Infl uence of sequential tropical cyclones on phytoplankton blooms in the northwestern South China Sea

Upper ocean responses to the passage of sequential tropical cyclones over the northwestern South China Sea(SCS)in 2011 were investigated using satellite remote sensing data,Argo reanalysis data,and an array of mooring data.We found that the sea surface low temperature region lasted for more than 38 days and two phytoplankton blooms occurred after the passage of sequential tropical cyclones.The upper ocean cooling reached 2–5°C with a right-side bias was observed along the typhoon track to about 200 km.The maintenance of low temperature region and the two phytoplankton blooms were mainly driven by upwelling and near-inertial turbulence mixing induced by the sequential tropical cyclones.The fi rst phytoplankton bloom appeared on the 7 th day after the passage of the three tropical cyclones,and the chlorophyll-a(chl-a)concentration increased by 226%,which may be mainly driven by typhoons induced upwelling.The second phytoplankton bloom occurred on the 30 th day,the chl-a concentration increased by 290%.Further analysis suggested that only the typhoons with similar characteristics as Nesat and Nalgae can induce strong near-inertial oscillation(NIO).Strong turbulent mixing associated with the near-inertial baroclinic shear instability lasted for 26 days.The measured mean eddy diff usivity in the upper ocean was above 10-4 m 2/s after typhoon Nesat.Enhancement of the turbulent mixing in the upper ocean helped to transport nutrient-rich cold waters from the deep layer to the euphotic layer,and is a major mechanism for the long-term maintenance of low temperature region as well as the second phytoplankton bloom.

Latitudinal and interannual variations of the spring phytoplankton bloom peak in the East Asian marginal seas

Combined studies of latitudinal and interannual variations of annual phytoplankton bloom peak in East Asian marginal seas(17°–58°N, including the northern South China Sea(SCS), Kuroshio waters, the Sea of Japan and the Okhotsk Sea) are rarely. Based on satellite-retrieved ten-year(2003–2012) median timing of the annual Chlorophyll a concentration(Chl a) climax, here we report that this annual spring bloom peak generally delays from the SCS in January to the Okhotsk Sea in June at a rate of(21.20±2.86) km/d(decadal median±SD). Spring bloom is dominant feature of the phytoplankton annual cycle over these regions, except for the SCS which features winter bloom. The fluctuation of the annual peak timing is mainly within ±48 d departured from the decadal median peak date, therefore this period(the decadal median peak date ±48 d) is defined as annual spring bloom period. As sea surface temperature rises, earlier spring bloom peak timing but decreasing averaged Chl a biomass in the spring bloom period due to insufficient light is evident in the Okhotsk Sea from 2003 to 2012. For the rest of three study domains, there are no significant interannual variance trend of the peak timing and the averaged Chl a biomass. Furthermore this change of spring phytoplankton bloom timing and magnitude in the Okhotsk Sea challenges previous prediction that ocean warming would enhance algal productivity at high latitudes.

Growth characteristics of algae during early stages of phytoplankton bloom in Lake Taihu,China

Three treatments, sediment plus lake water （S＋W）, sterilized sediment plus lake water （SS＋W）, and sediment plus filtered lake water （S＋FW）, were recruited to investigate the growth characteristics of algae during pre-bloom and the importance of algal inocula in the water column and sediment. The results showed that in the water column, biomass of all algae increased in all treatments when recruitment was initiated, whereas this tendency differed among treatments with further increment of temperature. The process of algal growth consisted of two stages： Stage I, the onset of recruitment and Stage II, the subsequent growth of algae. Compared with S＋W, in Stage I, SS＋W significantly increased the biomass of cyanophytes by 178.70%, and decreased the biomass of non-cyanophytes by 43.40%; In Stage II, SS＋W notably stimulated the growth of all algae, thus incurring the occurrence of phytoplankton bloom. Further analyses revealed that both metabolic activity and photochemical activity of algae were enhanced in SS＋W, which resulted from the releasing of nutrients from sediment. These results suggest that algal growth in Stage II and algal inocula in the water column can be important factors for the formation of phytoplankton bloom. In addition, possible mechanisms promoting algal recruitment and subsequent growth of algae were explored.

