Influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on spatial-temporal hydrochemistry and the susceptibility to nutrient enrichment in a subtropical estuary

Dong Zhang; Dongliang Lu; Bin Yang; Jianbing Zhang; Zhiming Ning; Kefu Yu

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.07.056

Influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on spatial-temporal hydrochemistry and the susceptibility to nutrient enrichment in a subtropical estuary

Mar Pollut Bull. 2019 Sep:146:945-954. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.07.056. Epub 2019 Jul 29.

Authors

Dong Zhang¹, Dongliang Lu², Bin Yang², Jianbing Zhang³, Zhiming Ning¹, Kefu Yu⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning 530004, China.
² Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Beibu Gulf Environment Change and Resources Use, Ministry of Education, Nanning 530004, China.
⁴ School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: kefuyu@scsio.ac.cn.

PMID: 31426242
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.07.056

Abstract

This study uses multivariate statistics to analyze hydrochemical spatial-temporal variations in the Maowei Sea of Beibu Gulf, South China Sea and evaluates its susceptibility to nutrient enrichment by a risk model. The seasonal variations of sea surface temperature (T), salinity (S), pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand, transparency, total suspended particulate (TSP), petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), NO₂^-, and SiO₃^2- were mainly driven by the meteorological factors (precipitation and air temperature), while NO₃^-, NH₄⁺, and PO₄^3- content were more likely related to the point-source factors. The spatial and seasonal variations of T, DO, TSP, PHCs, and SiO₃^2- might also be affected by sea-source factors such as thermal water discharge from adjacent parts of the Beibu Gulf. The sea's susceptibility to nutrient enrichment was moderate, and is mainly affected by precipitation, temperature, and high irradiation. The results present the complexity of natural and anthropogenic influences on a small subtropic estuary.

Keywords: Hydrochemistry; Maowei Sea; Multivariate statistical analysis; Nutrient enrichment; Risk assessment.

MeSH terms

China
Environmental Monitoring* / methods
Estuaries*
Eutrophication*
Humans
Risk Assessment
Seasons
Seawater / chemistry*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
Weather

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical