Seasonal variation in the phytoplankton community of a continental-shelf sea: the East China Sea

To better understand seasonal variation in phytoplankton community structure in the East China Sea (ECS), 4 research cruises were carried out between August 2009 and June 2011 over the continental shelf. Phytoplankton community structure and ambient seawater physicochemical parameters were examined. The phytoplankton community in the ECS was mainly composed of diatoms and dinoflagellates, with 242 taxa in 70 genera of diatoms and 104 taxa in 26 genera of dinoflagellates. Several species of Chlorophyta, Chrysophyta, and Cyanophyta were also observed. Chain-forming diatoms were the most dominant phytoplankton group throughout the year, except in spring when dinoflagellates dominated in coastal waters. Monsoon-induced turbulence played a significant role in regulating the dominance of dinoflagellates among seasons, with calm water favoring the growth of dinoflagellates and turbulent water inhibiting them. Phytoplankton abundance was always higher in coastal than offshore waters, mainly determined by nutrient availability. A Prorocentrum dentatum bloom and a Chaetoceros debilis bloom were observed in the Yangtze River estuary in spring 2011 and fall 2010, respectively. The blooms differed greatly in community diversity and cell abundance distribution, potentially affecting organic carbon export. In general, 3 different hydrographic water systems (coastal water, shelf mixed water, and Kuroshio water) were identified from a temperature-salinity plot of the ECS, and phytoplankton abundance showed spatially and temporally different distribution patterns in these 3 water systems. The nutrient N:P ratio, but not the Si:N ratio, played a significant role in regulating the phytoplankton community structure and the formation of the spring coastal dinoflagellate bloom in the ECS.