Noctiluca Scintillans Distribution Largely Regulated by Phytoplankton Biomass in the East China Sea and Southern Yellow Sea

Noctiluca scintillans feeds on a large number of phytoplankton, including diatoms and dinoflagellates, frequently forms red tide in the East China Sea (ECS) southern Yellow (SYS). However, spatiotemporal distribution pattern, controlling factors, long-term change N. ECS SYS remain unclear. In present study, we collected samples from throughout four seasons 2011. We sampled phytoplankton environmental parameters simultaneously. The depth-integrated abundance (DIA) was highest lowest summer winter, respectively. is distributed abundantly eutrophic coastal waters Changjiang Estuary, which are characterized by high concentrations chlorophyll- . A Spearman correlation test demonstrated that its DIA upper 30-m water column generally more significantly associated with concentration than temperature salinity. results generalized additive models revealed explained variation salinity year, particularly warm seasons. These findings indicate seasonal spatial changes largely regulated biomass. Compared historical data 1959 2002, Estuary increased considerably 2011 increasing resulting accelerated eutrophication warming. clarify red-tide formation mechanism, changing trends SYS.