Comparisons of surface Chl a and primary productivity along three transects of the southern South China Sea, northern Java Sea and eastern Indian Ocean in April 2011*

doi:10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2014.06.008

Abstract

Abstract: Results are presented about the changes in chlorophyll a density, carbon fixation and nutrient levels in the surface waters of three transects of the southern South China Sea (SCS), northern Java Sea (JS) and eastern Indian Ocean (IO) during April 5~16 of 2011. The in situ Chl a concentration and carbon fixation showed decreasing trends from high to low latitude along the three transects, while the photosynthetic rate of phytoplankton estimated from ¹⁴C incorporation displayed no simple variation with latitude. Chl a concentration and carbon fixation in the IO water was lower than that in the JS water. Higher salinity and lower contents of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and silicate (SiO₃^2-) characterized the IO water as compared to the SCS or JS water, and the PO₄^3- content was lower in the IO water than in the SCS or JS water in most cases. Our results also indicate the importance of DIN and SiO₃^2- concentrations for the geographical changes in phytoplankton biomass and primary productivity among the three regions.

Key words: carbon fixation, phytoplankton, southern South China Sea, northern Java Sea, eastern Indian Ocean

YI Rong, KE Zhi-xin, SONG Xing-yu, SHEN Ping-ping, WANG Sheng-fu, FAN Yan-zhi, HUANG Liang-min, TAN Ye-hui, LI Gang. Comparisons of surface Chl a and primary productivity along three transects of the southern South China Sea, northern Java Sea and eastern Indian Ocean in April 2011*[J].Journal of Tropical Oceanography, 2014, 33(6): 61-67.

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