The biogeochemical behavior of dissolved aluminum in the southern Yellow Sea:Influence of the spring phytoplankton bloom

Many recent studies have investigated the nutrient-type profiles of dissolved aluminum(Al) in the ocean.Significant scavenging of dissolved Al can occur during phytoplankton blooms,but the mechanism remains unclear.The distribution of dissolved Al in the southern Yellow Sea(SYS) was investigated in winter and spring 2009.Following measurements at grid stations during the spring sampling cruise,two drifting anchor surveys of more than 100 h were conducted to trace the variation of dissolved Al concentration during the spring phytoplankton bloom(SPB).The concentration of dissolved Al in the SYS decreased from 40 nmol/L in February to 30 nmol/L in March and 10-20 nmol/L in April,while the concentration of Chl a increased from < 2 μg/L in March to > 4 μg/L in April.The concentration of dissolved Al in the SYS decreased significantly with the development of the phytoplankton bloom,which indicated biological scavenging of dissolved Al from water column.The proportion of dissolved Al scavenged from water column by different phytoplankton species differed at the two drifting stations,with greater removal efficiency demonstrated by diatoms than dinoflagellates.Phytoplankton samples collected from the Chl a maximum layer were washed with trace metal clean reagent(oxalate-EDTA-citrate,abbreviate as oxalate solution,Tovar-Sanchez et al.,2003) to enable the surface-scavenged(extracellular) and intracellular Al pools associated with phytoplankton to be differentiated.Thirty-nine to ninetysix percent of the total Al was found to be existed in the interior pools,which indicated that biological absorption was the important way to scavenge dissolved Al during phytoplankton blooms in the SYS.

Characteristics of Phytoplankton Community Structure During and After a Bloom of the Dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea by HPLC Pigment Analysis

A bloom of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea was detected for the first time in inner Tolo Harbor,Hong Kong in 2 000. Water samples were collected at eight stations along a transect passing through a red tide patch for microscopic analysis of phytoplankton composition and high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) analysis of phytoplankton pigments. During the bloom,the density of dinoflagellates was 1.1×106 cells L-1 within the patch and 8.6×105 cells L-1 outside the patch where the phytoplankton community was dominated by diatoms. After the bloom the S. trochoidea began to decrease in density and was replaced by diatoms as the dominating bloom-causing organisms at all stations,and the density of dinoflagellates at most stations was less than 1.0 × 106 cells L-1. The status of S. trochoidea as the causative species of the bloom was indicated by the presence of peridinin,the marker pigment for dinoflagellates. The shift from dinoflagellates to diatoms was marked by the decline of peridinin and the prevalence of fucoxanthin. Phytoplankton pigment markers also revealed the presence of other minor phytoplankton assemblages such as cryptomonads and blue-green algal.

Community Structures of Phytoplankton with Emphasis on Toxic Cyanobacteria in an Ohio Inland Lake during Bloom Season

The community structures of phytoplankton are important factors and indicators of lake water quality. Harmful algal blooms severely impact water supply, recreational activities and wildlife habitat. This study aimed to examine the phytoplankton composition and variations using microscopy, and identify harmful Cyanobacteria in weekly samples taken from four sites at Harsha Lake in southwest Ohio. Over the course of the summer in 2015, the phytoplankton of Harsha Lake consisted mainly of 13 taxa belonging to Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Cryptophyta, Cyanobacteria, Dinophyta and Euglenophyta. Their significant successions started with Bacillariophyta and/or Chlorophyta, then bloomed with Cyanobacteria and ended with Chlorophyta and/or Dinophyta. Cyanobacteria members: Microcystis, Planktothrix, Dolichospermum, Aphanizomenon, Cylindrospermopsis, and Oscillatoria from the Cyanophyceae were identified to be dominant genera. These organisms varied spatially and temporally in similar patterns along with the variations of nutrients and formed the summer bloom with the total biomasses ranging from 0.01 to 114.89 mg L-1 with mean of 22.88 mg L-1. M. aeruginosa and P. rubescens were revealed as the microcystin producers, while A. circinalis and Aphanizomenon sp. were identified as a saxitoxin producer through cloning and sequencing PCR products of mcyA, mcyE and sxtA genes. The biomasses of phytoplankton, Cyanobacteria and Microcystis were positively correlated to nutrients, especially to total nitrogen. The total ELISA measurement for microcystin positively correlated with Cyanobacteria (R2 = 0.66, P Microcystis (R2 = 0.64, P 2 = 0.59, P < 0.0001). The basic information on the occurrence and biomasses of Cyanobacteria and total phytoplankton, and the analysis for toxic species, which were the first report for the inland water in Ohio, USA, will document the succession patterns of phytoplankton and toxin production over a season and provide data to predict risk occurrence to both human and ecological factors.

