Bottom-up control of phytoplankton growth in spring blooms in Central Yellow Sea,China

The source and significance of three nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorous and silicon – were investigated by a modified dilution method performed on seawater samples from the Central Yellow Sea (CYS), in spring blooming period of 2007. This modified dilution method accounted for the phytoplankton growth rate, microzooplankton grazing mortality rate, the internal and external nutrient pools, as well as nutrients supplied through remineralization by microzooplankton grazing. The results indicate that phytoplankton growth during the bloom is mostly contributed by internal nutrient pools (K_I=0.062–1.730). The external nutrient pools (K_E=<0–0.362) are also of importance for phytoplankton growth during the bloom at some sampling sites. Furthermore, the contribution of the recycled-nutrient pool by remineralization (K_R=<0–0.751) is significant when microzooplankton grazing rate was higher than 0.5 d⁻¹ during the spring phytoplankton blooms in the Central Yellow Sea. Compared with internal phosphorus, internal nitrogen and silicon contribute more to the phytoplankton production at most sampling stations.     

Studies on growth rate and grazing mortality rate by microzooplankton of size-fractionated phytoplankton in spring and summer in the Jiaozhou Bay, China

1 Introduction Phytoplankton has been considered as a dom inantprim ary producer in m arine ecosystem s, starting them arine food chain (N ing and V aulot.,2003;Sun etal.,2001; Zhu et al., 2000; N ing and V aulot, 1992). A l-though potentialfates ofphytoplankton include advec-tion,verticalm ixing,sinking and m ortality due to virallysis and grazing (B anse,1994),m ortality due to graz-ing,especially by m icrozooplankton,is generally con- μm m esh to 25-L carboys, then transpo…     

Grazing impact of microzooplankton on phytoplankton in the Xiamen Bay using pigment-specific dilution technique

Phytoplankton group-specific growth and microzooplankton grazing were determined seasonally using the dilution technique with high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） in the Xiamen Bay, a subtropical bay in southeast China, between May 2003 and February 2004. The results showed that growth rates of phytoplankton ranged from 0.71 to 2.2 d^-1 with the highest value occurred in the inner bay in May. Mierozooplankton grazing rates ranged from 0.5 to 3.1 d^-1 with the highest value occurred in the inner bay in August. Microzooplankton grazing impact ranged from 39% to 95% on total phytoplankton Chl a biomass, and 65% to 181% on primary production. The growth and grazing rates of each phytoplankton group varied, the highest growth rate （up to 3.3 d^-1 ） was recorded for diatoms in August, while the maximum grazing rate （ up to 2.1 d ^-1 ） was recorded for chlorophytes in February in the inner bay. Among main phytoplankton groups, grazing pressure of microzooplankton ranged from 10% to 83% on Chl a biomass, and from 14% to 151% on primary production. The highest grazing pressure on biomass was observed for cryptophytes （83%） in August, while the maximum grazing pressure on primary production was observed for eyanobacteria （up to 151% ） in December in the inner bay. Net growth rates of larger phytoplanktons （diatoms and dinoflagellates） were higher than those of smaller groups （ prasinophytes, chlorophytes and cyanobacteria）. Relative preference index showed that microzooplankton grazed preferentially on prasinophytes and avoided to harvest diatoms in cold seasons （December and February）.     

微型浮游动物摄食实验——稀释法中浮游植物负生长的可能原因分析

稀释法(dilution technique)是研究微型浮游动物摄食和浮游植物生长的常用方法之一,负值浮游植物生长率是稀释实验中常见的现象。分析了造成负值生长率出现的因素,以及这些因素对实验结果的影响,并提出了防止不利影响产生的措施。负值生长率的出现不能简单地视为实验失败的标志,培养光照和温度条件、取样误差、无颗粒水污染、营养盐污染和限制等都可能造成负生长率的出现,且对实验结果的影响不同。同时,根据实验结果,演示浮游植物光适应、取样误差、无颗粒水污染和加富营养盐对稀释实验的影响。结果显示,光照条件可以改变细胞色素含量,且不同浮游植物类群对光照条件的响应不同,从而导致基于色素分析的稀释实验结果出现误差;取样混合不均,可造成取值偏低,导致浮游植物生长率估值偏低,甚至为负值,但可能不影响对摄食率的估算。另外,实验污染(无颗粒水和加富营养盐污染)往往会抑制浮游植物生长,甚至造成浮游植物死亡。因此,培养条件模拟和人为干扰控制是稀释实验成功的关键。     

