Promoting effect of raft-raised scallop culture on the formation of coastal hypoxia

Scallop farming impacts on dissolved organic matter cycling in coastal waters: Regulation of the low molecular weight fraction

To elucidate the impacts of scallop farming on the biogeochemical characteristics of low molecular weight (LMW, <1 kDa) dissolved organic matter (DOM), samples collected from a bay scallop mariculture area (MA) and its surrounding areas were determined for absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy after microfiltration and centrifugal ultrafiltration. The values of absorption coefficient a350 showed a spatial variation trend of inshore area (IA) > MA > non-mariculture area (NMA) for both bulk (<0.7 μm) and LMW fractions. Four fluorescent components, namely two protein-like components (tryptophan-like C1 and tyrosine-like C2) and two humic-like components (microbial humic-like C3 and terrestrial humic-like C4), were identified. Scallop farming influenced DOM transformation by altering phytoplankton abundance and promoting microbial degradation. In July, the net contributions of phytoplankton to the spectroscopy parameters of LMW-DOM in the surface seawater were 11.0% for a350, 4.3% for C1, 0.8% for C2, 0.6% for C3 and 3.0% for C4, respectively; the corresponding values of bulk DOM in the surface seawater were 24.3% for a350, 20.1% for C1, 5.9% for C2, 2.0% for C3, 2.9% for C4, respectively. Compared with NMA, the contributions of microbial degradation to a350 in MA's surface seawater increased by 9.0% for LMW-DOM and 6.9% for bulk DOM in July; however, the effects on different fluorescent components varied. In August, compared with NMA, the contributions of microbial degradation to spectroscopy parameters in the bottom water of MA decreased by 35.7% for a350, 6.3% for C2, 1.3% for C3, and 4.4% for C4 for LMW-DOM fraction; for bulk DOM, the corresponding contribution decreased by 10.8% for C1. These variations indicate that protein-like substances from scallop aquaculture are easily degraded into LMW substances, while humic-like substances degradation diminishes over time.

Key drivers of hypoxia revealed by time-series data in the coastal waters of Muping, China

Coastal hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen in seawater) is a cumulative result of many physical and biochemical processes. However, it is often difficult to determine the key drivers of hypoxia due to the lack of frequent observational oceanographic and meteorological data. In this study, high-frequency time-series observational data of dissolved oxygen (DO) and related parameters in the coastal waters of Muping, China, were used to analyze the temporal pattern of hypoxia and its key drivers. Two complete cycles with the formation and destruction of hypoxia were captured over the observational period. Persistent thermal stratification, high winds and phytoplankton blooms are identified as key drivers of hypoxia in this region. Hypoxia largely occurs due to persistent thermal stratification in summer, and hypoxia can be noticeably relieved when strong wind mixing weakens thermal stratification. Furthermore, we found that northerly high winds are more efficient at eroding stratification than southerly winds and thus have a greater ability to relieve hypoxia. This study revealed an episodic hypoxic event driven by a phytoplankton bloom that was probably triggered by terrestrial nutrient loading, confirming the causal relationship between phytoplankton blooms and hypoxia. In addition, we found that the lag time between nutrient loading, phytoplankton blooms and hypoxia can be as short as one week. This study could help better understand the development of hypoxia and forecast phytoplankton and hypoxia, which are beneficial for aquaculture in this region.

Impact of summer hypoxia on macrobenthic communities in a semi-enclosed bay: A long-term observation in the North Yellow sea of China

The O2 content of the global ocean has been declining progressively over the past decades, mainly because of human activities and global warming. Despite this situation, the responses of macrobenthos under hypoxic conditions remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a long-term observation (2015-2022) to investigate the intricate impact of summer hypoxia on macrobenthic communities in a semi-enclosed bay of the North Yellow Sea. Comparative analyses revealed higher macrobenthos abundance (1956.8 ± 1507.5 ind./m2 vs. 871.8 ± 636.9 ind./m2) and biomass (8.2 ± 4.1 g/m2 vs. 5.6 ± 3.2 g/m2) at hypoxic sites compared to normoxic sites during hypoxic years. Notably, polychaete species demonstrated remarkable adaptability, dominating hypoxic sites, and shaping community structure. The decline in biodiversity underscored the vulnerability and diminished resilience of macrobenthic communities to hypoxic stressors. Stable isotope analysis provided valuable insights into food web structures. The average trophic level of macrobenthos measured 2.84 ± 0.70 at hypoxic sites, contrasting with the higher value of 3.14 ± 0.74 observed at normoxic sites, indicating the absence of predators at high trophic levels under hypoxic conditions. Moreover, trophic interactions were significantly altered, resulting in a simplified and more vulnerable macrobenthic trophic structure. The findings underscored the importance of comprehensive research to understand the complex responses of macrobenthic communities to hypoxia, thereby informing future conservation efforts in impacted ecosystems.

Effects of intensive oyster farming on nitrogen speciation in surface sediments from a typical subtropical mariculture bay

The spatial-temporal distributions of various nitrogen (N) species in surface sediments were examined in a typical subtropical mariculture bay (Maowei Sea) in the northern Beibu Gulf to assess the impact of intensive oyster culture activities on sedimentary N speciation. The results indicated that the mean contents of total nitrogen (TN), extractable (labile) nitrogen (LN) and residual nitrogen (RN) in the surface sediments were 33.3 ± 15.5 μmol g-1, 13.8 ± 1.3 μmol g-1 and 19.5 ± 15.0 μmol g-1, respectively, which lacked significant seasonal variability (P > 0.05). Four forms of LN, namely ion extractable form (IEF-N), weak acid extractable form (WAEF-N), strong alkali extractable form (SAEF-N) and strong oxidant extractable form (SOEF-N) were identified based on sequential extraction. SOEF-N was the dominant form of LN, accounting for 67.8 ± 2.5 % and 63.7 ± 5.9 % in summer and winter, respectively. Spatially, the contents of sedimentary TN, LN, RN, WAEF-N and SOEF-N in intensive mariculture areas (IMA) were significantly higher than those in non-intensive mariculture areas (NIMA) during summer (P < 0.05). Stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) mixing model revealed that shellfish biodeposition was the predominant source of sedimentary TN in IMA with a contribution of 67.8 ± 23.0 %, approximately 5.4 times that of NIMA (12.6 ± 3.3 %). Significant positive correlations (P < 0.05) were observed between most forms of N species (WAEF-N, SOEF-N, LN and RN) and shellfish-biodeposited N in the surface sediments during summer, indicating that intensive oyster farming greatly enhanced sedimentary TN accumulation.