Bloom Forming Species of Phytoplankton in Two Coastal Waters in the Southeast Coast of India

The results of an investigation carried out during June 2005 to May 2007 on bloom-forming phytoplankton species composition and abundance in the Parangipettai and Coleroon coastal waters(Southeast coast of India) are reported.Air and surface water temperatures(℃) varied from 25.1 to 30.1 and 24.5 to 28.5,respectively,in the former waters and from 25.5 to 31.2 and 25.0 to 29.3 in the latter waters.The respective salinities varied from 6.0 to 28.5 and 5.0 to 33.1 and the respective pH ranged between 7.0 and 8.3 and 7.2 and 8.3.Correspondingly,the dissolved oxygen content varied from 3.1 to 7.5 and 3.1 to 7.9 mgL-1 while the light extinction coefficient(LEC) values ranged between 3.1 and 10.1 and 1.8 and 11.0.The content ranges of inorganic nutrients,i.e.,nitrate,nitrite,phosphate and silicate(μmolL-1),in the Parangipettai and Coleroon coastal waters were:6.5-27.0;1.0-8.9;0.1-3.0 and 15.0-140 and 10.1-23.4;1.2-8.9;0.2-3.1 and 55-125 respectively.The chlorophyll a contents in both waters ranged from 2.0-7.5 μgL-1.Presently,124 phytoplankton species representing different classes were recorded in the Coleroon coast,viz,Bacillariophyceae(77);Dinophyceae(19);Cyanophyceae(15);Chlorophyceae(10) and Chrysophyceae(3),whereas 117 phytoplankton species were recorded in the Parangipettai coast,viz,Bacillariophyceae(66);Dinophyceae(22);Cyanophyceae(19);Chlorophyceae(7) and Chrysophyceae(3).The phytoplankton cell abundance in the Parangipettai and Coleroon coastal waters varied from 290 to 111662 and 140 to 132 757 cells L-1,respectively,with peak diversity(3.38 and 3.52 bits ind-1.) recorded in summer.The maximum abundance occurred in summer coinciding with the stable hydrographical conditions.The seasonal distribution and abundance of phytoplankton are discussed in relation to hydrographical parameters.Totally 31 and 24 species of phytoplankton were found to be bloom-forming in the Parangipettai and Coleroon coastal waters,respectively.Presently Trichodesmium bloom was also observed,which appeared at the 10 fathom level of the coastal water and quickly spread to the marine zone of the Vellar estuary and near the mouth region of the mangrove waters.The Parangipettai and Coleroon coastal waters are subject to long term fluctuations in physico-chemical conditions depending upon the seasonal tidal range and freshwater influx,resulting in a continuous exchange of organic,inorganic,plant and animal matters.

Relationship between bacteria and phytoplankton during the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai bloom in an oligotrophic temperate marine ecosystem

Bacterial abundance, phytoplankton community structure and environmental parameters were investigated to study the relationships between bacteria and phytoplankton during giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai blooms in the central Yellow Sea during 2013. N. nomurai appeared in June, increased in August, reached a peak and began to degrade in September 2013. Results showed that phosphate was possible a key nutrient for both phytoplankton and bacteria in June, but it changed to nitrate in August and September. Phytoplankton composition significantly changed that pico-phytoplankton relative biomass significantly increased, whereas other size phytoplankton significantly decreased during jellyfish bloom. In June, a significantly positive correlation was observed between chlorophyll a concentration and bacterial abundance（r=0.67, P0.001, n=34）.During jellyfish outbreak in August, there was no significant correlation between phytoplankton and bacteria（r=0.11, P0.05, n=25）, but the relationship（r=0.71, P0.001, n=31） was rebuilt with jellyfish degradation in September. In August, small size phytoplankton occupied the mixed layer in offshore stations, while bacteria almost distributed evenly in vertical. Chlorophyll a concentration significantly increased from（0.42±0.056） μg/L in June to（0.74±0.174） μg/L in August, while bacterial abundance just slightly increased. Additionally, the negative net community production indicated that community respiration was not entirely determined by the local primary productivity in August. These results indicated that jellyfish blooms potentially affect coupling of phytoplankton and bacteria in marine ecosystems.

