A numerical study of the Ulva prolifera biomass during the green tides in China - toward a cleaner Porphyra mariculture

Ke Sun; Junchuan Sun; Qing Liu; Zhan Lian; Jeffrey S Ren; Tao Bai; Yitao Wang; Zexun Wei

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111805

A numerical study of the Ulva prolifera biomass during the green tides in China - toward a cleaner Porphyra mariculture

Mar Pollut Bull. 2020 Dec;161(Pt B):111805. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111805. Epub 2020 Nov 14.

Authors

Ke Sun¹, Junchuan Sun², Qing Liu³, Zhan Lian², Jeffrey S Ren⁴, Tao Bai⁵, Yitao Wang¹, Zexun Wei⁶

Affiliations

¹ Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266200, China.
² Key Laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; Laboratory for Regional Oceanography and Numerical Modeling, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China.
³ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225100, China.
⁴ Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266200, China; National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, 10 Kyle Street, PO Box 8602, Christchurch 8440, New Zealand.
⁵ North China Sea Marine Forecasting Center of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266033, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Marine Science and Numerical Modeling, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; Laboratory for Regional Oceanography and Numerical Modeling, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China. Electronic address: weizx@fio.org.cn.

PMID: 33202346
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111805

Abstract

The green tides caused by Ulva prolifera have become a recurrent phenomenon in Yellow Sea, China. Investigating the factors governing the biomass of green tides is important for developing management strategies. In this study, an U. prolifera growth model was combined with a hydrodynamic model. This biophysical model can reasonably reproduce the spatiotemporal variation of the green tides in 2012. Among three zones (northern, central, and southern-zones) of Porphyra mariculture region, the northern and central zones were more important in controlling the bloom intensity, and the central zone was the key area in controlling the amount of biomass landed on beaches. Due to the limitation of temperature and nutrients, an earlier or postponed facility recycling might effectively reduce the magnitude of green tides in 2012. This study provides useful information for mitigation of green tides and management of Porphyra mariculture.

Keywords: Biophysical model; Macroalgal bloom; Porphyra; Ulva prolifera; Yellow Sea.

MeSH terms

Biomass
China
Eutrophication
Porphyra*
Ulva*