Potential geographical distribution of harmful algal blooms caused by the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi in the China Sea

Abstract

The fish-killing dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi frequently blooms in China and poses a threat to food safety and human health. To better understand harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by K. mikimotoi and predict the risk of HABs under climate change, the combined effect of nitrate and norfloxacin (NOR) on the growth of K. mikimotoi was tested. A growth model was used to test the effects of nutrients and pollutants on the carrying capacity of the unicellular algae. The carrying capacity increased with increasing concentrations of nitrate and NOR, reaching a maximum at 62.2 μmol L−1 of nitrate and 9.03 mg L−1 of NOR. The calculated carrying capacity of K. mikimotoi in the China Sea showed a declining trend from nearshore to offshore, with a value >30 × 106 cells L−1 in the estuary of the Changjiang River and Hangzhou Bay. The HAB index proposed in this study as a measurement of HAB risk was constructed using the carrying capacity and relative abundance from the MaxEnt (maximum entropy) model. The index showed that HABs caused by K. mikimotoi consecutively occurred in Zhejiang and Fujian coastal waters and predicted that they will continue until 2100, regardless of the greenhouse gas emission scenario. The center of the integrated area moved northward, with a range of 120–900 km. The HAB index integrates the characteristics of the carrying capacity and suitability of habitats, and expresses the information contained in the intensive and extensive variables that affect HAB occurrence. This index is a promising predictor of HAB risk in coastal waters.