scholarly journals Nutrient ratios driven by vertical stratification regulate phytoplankton community structure in the oligotrophic western Pacific Ocean

Ocean Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1775-1789
Author(s):  
Zhuo Chen ◽  
Jun Sun ◽  
Ting Gu ◽  
Guicheng Zhang ◽  
Yuqiu Wei
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Vertical Stratification ◽  
Nutrient Ratios ◽  
Western Pacific Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Community Structure ◽  
Phytoplankton Abundance

Abstract. The stratification of the upper oligotrophic ocean has a direct impact on biogeochemistry by regulating the components of the upper-ocean environment that are critical to biological productivity, such as light availability for photosynthesis and nutrient supply from the deep ocean. We investigated the spatial distribution pattern and diversity of phytoplankton communities in the western Pacific Ocean (WPO) in the autumn of 2016, 2017, and 2018. Our results showed the phytoplankton community structure mainly consisted of cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates, while the abundance of Chrysophyceae was negligible. Phytoplankton abundance was high from the equatorial region to 10∘ N and decreased with increasing latitude in spatial distribution. Phytoplankton also showed a strong variation in the vertical distribution. The potential influences of physicochemical parameters on phytoplankton abundance were analyzed by a structural equation model (SEM) to determine nutrient ratios driven by vertical stratification to regulate phytoplankton community structure in the typical oligotrophic ocean. Regions with strong vertical stratification were more favorable for cyanobacteria, whereas weak vertical stratification was more conducive to diatoms and dinoflagellates. Our study shows that stratification is a major determinant of phytoplankton community structure and highlights that physical processes in the ocean control phytoplankton community structure by driving the balance of chemical elements, providing a database to better predict models of changes in phytoplankton community structure under future ocean scenarios.

scholarly journals Vertical stratification driven nutrient ratios to regulate phytoplankton community structure in the oligotrophic western Pacific Ocean

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuo Chen ◽  
Jun Sun ◽  
Ting Gu ◽  
Guicheng Zhang ◽  
Yuqiu Wei
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Vertical Stratification ◽  
Western Pacific Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Community Structure ◽  
Phytoplankton Abundance ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

Abstract. Vertical stratification determined the variability of temperature and nutrient distribution in upper seawater, thereby affecting the primary production of the ocean. Nutrients in the oligo-trophic region vary in time and space, and thus phytoplankton vary in their vertical distribution. However, the differences in the vertical distribution of phytoplankton have not been systematically studied. This study investigated the spatial distribution pattern and diversity of phytoplankton communities in the western Pacific Ocean (WPO) in the autumn of 2016, 2017 and 2018, as well as the local hydrological and nutritional status. The Utermöhl method was used to analyze the relevant ecological characteristics of phytoplankton in the surveyed sea area. In the three cruises investigated, we show universal relationships between phytoplankton and (1) vertical stratification, (2) N : P ratio (3) temperature and salinity. The potential influencing factors of physical and chemical parameters on phytoplankton abundance were analyzed by structural equation model (SEM), determining the vertical stratification index was the most important influence factor affecting phytoplankton abundance and indirectly on phytoplankton abundance by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and Dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP). Vertical stratification determines the vertical distribution of the phytoplankton community structure in the WPO. The areas with strong vertical stratification (Group A and B) are more conducive to the growth of cyanobacteria, and the areas with weak vertical stratification (Group C and D) are more conducive to the bloom of diatoms and dinoflagellates.

scholarly journals Effects of Ocean Currents in the Western Pacific Ocean on Net-Phytoplankton Community Compositions

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 428
Author(s):  
Zhuo Chen ◽  
Jun Sun ◽  
Dawei Chen ◽  
Shihao Wang ◽  
Hao Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Ocean Currents ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Coastal Current ◽  
Western Pacific Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Nitrite Nitrate ◽  
Counter Current ◽  
The Western Pacific

Phytoplankton are known as important harbingers of climate change in aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated phytoplankton community structure in the western Pacific Ocean (WPO) in 2017 and revealed the spatial variability of phytoplankton in community composition and abundance, as well as their relationship to physical processes and environmental factors. The phytoplankton community was mainly composed of Dinophyta (221), followed by Bacillariophyta (105), Cyanophyta (4), and Chrysophyta (2). The cyanobacteria Trichodesmium were the dominants throughout the study period. Correlation analysis showed that dinoflagellates were mainly affected by temperature, while diatoms were significantly correlated with nutrients (silicate, phosphate, nitrite, nitrate). Phytoplankton was divided into five groups by cluster analysis, and the distribution of different groups was related to circulation and hydrological characteristics. In contrast, the highest abundance of diatoms and dinoflagellates was found in the New Guinea Coastal Current (NGCC) region, while the highest abundance of cyanobacteria was found in the Northern Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) region. Overall, we found that not only temperature and salinity, but also ocean currents and nutrients, influence the distribution of phytoplankton communities in the WPO.

scholarly journals Phytoplankton community structure in relation to vertical stratification along a north-south gradient in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 1498-1521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina D. A. Mojica ◽  
Willem H. van de Poll ◽  
Michael Kehoe ◽  
Jef Huisman ◽  
Klaas R. Timmermans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Vertical Stratification ◽  
Phytoplankton Community Structure ◽  
Northeast Atlantic ◽  
Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Community Structure and Environmental Adaptation of Phytoplankton in Yangmeikeng Artificial Reef Area in Daya Bay, South China Sea

2013 ◽  
Vol 807-809 ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Xiu Li Liao ◽  
Pi Mao Chen ◽  
Sheng Wei Ma ◽  
Hai Gang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Artificial Reef ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Daya Bay ◽  
Diatom Species ◽  
Phytoplankton Community Structure ◽  
Phytoplankton Abundance ◽  
Reef Area

Seasonal species composition, abundance variations of phytoplankton were investigated during six cruises conducted in Yangmeikeng artificial reef area in Daya Bay, between April 1997 and May 1999. The results showed that there were 181 species of phytoplankton were identified and most belong to diatom species. The seasonal change of species and dominant species were obvious. Phytoplankton abundance was on the trend of rising with diatom dominated which showed that the artificial reef putted in this area played a role in promoting the primary productivity. TheK-dominance curve suggested that the community diversity of the phytoplankton decreased from May 2008, August 2008, April 2007, May 2009, March 2008 to November 2008, and the range of seasonal variations were obvious, which showed that the phytoplankton community structure was unstable. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the abundance and spatial distribution of phytoplankton were affected greatly by the water temperature, salinity, transparency, suspended matter and dissolved oxygen.

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