2017年春季季风间期南海中北部浮游植物生长与微型浮游动物摄食

Phytoplankton growth rates and mortality rates were experimentally examined at 21 stations during the 2017 spring intermonsoon(April to early May) in the northern and central South China Sea(SCS) using the dilution technique, with emphasis on a comparison between the northern and central SCS areas which had different environmental factors. There had been higher temperature but lower nutrients and chlorophyll a concentrations in the central SCS than those in the northern SCS. The mean rates of phytoplankton growth(μ_0) and microzooplankton grazing(m) were(0.88±0.33) d~(–1) and(0.55±0.22) d~(–1) in the central SCS, and both higher than those in the northern SCS with the values of μ_0((0.81±0.16) d~(–1)) and m((0.30±0.09) d~(–1)), respectively.Phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing rates were significantly coupled in both areas. The microzooplankton grazing impact(m/μ_0) on phytoplankton was also higher in the central SCS(0.63±0.12) than that in the northern SCS(0.37±0.06). The microzooplankton abundance was significantly correlated with temperature in the surface. Temperature might more effectively promote the microzooplankton grazing rate than phytoplankton growth rate, which might contribute to higher m and m/μ_0 in the central SCS. Compared with temperature, nutrients mainly affected the growth rate of phytoplankton. In the nutrient enrichment treatment,the phytoplankton growth rate(μn) was higher than μ_0 in the central SCS, suggesting phytoplankton growth in the central SCS was nutrient limited. The ratio of μ_0/μn was significantly correlated with nutrients concentrations in the both areas, indicating the limitation of nutrients was related to the concentrations of background nutrients in the study stations.     

春季黄海微型浮游动物对不同粒径浮游植物的摄食速率研究

于2005年3月对黄海海域的7个站位应用稀释法研究了浮游植物的生长率和微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食压力。结果表明：实验期间,微型浮游动物生长速率范围在0．34～0．95d-1,浮游植物摄食速率范围在0．44～0．94d-1。微型浮游动物对浮游植物的现存量和初级生产力的摄食压力分别为47．76％～63．80％和61．50...     

海蜇养殖港塭微型浮游动物的摄食和生产力研究

通过对山东省靖海湾海蜇养殖港塭定期采样,采用稀释法研究该海蜇养殖港塭水体中浮游植物的生长率、微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食率、摄食压力以及微型浮游动物的生产力。研究结果表明,海蜇养殖港塭微型浮游动物组成比较简单,海蜇养殖期间微型浮游动物丰度低于海蜇捕捞结束期。其中,海蜇养殖期间微型浮游动物的优势种为根状拟铃虫(Tintinnopsis radix),为600~2 600 ind/L,而海蜇捕捞结束后优势种为根状拟铃虫、诺氏麻铃虫(Leprotintinnus nordquisti)和运动类铃虫(Codonellopsis mobilis),丰度分别为3 000~6 000、1 500~3 0001、500~3 000 ind/L。研究期间,该港塭浮游植物生长率为0.05~1.03 d-1。微型浮游动物的摄食率为0.24~2.37 d-1,对浮游植物现存量的摄食压力为21.10%~90.61%,对潜在初级生产力的摄食压力为77.08%~583.68%,而微型浮游动物的次级生产力占初级生产力的22.92%~76.92%。本研究表明微型浮游动物在海蜇养殖港塭生态系统物质和能量流动中起着重要作用。     

围隔实验研究台湾海峡2005年夏季小型浮游动物对硅藻水华的摄食

为了研究小型浮游动物对近岸浮游植物藻华的摄食调控作用,于2005年7月,应用"稀释法"并结合高效液相色谱(HPLC)光合色素分析技术,研究了台湾海峡船基围隔实验条件下浮游植物生长率及小型浮游动物摄食率的日变动。结果表明:由于营养盐添加的影响,迅速形成了以尖刺伪菱形藻(Pseudo-nitzschia pungens)为优势种的藻华,生物量(叶绿素a)从实验初始7月6日的1.45μg/dm3迅速增加到7月8日的29.80μg/dm3,随后消退。镜检和光合色素分析的结果显示,实验期间一直以此硅藻占绝对优势。浮游植物的生长率在藻华峰值(7月8日)前保持了较高的生长速率(>1.0/d)且大于小型浮游动物的摄食率;小型浮游动物的摄食率也逐渐增加,7月7日时达到0.86/d,显示有57%以上的浮游植物现存量被摄食。7月8日后,水华迅速消退,摄食率除13日外,均大于浮游植物的生长率。小型浮游动物主要由急游虫(Strombidium spp.)、侠盗虫(Strobilidium spp.)等无壳纤毛虫、异养甲藻-螺旋环沟藻(Gyrodinium spirale)及砂壳纤毛虫等组成,其对浮游植物的生长迅速作出了反应,各类群的丰度在水华峰值后的7月9日均几达最大值,水华后期(11日)大型的无壳纤毛虫达最大值。小型浮游动物的这种组成及变动特点是其保持较高摄食率及一定程度上控制和促进藻华消退的原因之一。     

