Dynamics of phytoplankton community in scallop farming waters of the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea in China

Abstract

Background As the major suppliers of food for higher consumers, phytoplankton are closely related to the yield, nutritional ingredients and even toxin contents of mariculture animals, potentially influencing the human health when they are consumed. With the increase of shellfish culture density, phytoplankton in the coastal waters have been excessively consumed in recent years, and the nutrients they depend on are becoming more and more limited, which severely restrict the shellfish mariculture and threaten the coastal ecosystems. Results In the present study, nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton assemblages and scallop growth status were investigated in the main bay scallop farming waters of the Bohai Sea (Qinhuangdao site) and North Yellow Sea (Zhuanghe site) in 2018. Both phosphate and silicate limitations were observed at the two sites, with the major determinant of phytoplankton assemblages being silicate in Qinhuangdao and phosphate in Zhuanghe, respectively. The phytoplankton assemblages at the two sites displayed different community structures and succession patterns. The phytoplankton community was dominated by dinoflagellates and diatoms in Qinhuangdao, while dinoflagellates were the most abundant group in Zhuanghe, which accounted for 41.9% of the total phytoplankton abundance. The dominant genera of diatoms in Qinhuangdao were Skeletonema, Thalassiosira and Leptocylindrus, while those in Zhuanghe were Thalassiosira and Cyclotella. Greater biomass and more appropriate structure of phytoplankton contributed to higher growth rate and glycogen content of cultured bay scallops. Conclusions Our study characterized the relationship between nutrient concentration, phytoplankton community and scallop mariculture in the main bay scallop farming waters in northern China. The results suggest that, as nutrient limitation intensified, dinoflagellates are becoming the dominant phytoplankton species in the scallop farming waters of the Bohai Sea and the North Yellow Sea, which is harmful to the coastal mariculture.

Succession of phytoplankton communities from macro-scale to micro-scale in coastal waters of Qinhuangdao, China

“…Our findings corroborate previous research indicating that the peak cell densities of Tripos consistently occur subsequent to a diatom bloom, as nutrients are provided through diatom decomposition (Holligan and Harbour, 1977). Another reason was that the higher N/P ratio significantly contributes to the displacement of diatoms by dinoflagellates (Wei et al, 2004;Xu et al, 2010;Kong et al, 2022). Particularly in aquaculture areas of the Bohai Sea, the elevated N/P ratio and phosphate deficiency are emerging concerns, adversely affecting phytoplankton growth and shellfish farming (Xu et al, 2010;Kong et al, 2022).…”

“…However, nutrient concentration analyses indicated no nitrogen limitation near the scallop farming waters during the sampling period. The high levels of nitrogen concentration might be attributed to the regeneration from scallop farming through direct excretion of ammonium (Prins and Smaal, 1994;Kong et al, 2022). Phosphorus, a fundamental component of nucleic acids, cell membranes, and high-energy compounds like adenosine triphosphate, plays a critical role in cellular functions.…”

“…Another reason was that the higher N/P ratio significantly contributes to the displacement of diatoms by dinoflagellates (Wei et al, 2004;Xu et al, 2010;Kong et al, 2022). Particularly in aquaculture areas of the Bohai Sea, the elevated N/P ratio and phosphate deficiency are emerging concerns, adversely affecting phytoplankton growth and shellfish farming (Xu et al, 2010;Kong et al, 2022).…”

Long-Term Variations of Biogenic Elements and Nutritional Status in Daya Bay, Northern South China Sea

“…The nutrients in seawater play a key role in phytoplankton growth, and the concentrations of DIN, PO 4 3− , and SiO 3 2− , as well as the trophic structure, are closely related to phytoplankton growth [9]. The elemental ratio of nitrogen, silicon, and phosphorus (N/Si/P) is a major indicator for characterizing the trophic structure of water bodies and plays a crucial role in phytoplankton growth and reproduction [10].…”