Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2018, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (3): 55-64.doi: 10.11978/2017083CSTR: 32234.14.2017083

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of thermal discharge and nutrients input on size structure of phytoplankton in Daya Bay

Fuwu XIE1,2(), Huaxue LIU1(), Honghui HUANG1, Xingyu SONG3()   

  1. 1. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecological Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
    2. National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2017-07-25 Revised:2017-09-26 Online:2018-06-10 Published:2018-05-03
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0502805);National Basic Research Program (2015CB452904);General Programs of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41276161)

Abstract:

Marine ecological effects induced by thermal discharge of nuclear plants in Daya Bay are attracting increasingly attention. Based on in situ data and laboratory experiments, distribution characteristics of phytoplankton size structure within the thermal-discharge-affected area and their responses to warming and nutrients input were explored. The results indicated that phytoplankton growth could be promoted by moderate warming but inhibited in extremely high temperature (36ºC). Chl-a concentrations near the outfall of thermal discharges were obviously low in both summer and winter. There were seasonal discrepancies between two important environmental factors, i.e., warming and nutrient enrichment, on their contributions to phytoplankton growth based on simulation results. Nutrients inputs showed more obvious impacts on phytoplankton than temperature in summer, and vice versa in winter. The increasing proportion of small-size phytoplankton (< 20μm) might be induced by warming and/or nutrient enrichment in Daya Bay, which confirmed the miniaturization trend within the plankton community and indicated its potential impacts on energy flow and material cycle, ecosystem stability, and production of marine fisheries in the bay.

Key words: phytoplankton, size structure, thermal discharge, nutrients, Daya Bay