冬季南海北部海域微型浮游动物及其对浮游植物摄食压力研究

2009年1月在南海北部海域的5个站位,采用稀释法和显微分析技术研究了浮游植物生长率及微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食压力,同时测定了微型浮游动物的丰度及类群组成.结果表明:南海北部微型浮游动物类群主要以无壳纤毛虫为主,南海北部微型浮游动物类群细胞丰度为33～529个/dm3.南海北部浮游植物生长率为0.45～1.83 d-1,微型浮游动物摄食率为0.44～1.76 d-1,摄食压力占浮游植物现存量的42.6%～82.8%,占初级生产力的97.3%～225.1%.近岸区摄食压力比陆架区高,表明冬季南海近岸区微型浮游动物摄食能够有效的控制浮游植物的生长,而陆架区浮游植物生长率大于摄食率,浮游植物存在着现存量的积累,微型浮游动物并不能完全控制浮游植物的生长.     

胶州湾叶绿素的浓度、分布特征及其周年变化

2003年6月-2004年5月对胶州湾及邻近海域水体中叶绿素a浓度变化及其空间分布进行了周年调查.结果表明,调查海域叶绿素a全年平均浓度为2.81mg/m^3,月平均浓度变化范围为0.73-8.44 mg/m^3.整个海域叶绿素a浓度周年变化呈现双峰型,分别在夏季8月和冬季2月出现两个高峰,但是不同区域的变化幅度不同,其水平分布格局为湾内高于湾外,湾内北部高于南部.营养盐浓度变化与叶绿素a浓度的变动未发现明显的相关性,但是在局部海域硅酸盐对冬季浮游植物水华的进一步发展具有一定的限制作用.综合分析营养盐、叶绿素a和浮游动物的周年变化及其之间的关系显示,下行控制（Top-down control）在胶州湾浮游植物的数量变动中起着重要的调控作用.     

胶州湾营养盐的长期变化及其生态效应

依据改革开放40 a来胶州湾营养盐状况历史资料以及2018—2019年的现场调查,对胶州湾营养盐历史变化过程及其生态效应进行了系统分析。结果表明:营养盐的浓度变化大致以2008年为分界节点,在2008年前胶州湾溶解无机氮(DIN)浓度呈现持续上升趋势,而溶解无机磷(DIP)、活性硅酸盐(DSi)浓度则先略有减少后快速增加;2008年后胶州湾3种营养盐浓度均快速减少。营养盐限制状况由20世纪80年代初期的氮限制、20世纪90年代的硅限制转变为目前的磷限制。胶州湾Chl a年均质量浓度一直在3μg·L^-1上下波动但近年来则呈下降趋势,浮游动物生物量1994年后大幅度增加。分析发现,入湾营养盐通量的增加和海域面积缩小是2008年前胶州湾营养盐浓度增加的主要原因,而近十几年来胶州湾环境综合整治措施的大力实施则是氮、磷营养盐浓度减少的主要原因。2010年以前贝类养殖是控制胶州湾浮游植物生物量的主要因素,但近年来溶解无机磷浓度的减少和浮游动物生物量的增加是Chl a质量浓度呈下降趋势的主要原因。     

2011年春夏季黄海和东海微型浮游动物类群组成及其摄食的研究

为了解春夏季黄海和东海微型浮游动物类群及其摄食生态,于2011年春季和夏季在黄海、东海,通过稀释法测定浮游植物生长率及微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食率,同时应用显微分析技术研究了微型浮游动物丰度及其类群组成．结果表明：（1）春季,黄海、东海微型浮游动物丰度为1800～21833个／dm3,夏季的为67～6175个／dm3;春季,其微型浮游动物生物量为8．71-60．58ug/dm3,夏季的则为0．44～30．25ug／dm3（其生物量以c含量计）．（2）春季、夏季黄海和东海浮游植物的生长率及其标准偏差分别为0．78±0．35、1．62±0．83d-1,而春季的显著低于夏季（P〈0．05）．春季、夏季其微型浮游动物的摄食率及其标准偏差分别为0．98±0．32、0．92±0．57d-1,无显著性差异（p〉0．05）．春季,微型浮游动物摄食浮游植物现有生物量的61％±13％,占初级生产量的131％±58％;夏季,微型浮游动物摄食浮游植物现有生物量的54％±22％,占初级生产量的70％±44％．春、夏季,黄海和东海微型浮游动物对浮游植物初级生产量的摄食比例较高．     

亚热带和热带环境下夜光藻的摄食压力

2015年以广西三娘湾海域为亚热带海区,三亚海域为热带海区,利用稀释法开展了现场培养实验,测定热带和亚热带海区夜光藻对浮游植物、微型浮游动物对浮游植物的摄食压力,研究了夜光藻对不同粒径的浮游生物的摄食作用.结果表明:两个海区都有比较高的生长率和摄食率,其中细菌有最高的生长率和摄食死亡率;夜光藻的摄食率,从总浮游植物、微微型浮游植物到聚球藻、细菌逐渐增高.亚热带海区与热带海区相比,微型浮游动物的摄食压力更小,表明低温影响了浮游动物的摄食活性;而营养盐是引起亚热带海区高生长率的主要因素.     

