Synoptic view of an unprecedented red Noctiluca scintillans bloom in the Beibu Gulf, China

Xie, Qiling; Yan, Nanyang; Yang, Xue; Gao, Ruichao; Chen, Xinlong; Wu, Hongjing; Zhao, Jun

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160980

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Correspondingly, harmful phytoplankton blooms have increased in frequency in the BG over the past 40 years, and bloom events in the last decade (2011–2017) were higher than the sum from 1985 to 2010 (Xu et al., 2019). In particular, an unprecedented red Noctiluca scintillans bloom was observed in 2021 (La Niña year), and the area of the bloom covered the whole central gulf (>20,000 km 2 ) (Xie et al., 2023). In this study, we further demonstrate that a stronger WGCC conveys high nutrients into the BG under the influence of the strong northeast monsoon in La Niña years (Figure 11), and the nutrients converge in the frontal area of the central gulf, thereby stimulating the bloom.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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External Dynamic Mechanisms Controlling the Periodic Offshore Blooms in Beibu Gulf

et al. 2023

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Since offshore waters are less affected by human activities and nutrient‐rich water masses, existing theories on periodic offshore blooms (POB) consider that the POB is proportional to the intensity of ocean fronts (nutrient supply from enhancing vertical mixing), ignoring external nutrient supply and external forcing (climatic oscillations). This study proposes an external dynamic mechanism of the POB on the basis of field observations and long‐term satellite remote sensing data (1981–2022) in Beibu Gulf, which is influenced by remarkable external forcing. A strong thermal front with an inverted‐V structure occurred in the central gulf every winter due to the strong wind stress. The intensity of the front on the east side is weaker due to the intrusion of the west‐Guangdong coastal current (WGCC). However, nutrient supply variation resulted in the POB's different intensity in different areas of the inverted‐V front. Chlorophyll a concentrations in the eastern (nutrients supplied by WGCC) and northern (nutrients supplied by vertical mixing) were obviously higher than that in the western front (limited nutrient supply) in winter. On an interannual scale, the intensity of POB in La Niña years is remarkably stronger than in El Niño years due to the stronger WGCC supplying more nutrients in La Niña. This study suggests that the intensity and range of POB are not proportional to the frontal intensity in the gulf, but are directly driven by the internal forcing (fronts and nutrient supply from WGCC), which is controlled by the external forcing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During La Niña years, more nutrients were transported into the BG due to WGCC. This resulted in a total coverage area of red Noctiluca scintillans bloom of over 20,000 km 2 in the central BG during late winter 2021 (Xie et al., 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

External Dynamic Mechanisms Controlling the Periodic Offshore Blooms in Beibu Gulf

et al. 2023

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“…However, the highest intensity (>0.1 accumulated days/year) of algal blooms during winter occurs in the Luzon Strait (Figure d); this could be caused by coastal wind and the wind-driven upwelling in the Luzon Strait during winter. − Additionally, in the eastern Beibu Gulf, algal blooms exhibit the highest intensity (>1 accumulated days/year) and widest distribution (>3.2 × 10 4 km 2 ) of any other region during autumn (Figure c). Apart from the influence of terrestrial input, this region is greatly affected by nutrient transport through the Qiongzhou Strait, due to the intrusion of the west Guangdong coastal current. − …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal Expansion of Algal Blooms in Coastal China Seas

Zeng,

Gokul,

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The coastal seas of China are increasingly threatened by algal blooms, yet their comprehensive spatiotemporal mapping and understanding of underlying drivers remain challenging due to high turbidity and heterogeneous water conditions. We developed a singular value decomposition-based algorithm to map these blooms using two decades of MODIS-Aqua satellite data, spanning from 2003 to 2022. Our findings indicate significant algal activity along the Chinese coastline, impacting an average annual area of approximately 1.8 × 10 5 km 2 . The blooms exhibit peak intensity in August, while the maximum affected area occurs in September, featuring multifrequency outbreaks in spring, and pronounced large-scale events in summer and autumn. Notably, our analysis demonstrates a robust 67% increase in bloom occurrences over the study period. This expansion is primarily attributed to increased nutrient inflow from terrestrial sources linked to human activity and precipitation, compounded by rising global sea surface temperatures. These spatiotemporal insights are critical for devising effective management strategies and policies to mitigate the impacts of algal blooms.

