Phytoplankton distribution and community structure in the East China Sea (ECS) continental shelf

Abstract

This paper deals with the distribution and community structure of phytoplankton revealed by data obtained in a cruise in April and one in Oct.–Nov., 1994. Among 140 species of phytoplankton (including varieties and formas) identified, 104 species belonged to Bacillariophyta and 32 species belonged to Pyrrhophyta. In April, the biomass of phytoplankton was 0.09×104–465×106 cells/m3, and the dense area was located in the Zhejiang coastal zone and the estuary of the Changjiang River; the density of the studied area's west part was always higher than that of the east part. In October and November, the phytoplankton biomass was 0.42×104–289.9×104 cells/m3, and the dense area was located in the upwelling zone near the Zhejiang coast. In spring and autumn, biomass was very low in the outer part of the East China Sea continental shelf area, where phytoplankton was classifiable into two communities based on the phytoplankton's ecological characteristics and environmental parameters such as water temperature and salinity, i.e. neritic community environment characterized by warm temperature and low salinity and pelagic community environment characterized by high temperature and high salinity.