land use types play different roles in the soil function maturity process,with farmlands providing the best contribution.4) Soil physi-cal and chemical properties in the reclamation area were mainly influenced by reclamation time,and then by land use types.The correlation (0.1905) of the composite index of soil function (F) with reclamation time was greater than that with land use types (-0.1161).

Distribution patterns of phytoplankton in the Changjiang River estuary and adjacent waters in spring 2009

The Changjiang River estuary and adjacent waters are one of the most notable regions for red tides/harmful algal blooms in China's coastal waters.In this study,phytoplankton samples were collected and analyzed during the outbreak stage of red tides in May 2009.It was found that dinoflagellates,Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia mikimotoi,and diatoms,Skeletonema spp.and Paralia sulcata,were the major taxa dominating the phytoplankton community.Cluster analysis,non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS) and analysis of similarities(ANOSIM) was conducted on a data matrix including taxa composition and cell abundance of the phytoplankton samples.The analyses categorized the samples into three groups at a similarity level of 30%.Group Ⅰ was characterized by estuarine diatoms and distributed mainly in the highly turbid estuarine region.Group Ⅱ,which was dominated by the diatom Skeletonema spp.and represented the red tide of Skeletonema spp.,was situated around Group Ⅰ in the sea area west of 122°50'E.Group Ⅲ was characterized by a high proportion of dinoflagellates and was found further offshore compared with Groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ.Group Ⅲ was further divided into two subgroups(Ⅲ-S1 and Ⅲ-S2) at a similarity level of 40%.Group Ⅲ-S1 was characterized by the presence of the benthic diatom P.sulcata,representing phytoplankton samples collected either from the bottom or from the sea area affected by upwelling.GroupⅢ-S2 was dominated by dinoflagellates and represented red tides formed by P.donghaiense and K.mikimotoi.A gradual change of red-tide causative species was observed from the estuary to the offshore sea area,from diatoms to armored dinoflagellates and then unarmored dinoflagellates.Environmental factors associated with each group,and thus affecting the distribution of phytoplankton and red tides,are discussed.

Orthogonal design for optimization of pigment extraction from surface sediments of the Changjiang River Estuary

Using a suitable solvent for extracting pigments from sediment for high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） analysis is critical for obtaining qualitative and quantitative estimates of phytoplanktonic and benthic algal biomass,as well as community composition. Five methodological factors（sample dehydration,extraction solvent,extraction duration,number of extractions,and ratio of solvent volume：sample weight） were studied using an L 9（3 4 ） orthogonal design in a sedimentary pigment extraction experiment on samples collected from the Changjiang large-river delta-front estuary（LDE）,using HPLC analysis. The results show that the optimal extraction method for sedimentary pigments should include freeze-drying samples prior to extraction. The effects of different factors on sedimentary pigment extraction were separated by the L 9（3 4 ） orthogonal design experiments and showed that the extraction solvent was the most important,with extraction duration the second most important,and numbers of extraction and ratio of solvent volume：sample weight was the least important. The mixed solvent treatment comprised of acetone,methanol and water（80：15：5,by volume） was best for polar pigment extraction,with 100% acetone better for apolar pigments. For most pigments employed in this study（i.e.,peridinin,fucoxanthin,alloxanthin,diatoxanthin,zeaxanthin,pheophytin-a and β-carotene） ,3 h was found to be enough time for extraction from these deltaic sediments. However,for chlorophyll-a,the most important pigment used for estimating algal biomass,12 h was needed. A small amount of solvent（3 ml） with duplicate extractions obtained the greatest amount and diversity of pigments. Unfortunately,no extraction method was found to be suitable for all pigments in sediments. The choice of extraction procedure should be made in accordance with the objective of each study,taking into consideration the properties of sediments and pigments in question.

