Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2021, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (5): 53-62.doi: 10.11978/2020125CSTR: 32234.14.2020125

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Estimating the spatial distribution of heterotrophic bacteria abundance in the Northern South China Sea using remote sensing*

WANG Jian1,2,3(), CHEN Chuqun1,2,3(), ZHOU Weihua4, LI Xiangfu1, WU Jie1, YE Haibin1, TANG Shilin1,3   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Guangzhou 510301, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. Guangdong Key Laboratory of Ocean Remote Sensing (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Guangzhou 510301, China
    4. Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2020-10-30 Revised:2020-12-21 Online:2021-09-10 Published:2020-12-24
  • Contact: CHEN Chuqun E-mail:18810916182@163.com;cqchen@scsio.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Projects(2018YFC1406604);National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1901215);Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong, Laboratory(Guangzhou)(GML2019ZD0305);Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China(2017B0202017002)

Abstract:

Heterotrophic bacteria play an important role in using organic matter, and their abundance indicates eutrophication of water. The conventional methods of monitoring heterotrophic bacteria abundance are highly accurate but time-consuming and laborious; measurements are discrete. Satellite remote sensing technology, characterized by low-cost, large-area synchronization, and long-term repeated observations, is complement with conventional methods. In this study, we use the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria observed during 10 cruises in the northern South China Sea and satellite remote sensing reflectance data to develop an algorithm to estimate heterotrophic bacteria abundance using statistical regression methods. The coefficient of determination of this model is 0.81, the root-mean-square error is 2.44×108 cells·L-1, and the average relative error is 21%. The established model is used for retrieving the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria on the surface of the northern South China Sea. The abundance of heterotrophic bacteria gradually decrease from the Pearl River Estuary to the open sea. The average abundance of heterotrophic bacteria in the estuary area reaches the highest in summer and the lowest in spring. The average bacterial abundance in the coastal waters near the Pearl River Estuary is higher on the west side than on the east side. Bacterial abundance in the shelf area is the highest in winter and lowest in summer; bacterial abundance in the open sea has little variation from season to season.

Key words: heterotrophic bacteria, ocean color remote sensing, spatial distribution, Northern South China Sea

CLC Number: 

  • P735.13