Different mechanisms controlling interannual phytoplankton variation in the South China Sea and the western North Pacific subtropical gyre: A satellite study

A time series of remotely-sensed chlorophyll a (chl a) in 1997–2010 was evaluated to determine mechanisms of phytoplankton variation in recent decade in the South China Sea (SCS) and the western North Pacific subtropical gyre (WNPSG). Satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) were used as proxies for vertical nutrient supply and atmospheric aerosol, respectively. Chl a in the WNPSG was not significantly correlated with SST (r = 0.18, p > 0.05), but was with AOT (r = 0.31, p < 0.05), indicating the chl a was influenced by atmospheric deposition. Chl a in the SCS was negatively correlated with SST (r = −0.60, p < 0.05) and was positively with AOT (r = 0.20, p < 0.05). The correlation between AOT and chl a in the SCS does not reflect a major contribution from atmospheric deposition to chl a; instead, the relationship resulted from concurrence of the peaks of AOT and wind speed, which drive water mixing and nutrient supply. Consequently, chl a in the SCS would be regulated primarily by the nutrient supply from deep waters. Because SST was controlled by the ENSO teleconnection in the SCS, the chl a was coupled with ENSO events. The present study demonstrated that interannual phytoplankton variation could be controlled by different factors even in neighboring oligotrophic regions.