Specific oceanographic characteristics and phytoplankton responses influencing the primary production around the Ulleung Basin area in spring

The East Sea(Sea of Japan)is a marginal,semi-closed sea in the northwestern Pacific.The Ulleung Basin area,which is located near the subpolar front of the East Sea,is known to have high primary production and good fisheries in spring season.After episodic wind-driven events during the spring of 2017,horizontal and vertical profiles of physical chemical biological factors were investigated at 29 stations located in the Ulleung Basin area.In addition,growth responses of phytoplankton communities to nutrient additions were evaluated by bioassay experiments to understand the fluctuation of phytoplankton biomass.Because of strong northwestern wind,phytoplankton biomass was scattered and upwelling phenomenon might be suppressed in this season.The phytoplankton abundances in the coastal stations were significantly higher than offshore and island stations.In contrast,the nutrient and chlorophyll a(Chl a)concentrations and the phytoplankton biomass were quite low in all locations.Bacillariophyceae was dominated group(>75.1%for coastal,40.0%for offshore and 43.6%for island stations).In the algal bioassays,the phytoplankton production was stimulated by N availability.The in vivo Chl a values in the+N and+NP treatments were significantly higher than the values in the control and the+P treatments.Based on the field survey,the higher nutrients in coastal waters affected the growth of diatom assemblages,however,little prosperity of phytoplankton was observed in the offshore waters despite the injection of sufficient nutrients in bioassay experiments.The growth of phytoplankton depended on the initial cell density.All of results indicated that a dominant northwestern wind led to a limited nutrients condition at euphotic layers,and the low level of biomass supply from the coasts resulted in low primary production.Both supplying nutrients and introducing phytoplankton through the currents are critical to maintain the high productivity in the Ulleung Basin area of the East Sea.

Stocks and dynamics of particulate and dissolved organic matter in a large, shallow eutrophic lake(Taihu, China) with dense cyanobacterial blooms

Cyanobacterial blooms occur in eutrophic lakes worldwide, and greatly impair these ecosystems. To explore influences of cyanobacterial blooms on dynamics of both particulate organic matter(POM) and dissolved organic matter(DOM), which are at the base of the food chain, an investigation was conducted from December 2014 to November 2015 that included various stages of the seasonal cyanobacterial blooms(dominated by M icrocystis) in a large-shallow eutrophic Chinese lake(Taihu Lake). Data from eight sites of the lake are compiled into a representative seasonal cycle to assess general patterns of POM and DOM dynamics. Compared to December, 5-fold and 3.5-fold increases were observed in July for particulate organic carbon(POC, 3.05–15.37 mg/L) and dissolved organic carbon(DOC, 5.48–19.25 mg/L), respectively, with chlorophyll a(Chl a) concentrations varying from 8.2 to 97.7 μg/L. Approximately 40% to 76% of total organic carbon was partitioned into DOC. All C, N, and P in POM and DOC were significantly correlated with Chl a. POC:Chl a ratios were low, whereas proportions of the estimated phytoplankton-derived organic matter in total POM were high during bloom seasons. These results suggested that contributions of cyanobacterial blooms to POM and DOC varied seasonally. Seasonal average C:P ratios in POM and DOM varied from 79 to 187 and 299 to 2 175, respectively. Both peaked in July and then sharply decreased. Redundancy analysis revealed that Chl a explained most of the variations of C:N:P ratios in POM, whereas temperature was the most explanatory factor for DOM. These findings suggest that dense cyanobacterial blooms caused both C-rich POM and DOM, thereby providing clues for understanding their influence on ecosystems.

