The origin of the Ulva macroalgal blooms in the Yellow Sea in 2013

Abstract: 

Green algal blooms have occurred in the Yellow Sea for seven consecutive years from 2007 to 2013. In this study, satellite image analysis and field shipboard observations indicated that the Ulva blooms in 2013 originated in the Rudong coast. The spatial distribution of Ulva microscopic propagules in the Southern Yellow Sea also supported that the blooms originated in the Rudong coast. In addition, multi-source satellite data were used to evaluate the biomass of green algae on the Pyropia aquaculture rafts. The results showed that approximately 2784 tons of Ulva prolifera were attached to the rafts and possessed the same internal transcribed spacer and 5S rDNA sequence as the dominant species in the 2013 blooms. We conclude that the significant biomass of Ulva species on the Pyropia rafts during the harvesting season in radial tidal sand ridges played an important role in the rapid development of blooms in the Yellow Sea.

Author(s): 
Yarish, Charles
Author(s): 
Peimin He
Ren Xu
Caicai Liu
Yutao Qin
Jang Kyun Kim
Kefeng Yu
Hailong Wu
Yuanzi Huo
Jianheng Zhang
Keywords: 
Green tide
Macroalgal blooms
Ulva prolifera
Yellow Sea
Source
Pyropia aquaculture
Article Source: 
Mar Pollut Bull . 2014 Dec 15; 89(1-2): 276-283
Category: 
Basic Biology
Ecological Services
Geography