The partial pressure of carbon dioxide and air-sea fluxes in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent Hangzhou Bay

The distributions of partial pressure of carbon dioxide （pCO2） in the surface waters of the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent Hangzhou Bay were examined in the summer of 2010. Surface water pCO2 ranged from 751-2 095/zatm （1 atm=101 325 Pa） in the inner estuary, 177-1 036/zatm in the outer estuary, and 498-1 166 μatm in Hangzhou Bay. Overall, surface pCO2 behaved conservatively during the estuary mixing. In the inner estuary, surface pCO2 was relatively high due to urbanized pollution and a high respiration rate. The lowest pCO2 was observed in the outer estuary, which was apparently induced by a phytoplankton bloom because the dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a were very high. The Changjiang River Estuary was a significant source of atmospheric CO2 and the degassing fluxes were estimated as 0-230 mmol/（m2.d） [61 mmol/（m2.d） on average] in the inner estuary. In contrast, the outer estuary acted as a CO2 sink.

Assessing benthic ecological status in coastal area near Changjiang River estuary using AMBI and M-AMBI

The Changjiang(Yangtze)River estuary has been subject to a variety of anthropogenic pressures in recent decades.To assess the ecological health of the coastal benthic ecosystem adjacent to the estuary,three surveys were conducted in 2005,2009,and 2010.The AZTI's Marine Biotic Index(AMBI)and multivariate-AMBI(M-AMBI)were used to analyse the benthic ecological status of this coast.The AMBI indicate that the ecological status of the coast adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary was only slightly degraded in all 3 years.In contrast,the M-AMBI indicated that the ecological status was seriously degraded,a result that is most likely due to pollution and eutrophication induced by human activities.The assessment of the coast's ecological status by the AMBI was not in agreement with that of the M-AMBI at some stations because of lower biodiversity values at those sites.The analysis of the two indices integrated with abiotic parameters showed that the M-AMBI could be used as a suitable bio-indicator index to assess the benthic ecological status of the coast adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary.The reference conditions proposed for the coast of the Changjiang River estuary should be further evaluated in future studies.Designation of local species could also provide an important reference for Chinese waters.To improve the reliability of AMBI and M-AMBI,further research into the ecology of local species is required to understand their arrangement in ecological groups.

Evolution of shoals and vegetation of Jiuduansha in the Changjiang River Estuary of China in the last 30 years

The evolution of the shoals and vegetation plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the river regime and the estuarine ecosystem. However, the interaction between the evolution of shoals and vegetation dynamic has rarely been reported. In this study, we determined the interaction between the shoal and vegetation evolution of Jiuduansha in the Changjiang River Estuary in the last 30 years. We did this through the collection and summarization of the existing data of the regional hydrological processes, wading engineering, and vegetation,and combined it with the analysis of nautical charts and remote sensing images. During the past 30 years, the expansion of the shoals within the 0 m isobath in Jiuduansha was obvious, with an increase of 176.5%, while the expansion of the shoals within the 5 m isobath was relatively slow. The regional hydrological characteristics in the Jiuduansha area changed dramatically, especially the sediment discharges. The area of vegetation in Jiuduansha increased from 9.1 km^2 in 1990 to 65.68 km^2 in 2015, while the variations in the different vegetation types were different. The best combination of environmental factors with a significant correlation on the shoals within the 0 m isobath is the area of Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis. The evolution of Jiuduansha shoals was significantly affected by the variations in hydrological characteristics. Meanwhile, on a long-term scale, the expansion of the shoals could promote the regional vegetation expansions due to the suitable elevation and environmental conditions it provides. The interaction between the shoal and vegetation evolution varied in the different vegetation types and different elevations. In the future, long-term monitoring and detailed data are needed to the systematical analysis of the interaction between the hydrological processes and the evolution of the shoal and vegetation.