The response of spring phytoplankton assemblage to diluted water and upwelling in the eutrophic Changjiang(Yangtze River) Estuary

A comprehensive study on the phytoplankton standing stocks, species composition and dominant species in the eutrophic Changjiang（Yangtze River） Estuary（CE） was conducted to reveal the response of phytoplankton assemblage to Changjiang Diluted Water（CDW） and upwelling in the spring. Phytoplankton presented peak standing stocks（13.03 μg/L of chlorophyll a, 984.5×103 cells/L of phytoplankton abundance） along the surface isohaline of 25. Sixty-six species in 41 genera of Bacillariophyta and 33 species in 19 genera of Pyrrophyta were identified, as well as 5 species in Chlorophyta and Chrysophyta. Karenia mikimotoi was the most dominant species, followed by Prorocentrum dentatum, Paralia sulcata, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima and Skeletonema costatum. A bloom of K. mikimotoi was observed in the stratified stations, where the water was characterized by low nitrate, low phosphate, low turbidity, and specific ranges of temperature（18–22 °C） and salinity（27–32）. K.mikimotoi and P. dentatum accumulated densely in the upper layers along the isohaline of 25. S. costatum was distributed in the west of the isohaline of 20. Benthonic P. sulcata presented high abundance near the bottom,while spread upward at upwelling stations. CDW resulted in overt gradients of salinity, turbidity and nutritional condition, determining the spatial distribution of phytoplankton species. The restricted upwelling resulted in the upward transport of P. sulcata and exclusion of S. costatum, K. mikimotoi and P. dentatum. The results suggested that CDW and upwelling were of importance in regulating the structure and distribution of phytoplankton assemblage in the CE and the East China Sea.

Silica supply and diatom blooms in the Jiaozhou Bay, China

The variations in nutrients（molar ratios） and chlorophyll a in the Jiaozhou Bay were examined before and after a diatom bloom in a period that lasted from November 2003 to March 2004. Negative relationships between nutrient concentrations, Si/P, Si/N ratios and chlorophyll a content were found during the bloom, which reflected the relationship between nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton biomass and growth. Large increase in nutrient concentrations, particularly SiO_3-Si after the late autumn, is one of major reasons inducing the diatom bloom in winter, and the bloom was finally controlled due to SiO_3-Si depletion by phytoplankton. The bloom was mainly controlled by SiO_3-Si. Before 1998, relatively low level of SiO_3-Si kept ecological balance of eutrophication waters in the Jiaozhou Bay. In recent years, however, human activities have increased SiO_3-Si concentration, which is likely one of the primary cause for the increased diatom blooms in the Jiaozhou Bay. Therefore, it is necessary to control SiO_3-Si concentration in the Jiaozhou Bay.

Distribution and controlling factors of phytoplankton assemblages associated with mariculture in an eutrophic enclosed bay in the East China Sea

The distribution of phytoplankton and its correlation with environmental factors were studied monthly during August 2012 to July 2013 in the Yantian Bay. A total of 147 taxa of phytoplankton were identified, and the average abundance was in the range of 0.57×10~4 to 7.73×10~4 cell/L. A total of 19 species dominated the phytoplankton assemblages, and several species that are widely reported to be responsible for microalgae blooms were the absolutely dominant species, such as Skeletonema costatum, Navicula sp., Thalassionema nitzschioides,Pleurosigma sp., and Licmophora abbreviata. The monthly variabilities in phytoplankton abundance could be explained by water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN）, and suspended solids. The results of a redundancy analysis showed that p H and nutrients, including DIN and silicate（SiO_4）, were the most important environmental factors controlling phytoplankton assemblages in specific months. It was found that nutrients and pH levels that were mainly influenced by mariculture played a vital role in influencing the variation of phytoplankton assemblages in the Yantian Bay. Thus, a reduction of mariculture activities would be an effective way to control microalgae blooms in an enclosed and intensively eutrophic bay.

River Flow Control on the Phytoplankton Dynamics of Chesapeake Bay

Recent observations support an emerging paradigm that climate variability dominates nutrient enrichment in costal eco-systems, which can explain seasonal and inter-annual variability of phytoplankton community composition, biomass (Chl-a), and primary production (PP). In this paper, we combined observation and modeling to investigate the regulation of phytoplankton dynamics in Chesapeake Bay. The year we chose is 1996 that has high river runoff and is usually called a 'wet year'. A 3-D physical-biogeochemical model based on ROMS was developed to simulate the seasonal cycle and the regional distributions of phytoplankton biomass and primary production in Chesapeake Bay. Based on the model results, NO3 presents a strong contrast to the river nitrate load during spring and the highest concentration in the bay reaches around 80 mmol Nm-3 . Compared with the normal year, phytoplankton bloom in spring of 1996 appears in lower latitudes with a higher concentration. Quantitative comparison between the modeled and observed seasonal averaged dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations shows that the model produces reliable results. The correlation coefficient r2 for all quantities exceeds 0.95, and the skill parameter for the four seasons is all above 0.95.

