Size-based analysis for the state and heterogeneity of pelagic ecosystems in the northern South China Sea

Analyzing and evaluating the state and heterogeneity of ecosystems are required for ecosystem-based management. The abundance size spectrum is a promising approach for evaluating pelagic ecosystems. To analyze the heterogeneity of pelagic ecosystems in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) in summer, a simplified abundance size spectrum (SASS) was proposed. Picophytoplankton (0.2–2 μm), microphytoplankton (10–160 μm), mesozooplankton (160–2000 μm), and macrozooplankton (505–8,000 μm) were sampled in the NSCS in August 2007, and used to build the SASS. On the basis of the SASS parameters, spatial heterogeneity in pelagic ecosystems was detected, and the study waters were distinctly categorized into the river plume or upwelling-affected area and its adjacent coastal area, the deepwater area, area near the Luzon Strait, and the offshore shelf area. Contrasts of SASS parameters between the eastern and western pelagic ecosystems out of the Pear River estuary demonstrate the fast ecosystem response to the spreading of the Pearl River plume. These results indicate that the SASS could be a good indicator for the state of pelagic ecosystems in the NSCS. In addition, the SASS approach is easily available and labor- and time-saving, thus the SASS could be a useful tool for monitoring and evaluating the state of pelagic ecosystems and their responses to perturbations.