Abstract
Abstract. We present intensive observational data of surface chlorophyll a bloom episodes occurring over several days in the summers of 2011, 2012 and 2013, accompanying the equatorward advection of low sea surface salinity (SSS) water near the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. Time-series analysis of meteorological and oceanographic (physical and biochemical) parameter data, such as chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) from surface mooring, ocean color (chlorophyll a and total suspended sediment), sea surface height (satellite-derived) and serial hydrographic data (from in situ measurements), was used to investigate the relationship between surface bloom events and changes in seawater characteristics and currents. In the summers of the 3 years, a total of 10 bloom events (E01–E10) were identified during which the surface CF was significantly (> 2 µg L−1) enhanced over a relatively long (> 1 day) period. The bloom events in the summers of 2011 and 2012 were accompanied by low or decreasing SSS for several days to a week after heavy rainfall at upstream stations and equatorward currents. Unlike the typical 8 of the 10 events (80 %), E07 was potentially derived from the onshore advection of high CF offshore water of southern origin into the coastal zone near the mooring, whereas E10 possibly prevailed by offshore advection of high CF plume water trapped by the coastal area. Contrasting with many coastal systems, these findings indicate that event-scale productivity near the east coast of the Korean Peninsula in summer is not controlled by local blooms triggered by either nutrients or light availability, but by the equatorward and cross-shore advection of high CF plume water.
Highlights
IntroductionBiological blooms, associated with, among other phenomena, the horizontal advection of chlorophyll-rich water (often having low salinity and high nutrients linked to heavy rain, e.g., nutrient loading), have been frequently observed in many coastal systems (e.g., Yin et al, 2004; Crespo et al, 2007; Dai et al, 2008; Halverson and Pawlowicz, 2013; Reifel et al, 2013)
Biological blooms, associated with, among other phenomena, the horizontal advection of chlorophyll-rich water, have been frequently observed in many coastal systems (e.g., Yin et al, 2004; Crespo et al, 2007; Dai et al, 2008; Halverson and Pawlowicz, 2013; Reifel et al, 2013)
Among the events, we selected only those during which the duration of chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) > 2.0 μg L−1 was longer than 1 day as the final events
Summary
Biological blooms, associated with, among other phenomena, the horizontal advection of chlorophyll-rich water (often having low salinity and high nutrients linked to heavy rain, e.g., nutrient loading), have been frequently observed in many coastal systems (e.g., Yin et al, 2004; Crespo et al, 2007; Dai et al, 2008; Halverson and Pawlowicz, 2013; Reifel et al, 2013). There are several small river plumes potentially affecting Chl a distribution near and offshore of the east coast of the Korean Peninsula; yet, the effects remain poorly understood. Most rivers in the region become flooded and discharge large volumes of freshwater into the adjacent marginal seas, including the East Sea (Sea of Japan), Yellow Sea and East China Sea
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