A re-investigation of the bloom-forming unarmored dinoflagellate Karenia longicanalis(syn.Karenia umbella)from Chinese coastal waters

The dinoflagellate genus K arenia is known for recurrent harmful blooms worldwide. However, species diversity of the genus is generally overlooked owing to the difficulty of identifying small unarmored dinoflagellates. We have established four clonal cultures of K arenia longicanalis isolated from the type locality, Hong Kong harbor(strain HK01) and other three locations along the Chinese coasts(strains YB01, DT01, and NJ01). The morphology of the strain was studied by light and scanning electron microscopy(LM and SEM) and the pigment composition analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. We provide the first molecular data of K. longicanalis based on the large subunit(LSU) rRNA gene sequence and internal transcribed spacer(ITS). The four strains showed identical LSU rDNA sequences with a similarity of 99.4% to the holotype of K arenia umbella(strain KUTN05) from Australia. In the ITS phylogeny, the sequence of K. umbella branched between the Chinese strains of K. longicanalis. A careful comparison of the morphology of K. longicanalis and K. umbella reveals the similarity in the diagnostic characters. Diff erences may appear due to the sample treatment for SEM. We conclude that K. umbella is a junior synonym of K. longicanalis.

Does reduced sediment load contribute to increased outbreaks of harmful algal blooms off the Changjiang Estuary?

Harmful algal blooms（HABs） have been increasingly frequent in coastal waters around the world over the last several decades. Accelerated coastal eutrophication, resulting from the increased anthropogenic loadings of nutrients, is commonly assumed to be the primary cause of this increase. However, although important,accelerated coastal eutrophication may not be the only explanation for the increasing blooms or toxic outbreaks in estuarine waters. Changes in riverine material fluxes other than nutrients, such as sediment load, may significantly affect biological activities and HAB incidence in estuarine and coastal waters. A case study off the Changjiang（Yangtze River） Estuary indicated that with the increasing riverine loadings of nutrients, the sediment load from the Changjiang River has been reduced by 70% over the past four decades. A comparison of long-term data revealed that the phytoplankton biomass maximum has expanded to a region of much lower salinity due to the drastic reduction in riverine sediment load and the subsequent improvement in light penetration in the Changjiang River plume. Furthermore, there was an apparent mirror-image relationship between the sediment load from the Changjiang River and the HAB incidence off the Changjiang Estuary over the past four decades, and the number of HAB incidents was significantly negatively correlated with the sediment load. Therefore, it is argued that the drastic decline in sediment load from the Changjiang River reduced turbidity in the Changjiang Estuary and thus contributed to the increased frequency of HABs in the buoyant discharge plumes.

Spatio-temporal variability of phytoplankton assemblages and its controlling factors in spring and summer in the Subei Shoal of Yellow Sea, China

The Subei Shoal is a special coastal area with complex physical oceanographic properties in the Yellow Sea.In the present study,the distribution of phytoplankton and its correlation with environmental factors were studied during spring and summer of 2012 in the Subei Shoal of the Yellow Sea.Phytoplankton species composition and abundance data were accomplished by Utermohl method.Diatoms represented the greatest cellular abundance during the study period.In spring,the phytoplankton cell abundance ranged from 1.59×10^3 to 269.78×10^3 cell/L with an average of 41.80×10^3 cell/L,and Skeletonema sp.and Paralia sulcata was the most dominant species.In summer,the average phytoplankton cell abundance was 72.59×10^3 cell/L with the range of 1.78×10^3 to 574.96×10^3 cell/L,and the main dominant species was Pseudo-nitzschia pungens,Skeletonema sp.,Dactyliosolen fragilissima and Chaetoceros curvisetus.The results of a redundancy analysis(RDA)showed that turbidity,temperature,salinity,pH,dissolved oxygen(DO),the ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen to silicate and SiO4-Si(DIN/SiO4-Si)were the most important environmental factors controlling phytoplankton assemblages in spring or summer in the Subei Shoal of the Yellow Sea.

