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.


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    Title :

    Different mechanisms controlling interannual phytoplankton variation in the South China Sea and the western North Pacific subtropical gyre: A satellite study


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 52 , 4 ; 668-676


    Publication date :

    2013-05-06


    Size :

    9 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English