Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2019, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 21-28.doi: 10.11978/2018135CSTR: 32234.14.2018135

Special Issue: 南海专题

• Marine Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatial-temporal variation of sea surface chlorophyll around islands and reefs in the South China Sea

CHEN Wuyang, LI Junmin(), HE Qingyou, TANG Shilin, SHI Ping   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2018-12-10 Revised:2019-05-07 Online:2019-11-20 Published:2019-11-26
  • Contact: Junmin LI E-mail:jli@scsio.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA13030304);National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFC1405402);Key Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KGZDEW60902);Innovation Group Program of State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology)(LTOZZ1701)

Abstract:

There are many islands and reefs associated with abundant fishery resources in the South China Sea (SCS). Ecological variables such as chlorophyll in these regions were seldom studied. In this paper, merged ocean color data in recent ~20 years are used to analyze the spatial, seasonal and interannual variations of sea surface chlorophyll concentration (CHL) around 38 islands and reefs in the SCS. The results show that CHL is relatively high around these islands and reefs, which is generally reduced to the background level at five equivalent radii from the island center. The CHL anomaly (relative to the background CHL) is consistent with background CHL in terms of spatial distribution. They are relatively high in Xisha and Dongsha regions, and relatively low in Zhongsha and Nansha regions, mainly due to differences in temperatures and monsoon intensities. The CHL has significant seasonal and interannual variations. It rises during the winter monsoon and falls to a minimum before the summer monsoon onset. It declines in the following years of El Ni?o, when the SST increases and the monsoon weaken; and the opposite happens in the following years of La Ni?a. Moreover, the CHL anomaly increases in spring and autumn seasons when the coral reef community is growing vigorously in Xisha and Dongsha regions. It decreased significantly (P=5.05×10 -5) during the last 20 years, probably due to the increases in sea surface temperature and its amplitude. These findings provide useful information for the development and management of fishery resources in the SCS.

Key words: islands and reefs, chlorophyll, South China Sea, monsoons, sea surface temperature