Environmental Effects on the Spatiotemporal Variability of Fish Larvae in the Western Guangdong Waters, China

Spawning grounds occupy an important position in the survival and reproduction of aquatic life, which plays role replenishment fishery resources, especially China coasts where resources are depleting. This study investigated environmental effects on spatiotemporal variability fish larvae western Guangdong waters (WGWs), basis generalized additive models (GAMs) center gravity (CoG). Satellite data including sea surface salinity (SSS), temperature (SST), situ observations for from April to June 2014–2015 were used. Results showed that 40.3% total variation density was explained. SST, SSS, depth positive 23–24 °C 27–30 °C, 24–32 PSU, 0–60 m, negative 24–27 32–34.2 60–80 m. Based stepwise GAMs, most factor month, with a contribution 10.6%, followed by longitude, offshore distance, depth, latitude, contributions 7.0%, 6.3%, 4.2%, 3.9%, 1.3%, respectively. Fish CoG shifted northward 0.6° N eastwards 0.13° E June. The distribution WGWs affected complex submarine topography Qiongzhou Strait, coastal upwelling WGWs, runoff Pearl River.