Blooms of diatom and dinoflagellate associated with nutrient imbalance driven by cycling of nitrogen and phosphorus in anaerobic sediments in Johor Strait (Malaysia)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2021
Abstract
Coastal eutrophication is one of the pivotal factors driving occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs), whose underlying mechanism remained unclear. To better understand the nutrient regime triggering HABs and their formation process, the phytoplankton composition and its response to varying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), physio-chemical parameters in water and sediment in Johor Strait in March 2019 were analyzed. Surface and sub-surface HABs were observed with the main causative species of Skeletonema, Chaetoceros and Karlodinium. The ecophysiological responses of Skeletonema to the low ambient N/P ratio such as secreting alkaline phosphatase, regulating cell morphology (volume; surface area/volume ratio) might play an important role in dominating the community. Anaerobic sediment iron-bound P release and simultaneous N removal by denitrification and anammox, shaped the stoichiometry of N and P in water column. The decrease of N/P ratio might shift the phytoplankton community into the dominance of HABs causative diatoms and dinoflagellates.
Keywords
Bloom layer, Diatom, Nutrient imbalance, Denitrification, Phosphorus release, Sediment
Divisions
ocean
Funders
National Key Research and Development Program of China [2016YFE0202100],National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [41877381],Chinese Academy of Sciences [2019FBZ01],MOHE-LRGS,IOES HICOE
Publication Title
Marine Environmental Research
Volume
169
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher Location
THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, OXON, ENGLAND