Investigation of seasonal variability of CDOM fluorescence in the southern Changjiang River Estuary by EEM-PARAFAC

The southern Changjiang River Estuary has attracted considerable attention from marine scientists because it is a highly biologically active area and is biogeochemically significant. Moreover, land-ocean interactions strongly impact the estuary, and harmful algal blooms （HABs） frequently occur in the area. In October 2010 and May 2011, water samples of chromophoric dissolved organic matter （CDOM） were collected from the southern Changjiang River Estuary. Parallel factor analysis （PARAFAC） was used to assess the samples＇ CDOM composition using excitation-emission matrix （EEM） spectroscopy. Four components were identified： three were humic-like （C1, C2 and C3） and one was protein-like （C4）. Analysis based on spatial and seasonal distributions, as well as relationships with salinity, Chl a and apparent oxygen utilization （AOU）, revealed that terrestrial inputs had the most significant effect on the three humic-like Components C1, C2 and C3 in autumn. In spring, microbial processes and phytoplankton blooms were also important factors that impacted the three components. The protein-like Component C4 had autochthonous and allochthonous origins and likely represented a biologically labile component. CDOM in the southern Changjiang River Estuary was mostly affected by terrestrial inputs. Microbial processes and phytoplankton blooms were also important sources of CDOM, especially in spring. The fluorescence intensities of the four components were significantly higher in spring than in autumn. On average, C1, C2, C3, C4 and the total fluorescence intensity （TFI） in the surface, middle and bottom layers increased by 123%-242%, 105%-195%, 167%-665%, 483%-567% and 184%-245% in spring than in autumn, respectively. This finding corresponded with a Chl a concentration that was 16-20 times higher in spring than in autumn and an AOU that was two to four times lower in spring than in autumn. The humification index （HIX） was lower in spring that in autumn, and the fluorescence index （FI） was higher in spring than in autumn. This result indicated that the CDOM was labile and the biological activity was intense in spring.

CO_2 flux and seasonal variability in the turbidity maximum zone and surrounding area in the Changjiang River estuary

The turbidity maximum zone(TMZ) is one of the most important regions in an estuary.However,the high concentration of suspended material makes it difficult to measure the partial pressure of CO_2(pCO_2) in these regions.Therefore,very little data is available on the pCO_2 levels in TMZs.To relatively accurately evaluate the CO_2 flux in an example estuary,we studied the TMZ and surrounding area in the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary.From seasonal cruises during February,August,November 2010,and May 2012,the pCO_2 in the TMZ and surrounding area was calculated from pH and total alkalinity(TA)measured in situ,from which the CO_2 flux was calculated.Overall,the TMZ and surrounding area acted as a source of atmosphere CO_2 in February and November,and as a sink in May and August.The average FCO_2was-9,-16,5,and 5 mmol/(m^2·d) in May,August,November,and February,respectively.The TMZ's role as a source or sink of atmosphere CO_2 was quite different to the outer estuary.In the TMZ and surrounding area,suspended matter,phytoplankton,and pH were the main factors controlling the FCO_2,but here the influence of temperature,salinity,and total alkalinity on the FCO_2 was weak.Organic carbon decomposition in suspended matter was the main reason for the region acting as a CO_2 source in winter,and phytoplankton production was the main reason the region was a CO_2 sink in summer.

Terrestrial input and nutrient change reflected by sediment records of the Changjiang River Estuary in recent 80 years

A variety of environmental problems have been observed in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent coastal area, including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms（HABs）, and hypoxia in recent decades. Application of sedimentary biogenic element indicators on the study of paleoenvironment can reconstruct environmental evolution history of waters. Two 210Pb-dated cores were collected from the Changjiang River Estuary（S3） and adjacent coastal area（Z13）, and total organic carbon（TOC）, total nitrogen（TN）, biogenic silicon（BSi）, total phosphorus（TP） and phosphorus（P） species were analyzed. Three stages of environmental changes are deduced by the nutrient sedimentary records. First, nutrient concentration increased rapidly since the 1950 s, which attributed to agriculture development and overused chemical fertilizers. Second, nutrient concentration kept high and primary production began to promote during the 1960 s to 1980 s, while diatom abundance and proportion began to decline since the 1970 s, accompanied by reduced 23 Si O- concentration and flux from the river. Third, due to several dams and bridges constructed, river runoff and coastal hydrodynamic conditions reduced to a certain extent since the 1990 s, which aggravated the unbalance in nutrient structure. Multi-nutrient proxies in sediment can reflect the natural environm-ental changes as well as influence of human activities.

