Seasonal distribution of water masses and their impacts on nutrient supply in the southern Beibu Gulf

Sihai Liu; Qibin Lao; Minggang Cai; Guangzhe Jin; Chunqing Chen; Qingmei Zhu; Fajin Chen

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106311

Seasonal distribution of water masses and their impacts on nutrient supply in the southern Beibu Gulf

Mar Environ Res. 2024 Feb:194:106311. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106311. Epub 2023 Dec 23.

Authors

Sihai Liu¹, Qibin Lao¹, Minggang Cai², Guangzhe Jin³, Chunqing Chen¹, Qingmei Zhu¹, Fajin Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Ocean and Meteorology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
³ College of Ocean and Meteorology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Key Laboratory of Climate, Resources and Environment in Continental Shelf Sea and Deep Sea of Department of Education of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
⁴ College of Ocean and Meteorology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Key Laboratory of Climate, Resources and Environment in Continental Shelf Sea and Deep Sea of Department of Education of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China. Electronic address: fjchen@gdou.edu.cn.

PMID: 38154195
DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106311

Abstract

Dual water isotopes were investigated to reveal the seasonal distribution of water masses and their impacts on nutrient supply in southern Beibu Gulf. In summer and winter, the South China Sea (SCS) water (61-69%) contributed the most to the seawater in the southern Beibu Gulf, followed by the diluted water (24-34%), and the west-Guangdong coastal current (WGCC) (5-7%) had the minimum contribution. However, the major nutrient source shifted from the diluted water in summer (39-73%) to the SCS water (57-90%) in winter. The WGCC's impact on nutrient loads was relatively small (2-10% in summer, 4-34% in winter). Our results highlight the control of nutrient supply was the SCS water (winter) and diluted water (summer), with limited influence from the WGCC, providing new insights into the impact of water mass transportation and its nutrient supply in the Beibu Gulf.

Keywords: Beibu Gulf; Dual water isotopes; Nutrients; Water masses; West-guangdong coastal current.

MeSH terms

China
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Seasons
Seawater
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water*

Substances

Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical