Abstract A time series of remotely-sensed chlorophyll a (chl a) in 1997–2010 was evaluated to determine mechanisms of phytoplankton variation in recent decade in the South China Sea (SCS) and the western North Pacific subtropical gyre (WNPSG). Satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) were used as proxies for vertical nutrient supply and atmospheric aerosol, respectively. Chl a in the WNPSG was not significantly correlated with SST (r =0.18, p >0.05), but was with AOT (r =0.31, p <0.05), indicating the chl a was influenced by atmospheric deposition. Chl a in the SCS was negatively correlated with SST (r =−0.60, p <0.05) and was positively with AOT (r =0.20, p <0.05). The correlation between AOT and chl a in the SCS does not reflect a major contribution from atmospheric deposition to chl a; instead, the relationship resulted from concurrence of the peaks of AOT and wind speed, which drive water mixing and nutrient supply. Consequently, chl a in the SCS would be regulated primarily by the nutrient supply from deep waters. Because SST was controlled by the ENSO teleconnection in the SCS, the chl a was coupled with ENSO events. The present study demonstrated that interannual phytoplankton variation could be controlled by different factors even in neighboring oligotrophic regions.
Different mechanisms controlling interannual phytoplankton variation in the South China Sea and the western North Pacific subtropical gyre: A satellite study
Advances in Space Research ; 52 , 4 ; 668-676
2013-05-06
9 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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