Characteristics of the δ15NNO3 distribution and its drivers in the Changjiang River estuary and adjacent waters

In this study, we conducted investigations in the Changjiang （Yangtze） River estuary and adjacent waters （CREAW） in June and November of 2014. We collected water samples from different depths to analyze the nitrogen isotopic compositions of nitrate, nutrient concentrations （including inorganic N, P, and Si）, and other physical and biological parameters, along with the vertical distribution and seasonal variations of these parameters. The compositions of nitrogen isotope in nitrate were measured with the denitrifier method. Results show that the Changjiang River diluted water （CDW） was the main factor affecting the shallow waters （above 10 m） of the CREAW, and CDW tended to influence the northern areas in June and the southern areas in November. 615Nrqo~ values in CDW ranged from 3.21%o-3.55%o. In contrast, the deep waters （below 30 m） were affected by the subsurface water of the Kuroshio Current, which intruded into the waters near 3 I^N in June. The ~iI^NNo3 values of these waters were 6.03%0-7.6%0, slightly higher than the values of the Kuroshio Current. Nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton in the shallow waters of the study area varied seasonally. Because of the favorable temperature and nutrient conditions in June, abundant phytoplankton growth resulted in harmful algae blooms （HABs）. Therefore, nitrate assimilation was strong in June and weak in November. The ~15NNo3 fractionations caused by assimilation of phytoplankton were 4.57%0 and 4.41%o in the shallow waters in June and November, respectively. These results are consistent with previous laboratory cultures and in situ investigations. Nitrification processes were observed in some deep waters of the study area, and they were more apparent in November than in June. The fractionation values of nitrification ranged from 24%0-25%o, which agrees with results for Nitrosospira tenuis reported by previous studies.

Effects of dissolved oxygen and nutrients from the Kuroshio on hypoxia off the Changjiang River estuary

The intrusion of the Kuroshio into the East China Sea(ECS)aff ects the development of hypoxia off the Changjiang(Yangtze)River estuary;however,quantitative analysis of its impacts is lacking.In this study,the Regional Ocean Modeling Systems(ROMS)model coupled with the Carbon,Silicate and Nitrogen Ecosystem(CoSiNE)model was used to investigate the relative importance of dissolved oxygen(DO)and diff erent nutrients(silicate,nitrate,and phosphate)in the Kuroshio on hypoxia in the ECS.Results show that changes in DO concentrations in the Kuroshio modify the distribution and intensity of hypoxia through direct onshore transport by hydrodynamic processes.An increase in Kuroshio DO concentration by 25%or 50%would result in a decrease of the maximum hypoxia extent(MHE)in the ECS by 76%or 86%,respectively,while a 25%decrease in Kuroshio DO would increase the MHE by up to 219%.The contribution of DO in the Taiwan Strait is almost negligible.In contrast to Kuroshio DO,nutrients aff ect hypoxia in the ECS through onshore transport by hydrodynamic and biochemical processes.Changes in phosphate and nitrate concentrations by 25%in the Kuroshio would change the MHE by up to 30%and 18%,respectively,accompanied by apparent changes in surface chlorophyll-a concentrations.The eff ect of silicate on hypoxia is negligible because a 25%change in silicate concentrations in the Kuroshio would result in less than 1%change in the MHE.Our results reveal a hierarchical rank of importance for environmental variables in the Kuroshio(i.e.,DO>phosphate>nitrate>silicate)in modifying the development of hypoxia in the ECS.