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“…Although water quality in the Beibu Gulf is generally good, the fast development along the Beibu Gulf Economical Rim has brought pressure to the environment ( Kaiser et al, 2013 ; Lai et al, 2014 ; Lao et al, 2019 ). Some coastal sea areas, such as Qinzhou Bay, Fangchenggang Bay and Lianzhou Bay, have been undertaking severe environmental problems, such as eutrophication ( Lai et al, 2014 ; Lao et al, 2021 ; Pan et al, 2021 ) and HABs ( Xu et al, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2021 ; Niu et al, 2022 ; Xie et al, 2023 ). Before 2000, the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa was the dominant bloom species in the Beibu Gulf, and blooms of cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and diatoms co-occurred during the period 2001–2010, and the haptophyte Phaeocystis globosa has become a major causative species of HABs after 2011 ( Xu et al, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2021 ; Gibson et al, 2022 ; Zhu et al, 2023 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Before 2000, the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa was the dominant bloom species in the Beibu Gulf, and blooms of cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and diatoms co-occurred during the period 2001–2010, and the haptophyte Phaeocystis globosa has become a major causative species of HABs after 2011 ( Xu et al, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2021 ; Gibson et al, 2022 ; Zhu et al, 2023 ). A massive bloom caused by the dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans with total coverage area over 20,000 km 2 occurred in February 2021 in Beibu Gulf ( Xie et al, 2023 ). Frequent HABs have pressed adverse impacts on local ecosystems, and Beibu Gulf has become a hot area for HAB study in China ( Xu et al, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2021 ; Gibson et al, 2022 ; Xie et al, 2023 ; Zhu et al, 2023 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabarcoding reveals a high diversity and complex eukaryotic microalgal community in coastal waters of the northern Beibu Gulf, China

Wang,

Gu,

et al. 2024

Front. Microbiol.

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Beibu Gulf is an important semi-enclosed bay located in the northwestern South China Sea, and is famous for its high bio-productivity and rich bio-diversity. The fast development along the Beibu Gulf Economical Rim has brought pressure to the environment, and algal blooms occurred frequently in the gulf. In this study, surface water samples and micro-plankton samples (20–200 μm) were collected in the northern Beibu Gulf coast. Diversity and distribution of eukaryotic planktonic microalgae were analyzed by both metabarcoding and microscopic analyses. Metabarcoding revealed much higher diversity and species richness of microalgae than morphological observation, especially for dinoflagellates. Metabarcoding detected 144 microalgal genera in 8 phyla, while microscopy only detected 40 genera in 2 phyla. The two methods revealed different microalgal community structures. Dinoflagellates dominated in microalgal community based on metabarcoding due to their high copies of 18 s rRNA gene, and diatoms dominated under microscopy. Altogether 48 algal bloom and/or toxic species were detected in this study, 34 species by metabarcoding and 19 species by microscopy. Our result suggested a high potential risk of HABs in the Beibu Gulf. Microalgal community in the surface water samples demonstrated significantly higher OTU/species richness, alpha diversity, and abundance than those in the micro-plankton samples, although more HAB taxa were detected by microscopic observations in the micro-plankton samples. Furthermore, nano-sized taxa, such as those in chlorophytes, haptophytes, and chrysophyceans, occurred more abundantly in the surface water samples. This study provided a comprehensive morphological and molecular description of microalgal community in the northern Beibu Gulf.

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Synoptic view of an unprecedented red Noctiluca scintillans bloom in the Beibu Gulf, China

Cited by 8 publications

References 33 publications

External Dynamic Mechanisms Controlling the Periodic Offshore Blooms in Beibu Gulf

External Dynamic Mechanisms Controlling the Periodic Offshore Blooms in Beibu Gulf

Spatiotemporal Expansion of Algal Blooms in Coastal China Seas

Metabarcoding reveals a high diversity and complex eukaryotic microalgal community in coastal waters of the northern Beibu Gulf, China

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