Factors affecting the abundance and community structure of the phytoplankton in northern South China Sea in the summer of 2008: a biomarker study

Phytoplankton biomarkers were analyzed using suspended particles collected from the northern South China Sea (SCS) during the summer cruise of 2008, with the goal of understanding the algal community structure and biomass distribution pattern in the summer season. The results indicated that the distribution of algal biomarkers in surface water of SCS was impacted and constrained by the local hydrological settings: the high biological community generally appeared in Pearl River estuaries, southwestern off Taiwan island and southeastern off Hainan Island, while the relatively lower biomass was found in the deep basin and strait areas. Diatoms were the dominant phytoplankton species, which were followed by dinoflagellates. Coccolithophorid biomass gradually increased toward the open ocean. The present work indicated that the algal biomarkers effectively documented the variability of the phytoplankton biomass and community structure as well as their linkage with the oceanic dynamics in SCS during summer 2008. This research provided not only the foundation for the application of algal lipids in the modern ocean ecosystem, but also the basis for the reconstruction of the past oceanic algal community structures.