Porewater-derived dissolved inorganic carbon and nutrient fluxes in a saltmarsh of the Changjiang River Estuary

Saltmarshes are one of the most productive ecosystems,which contribute significantly to coastal nutrient and carbon budgets.However,limited information is available on soil nutrient and carbon losses via porewater exchange in saltmarshes.Here,porewater exchange and associated fluxes of nutrients and dissolved inorganic carbon(DIC)in the largest saltmarsh wetland(Chongming Dongtan)in the Changjiang River Estuary were quantified.Porewater exchange rate was estimated to be(37±35)cm/d during December 2017 using a radon(^(222)Rn)mass balance model.The porewater exchange delivered 67 mmol/(m^(2)·d),38 mmol/(m^(2)·d)and 2690 mmol/(m^(2)·d)of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN),dissolved silicon(DSi)and DIC into the coastal waters,respectively.The dominant species of porewater DIN was NH_(4)^(+)(>99%of DIN).However,different with those in other ecosystems,the dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP)concentration in saltmarsh porewater was significantly lower than that in surface water,indicating that saltmarshes seem to be a DIP sink in Chongming Dongtan.The porewater-derived DIN,DSi and DIC accounted for 12%,5%and 18%of the riverine inputs,which are important components of coastal nutrient and carbon budgets.Furthermore,porewater-drived nutrients had obviously high N/P ratios(160–3995),indicating that the porewater exchange process may change the nutrient characteristics of the Changjiang River Estuary and further alter the coastal ecological environment.

Records of bulk organic matter and plant pigments in sediment of the ＂red-tide zone＂ adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary

Cultural eutrophication caused by nutrient over-enrichment in coastal waters will lead to a cascading set of ecosystem changes and deleterious ecological consequences,such as harmful algal blooms(HABs) and hypoxia.During the past two decades since the late 1990s,recurrent large-scale HABs(red tides)and an extensive hypoxic zone have been reported in the coastal waters adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary.To retrieve the history of eutrophication and its associated ecosystem changes,a sediment core was collected from the "red-tide zone" adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary.The core was dated using the^(210)Pb radioisotope and examined for multiple proxies,including organic carbon(OC),total nitrogen(TN),stable isotopes of C and N,and plant pigments.An apparent up-core increase of OC content was observed after the 1970s,accompanied by a rapid increase of TN.The concurrent enrichment of δ^(13)C and increase of the C/N ratio suggested the accumulation of organic matter derived from marine primary production during this stage.The accumulation of OC after the 1970 s well reflected the significant increase of primary production in the red-tide zone and probably the intensification of hypoxia as well.Plant pigments,including chlorophyll a,p-carotene,and diatoxanthin,showed similar patterns of variation to OC throughout the core,which further confirmed the important contribution of microalgae,particularly diatoms,to the deposited organic matter.Based on the variant profiles of the pigments representative of different microalgal groups,the potential changes of the phytoplankton community since the 1970s were discussed.

Spatiotemporal changes of biogenic elements in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent waters in summer over the last decade

The long-term spatiotemporal changes of surface biogenic elements in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent waters during the summer of 2008–2016 were analyzed in this study.The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN),soluble reactive phosphate(PO_(4)^(3−))and silicate(SiO_(3)^(2−))were generally stable,with a slight decrease of DIN and PO_(4)^(3−),and a slight increase of SiO_(3)^(2−),which mainly occurred in the estuarine waters.The grey correlation analysis was carried out between biogenic elements and chlorophyll a(Chl-a).Results showed that compared with the absolute values of biogenic elements,the correlations between the concentration ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus(N/P),ratio of silicon to nitrogen(Si/N)and Chl-a were closer,indicating the important influence on phytoplankton by the structure of biogenic elements.The study area was generally in a state of potential P limitation,and could have potential impact on the phytoplankton community,triggering the shift of red tide dominant species from diatoms to dinoflagellates.

Impact Factors on Distribution and Characteristics of Natural Plant Community in Reclamation Zones of Changjiang River Estuary

To identify impact factors on the distribution and characters of natural plants community in reclamation area, with survey data from 67 plant quadrats in July 2009, soil properties data from 216 sampling points in April 2009, and TM (30 m) data in 2006, the composition and characteristics of natural plants community in different time of the Fengxian area in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary were analyzed with two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The results show that: 1) The plant communities in the reclaimed area are mainly mesophytes and helophytic-mesophytic transitional communities, showing a gradient distribution trend with the change in reclamation years. Species richness (MA), species diversity (H) and above-ground biomass also increase with the increase of reclamation years. Nevertheless, they appear to decline slightly in the middle and late reclamation period (> 30 years). 2) With the rise in land use levels, the changes in species richness and species diversity tend to increase at first and then decrease; species dominance (D), however, tends to decline; and above-ground biomass increases slightly. 3) The distribution of the plant community is mainly influenced by the following factors: land use levels (R = 0.55, p < 0.05), soil moisture (R = 0.53, p < 0.05), soil salinity (R = 0.43, p < 0.05) and reclamation time (R = 0.40, p < 0.05).