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China VI: The ecological variation process of the phytoplankton

The combination effect of light, water temperature and nutrients on phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay is studied in this paper. The order of importance of the influence on phytoplankton growth is de- termined as nutrients, water temperature, and light. The influence of these factors unveiled the mechanism of the influence, and revealed the variation process of the nutrients limiting phytoplankton primary production, and of the water temperature influencing the phytoplankton reproduction capacity, and hence influencing the structure of phytoplankton assemblage. Temporal and spatial quantification shows different stages of the influence by wa- ter temperature and nutrients on the phytoplankton growth. Moreover, the authors expatiated the ideal state of the phytoplankton growth and the reason of red tide occurrence. People should consider in their activity the input of nutrient Si first, and then the variation of water temperature, advocating sustainable development manner.

A COMPARISON OF EASTERN AND WESTERN HONG KONG PHYTOPLANKTON FROM WEEKLY SAMPLES (1997-1999)

Weekly phytoplankton samples were taken from western Hong Kong (Lamma) from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1999 and from Port Shelter in Eastern Hong Kong from January 1998 to December 1999. During that time diatom blooms occurred repeatedly at both sites but never in synchrony. One species would bloom at one site and then weeks later it or another species would bloom at the other site; while the 1998 red tide of the mucus producing dinoflagellate Gymnodinium mikimotoi occurred at both sites. It first occurred at the Port Shelter site in March and did not appear at the Lamma site until April. With the single exception of this species, no other dinoflagellate reached bloom concentrations at the Lamma site. In addition, dinoflagellate abundance at the Lamma site was significantly lower (P <0.05) than that at the Port Shelter site. This was correlated with a significantly higher turbidity (i.e. low Secchi transparency) and higher turbulence (stronger currents) at the Lamma site. Annual variation in surface temperature correlated with total surface phytoplankton abundance at both our sample sites. Phytoplankton abundance increased in spring as water temperatures warmed. In fall, as surface water temperatures began to decline and the monsoon rains became less frequent there was a reduction in phytoplankton abundance associated with the reduction in temperature and light. Because so many variables co-occur with temperature (e.g. the amount of rainfall, light intensity and light duration etc.) it is not possible to cite temperature as the causal factor associated weth controlling phytoplankton abundance at our two sample sites. Our data support the rather controversial notion that percentage-wise, there are relatively more harmful bloom forming species in nutrient-rich coastal waters than there are in the world’s oceans. 16% of the dinoflagellate species and 10.3% of the diatom species observed at our two sample sites were classed as harmful. These percentages were higher than those cited by Sournia (1995) for the worlds oceans (9.6% and 6.8% respectively). This raises the possibility that there are relatively more toxic species in the nutrient-rich coastal waters of the world than there are in the mid ocean nutrient-poor areas of the world. Some reasons for this are briefly discussed.

Assessment of the consecutive harmful dinoflagellate blooms during 2015 in the Izmit Bay(the Marmara Sea)

A series of red tides were observed during 2015 in the Izmit Bay（the Marmara Sea） which is located in the most industrialized and populated region of Turkey. Six samplings were carried out in this area following the red tides.Nitrite-N, nitrate-N, ammonia, silica and orthophosphate concentrations were analyzed spectrophotometrically.Physicochemical conditions were measured by CTD probe. Plankton quantification was performed using counting chambers under microscopes. Prorocentrum micans was the most abundant species, except on May 14,2015, when Noctiluca scintillans was dominant. The abundance of P. micans reached average 18×10~6 ind./L on May 3, 2015 in the Karamürsel station, simultaneously with elevated levels of NH_3 and o-PO_4^（3–）. The sample was also abundant in dead amphipods（（72±12） ind./L） that had been covered by mucilage aggregates produced by P.micans. The highest biomass（calculated by carbon） was recorded as（268±26.0） mg/L on May 14 in the Hereke station. Beside the anthropogenic wastewater discharges, unknown sources and resuspensions caused increases in nutrient levels. After long term northeaster gusts（35 km/h for 5 d） an upwelling occurred on November 6, 2015 after wind-induced sediment resuspension. Although nutrient discharges remarkably decreased over 30 years through established wastewater treatment plants, harmful phytoplankton blooms still occur. Comparing the present results with other studies in nearby Mediterranean seas reveals that the most intense harmful dinoflagellate bloom in recent years occurred in the Izmit Bay. Therefore, additional protection measures necessary for a cleaner Izmit Bay. These incidents also demonstrate that contaminants, accumulated in sediment,may have long-lasting effects on enclosed marine ecosystems.