Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2023, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (3): 136-148.doi: 10.11978/2022137CSTR: 32234.14.2022137

• Marine Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Distribution characteristics and influencing factors of meso- and micro-zooplankton communities in the offshore waters of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area*

SONG Xingyu1,2,3(), LIN Yajun1,4, ZHANG Liangkui1,4, XIANG Chenhui1,2, HUANG Yadong3,5, ZHENG Chuanyang3,5   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology (LMB), South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
    2. Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
    3. Nansha Marine Ecological and Environmental Research Station, Guangzhou 510301, China
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    5. Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, CAS, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2022-06-17 Revised:2022-07-19 Online:2023-05-10 Published:2022-07-26
  • Supported by:
    National Nature Science Foundation(41890853); Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)(GML2019ZD0404); National Science and Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Program of China(2018FY10010005); Key Project of Chinese National Programs for Fundamental Research and Development(2015CB452904); National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFC0506302); National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFC0502805); Self-deployed project of Southern Marin Institute of Eco-Environmental Engineering Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences(NO.ISEE2018ZD02)

Abstract:

In order to clarify the influence of hydrological dynamics and environmental changes caused by human activities on the zooplankton community structure in the coastal waters of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, zooplankton samples were collected in 3 transections (in the Pearl River Estuary, Daya Bay and Huangmao Sea) in July 2019 (summer) and December 2020 (winter). The characteristics of meso- and micro-zooplankton community were analyzed, and the influencing factors of their seasonal and regional differences were discussed. A total of 211 zooplankton species (including larvae) were identified in the study area, among which copepods accounted for 42.18%. The diversity and abundance of zooplankton showed obvious seasonal and regional differences. The number of species and average abundance of zooplankton were higher in summer than that in winter, and the species diversity in offshore waters was higher than that in nearshore waters. The high values of zooplankton abundance were located in the interface of saline- and plume- waters of the Pearl River Estuary in both seasons. In summer, the average abundance in estuarine waters was obviously higher than that in the Daya Bay, while in winter there was no such difference in the nearshore waters. The results of cluster analysis showed that the zooplankton community could be divided into three groups, i.e. the estuarine group, the bay group and the far-shore group in summer. The estuarine waters was greatly affected by runoff, and the community structure was significantly different from that of the Daya Bay. However, there was no significant difference in community structure between the estuarine and the bay in winter. Parvocalanus crassirostris and Oithona brevicornis were dominant species in both seasons, Bestiolina amoyensis, Acartiella sinensis and Oithona simplex were also dominant in the wet season, while Paracalanus parvus was also dominant in the dry season. Pearson correlation analysis and RDA analysis results showed that there were interspecific and seasonal differences in the correlations between the abundance of different species and temperature, salinity, phytoplankton biomass and nutrients, suggesting that the complex water environment in the Greater Bay Area had a potential influence on the differentiation of meso- and micro-zooplankton community structure.

Key words: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Pearl River Estuary, Daya Bay, Huangmao Sea, meso- and micro-zooplankton, community structure