On new species and records of Hydroidomedusae from the Changjiang River Estuary and its adjacent waters

Forty-nine species of Hydroidomedusae are identified. Two new species and new records are described.

Seasonal Changes in Phytoplankton Biomass and Dominant Species in the Changjiang River Estuary and Adjacent Seas:General Trends Based on Field Survey Data 1959-2009

The characteristics of seasonal variation in phytoplankton biomass and dominant species in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent seas were discussed based on field investigation data from 1959 to 2009. The field data from 1981 to 2004 showed that the Chlorophyll-a concentration in surface seawater was between 0.4 and 8.5 ktg dm-3. The seasonal changes generally presented a bimodal trend, with the biomass peaks occurring in May and August, and Chlorophyll-a concentration was the lowest in winter. Seasonal biomass changes were mainly controlled by temperature and nutrient levels. From the end of autumn to the next early spring, phytoplankton biomass was mainly influenced by temperature, and in other seasons, nutrient level （including the nutrient supply from the terrestrial runoffs） was the major influence factor. Field investigation data from 1959 to 2009 demonstrated that dia- toms were the main phytoplankton in this area, and Skeletonerna costatum, Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, Coscinodiscus oculus-iridis, Thalassinoema nitzschioides, Paralia sulcata, Chaetoceros lorenzianus, Chaetoceros curvisetus, and Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu were common dominant species. The seasonal variations in major dominant phytoplankton species presented the following trends： 1） Skeletonema （mainly S. costatum） was dominant throughout the year; and 2） seasonal succession trends were Coscinodiscus （spring） →Chaetoceros （summer and autumn） → Coscinodiscus （winter）. The annual dominance of S. costatum was attributed to its environmental eurytopicity and long standing time in surface waters. The seasonal succession of Coscinodiscus and Chaetoceros was associated with the seasonal variation in water stability and nutrient level in this area. On the other hand, long-term field data also indicated obvious interannual variation of phytoplankton biomass and community structure in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent seas： average annual phytoplankton biomass and dinoflagellate proportion both presented increased trends during the 1950s - 2000s.

Distributions of Picophytoplankton and Phytoplankton Pigments Along a Salinity Gradient in the Changjiang River Estuary, China

We investigated the abundance of different picophytoplankton groups and the phytoplankton pigment ratio in relation to environmental factors such as nutrients and suspended solids along a salinity gradient in the Changjiang River Estuary.The average numbers of Synechococcus spp.（Syn） and picoeukaryotes （Euk） were （2.7 ±5.1）×l03 and （1.1±1.4）×l03 cells mL-1,respectively.Prochlorococcus spp.（Pro） was only found in the high-salinity brackish water with the concentration of 3.0× 10^3 cells mL-1.Syn and Euk numbers both tended to increase offshore and Syn showed a larger variation in cell abundance than Euk.The contribution of picophytoplankton to total phytoplankton biomass increased with increasing salinity and decreasing nutrient concentrations from the estuary to the open ocean.The response of different picophytoplankton groups to environmental variables was different.Water temperature was more important in its control over Euk than over Syn,while nutrients were more important in their influence over Syn than over Euk.Phytoplankton pigment ratios were different in the three different ecological zones along the salinity gradient （i.e.,freshwater zone with 0-5 range,fresh and saline water mixing zone with 5-20 range,and high-salinity brackish water zone with 20-32 range）,where three different phytoplankton communities were discovered,suggesting that phytoplankton pigment ratios can be considered as a complementary indicator of phytoplankton community structure in the Changjiang River Estuary.