Long-term change of the marine environment and plankton in the Xiamen Sea under the influence of climate change and human sewage

ABSTRACT

Long-term observations of the Xiamen Sea in Fujian Province were used to analyze variations in sea temperature, salinity, inorganic nitrogen (N), activated phosphate (P), and phytoplankton, as well as the features of red tides. Results showed that in recent decades, sea temperature and concentrations of N and P nutrients increased while salinity decreased attributed to climate warming, rainfall, and human sewage. In addition, reduction in the number of phytoplankton species and rising abundance of phytoplankton indicated that the structure of phytoplankton community presented a simplified and minimized trend which magnified the dominance of dominant phytoplankton species. Since 2000, red tides have occurred more frequently, and the eutrophic-type diatom species, Skeletonema costatum appears to be the predominant species. Data suggested that variations of N and P nutrients exert a potent and rapid influence on phytoplankton than sea temperature and ocean salinity.