Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2012, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (4): 96-103.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2012.04.013cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2012.04.013

• Marine geomorphology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Phytoplankton biomarkers in surface seawater from the northern South China Sea in summer 2009 and their potential as indicators of biomass/community structure

LI Yu-hong1,2, ZHAO Mei-xun1,2, ZHANG Hai-long1,2, XING Lei1,2, YANG Hong-mei1,2, DAI Min-han3, WANG Lei3   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China;  
    2. Institute of Marine Organic Geochemistry, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; 
    3. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
  • Received:2010-11-11 Revised:2011-02-20 Online:2012-10-22 Published:2012-10-24

Abstract:

Biomarkers have been widely used to reconstruct phytoplankton productivity based on the assumption that biomarker contents could reflect phytoplankton productivity in the surface seawater. However, this hypothesis has not been validated with modern survey. In this study, the contents and ratios of three phytoplankton biomarkers in the surface seawater of the northern South China Sea in winter 2009 were analyzed, to indicate spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass and community structure. The results show high values for diatoms, dinoflagellates and coccolithophorids near the Pearl River Estuary and Guangdong coastal areas. The community structure indicates diatoms are the dominant phytoplankton species in winter. High values of dinoflagellate/diatom ratio occur near the slope area owing to intrusion of the Kuroshio, which favors the growth of dinoflagellates. The coccolithophorid/diatom ratio displays an increasing trend from the Pearl River Estuary to offshore region due to the advantage of coccolithophorids in oligotrophic environment, which is opposite to the productivity pattern of all biomarkers. These results are consistent with previous studies using phytoplankton cell and pigments, which provides support for the use of biomarker to reconstruct phytoplankton productivity and community structure in the SCS.

Key words: northern South China Sea, phytoplankton, biomarker, biomass, community structure

CLC Number: 

  • Q178.53