Factors influencing nutrient dynamics in the eutrophic Jiaozhou Bay, North China

We conducted studies of nutrients and water mass movements in a semi-enclosed bay in northern China to understand nutrient dynamics under varying tidal regimes. Four cruises were conducted under varying tidal regimes in Jiaozhou Bay, two at neap tide and one at spring tide in August and one at spring tide in October 2001. In addition to transect surveys, drift experiments and an anchor station were employed to show current and tidal effects. Samples for nutrient evaluation were taken from the five major tributary rivers in March (dry season) and August (flood season) of 2002 to estimate nutrient transport by rivers, and wastewater samples were collected to evaluate nutrients in wastewater discharge. Benthic nutrient fluxes were determined by (1) incubation of sediments with overlying seawater on board the boat and (2) calculated by Fick’s First Law from nutrient pore water profiles. Nutrient concentrations were high in the north, especially the northeast and northwest sectors, reflecting human activities. Jiaozhou Bay was characterized by high nitrogen, but low phosphorus and silica concentrations compared to Chinese coastal seas. Based on nutrient atomic ratios, the limiting elements for phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay were silica and phosphorus. The fluxes of nutrients between sediment and overlying water varied depending on the specific nutrient, the site and redox conditions. Benthic nutrient fluxes based on sediment incubations were all lower than the estimated diffusive fluxes, implying that the nutrients released from sediment pore waters were probably utilized by benthic microalgal and bottom-water primary production. A preliminary estimate of nutrient budgets demonstrated that riverine and wastewater inputs were greater than atmospheric deposition into Jiaozhou Bay, except that nitrate from wastewater inputs was less than atmospheric deposition. Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus increased while silica decreased in the last four decades, similar to other eutrophicated estuaries. The resulting shift in nutrient composition in Jiaozhou Bay affects phytoplankton composition, trophic interactions, and sustainability of living resources.     

Phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing in the Sea of Okhotsk during late summer of 2006

The Sea of Okhotsk is one of the most productive marine basins in the world ocean and plays an important role in transport of organic carbon and iron to the western subarctic Pacific. We report the first measurements of phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing rates in the Sea of Okhotsk, in late summer of 2006. The study area can be divided into two areas: nutrient-sufficient waters on the continental shelf along the east coast of Sakhalin Island and in the vicinity of Bussol Strait, and surface nutrient-depleted waters beyond the shelf break and in the vicinity of Sakhalin Bay. Phytoplankton growth rate in the studied area was strongly affected by nutrient availability, with high phytoplankton growth rate (0.55±0.14 d^?1) in the nutrient-replete region and severely depressed growth (0.03±0.05 d^?1) in the nutrient-depleted region. On the other hand, microzooplankton grazing rates in both the nutrient-replete and nutrient-depleted regions were approximately the same (0.26±0.20 d^?1 vs. 0.27±0.24 d^?1). Consequently, microzooplankton grazing consumed <50% of the phytoplankton growth in nutrient-rich waters but >3 times the phytoplankton growth in nutrient-depleted waters. Phytoplankton physiological condition as measured by the maximum photochemical quantum efficiency (F_v/F_m) of algal photosystem II (PS II) showed a general trend in agreement with the in situ growth rate of phytoplankton. In contrast to the phytoplankton community, picophytoplankton, especially the cyanobacteria Synechococcus, showed no nutrient effect on their growth, and the growth and mortality rates were well balanced, suggesting that they have a low nutrient requirement and their biomass was controlled principally by microzooplankton grazing.     

Top-down control of spring surface phytoplankton blooms by microzooplankton in the Central Yellow Sea,China

Phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing were studied during the 2007 spring bloom in Central Yellow Sea. The surveyed stations were divided to pre-bloom phase (Chl a concentration less than 2 μg L⁻¹), and bloom phase (Chl a concentration greater than 2 μg L⁻¹). Shipboard dilution incubation experiments were carried out at 19 stations to determine the phytoplankton specific growth rates and the specific grazing rates of microzooplankton on phytoplankton. Diatoms dominated in the phytoplankton community in surface waters at most stations. For microzooplankton, Myrionecta rubra and tintinnids were dominant, and heterotrophic dinoflagellate was also important in the community. Phytoplankton-specific growth rates, with an average of 0.60±0.19 d⁻¹, were higher at pre-bloom stations (average 0.62±0.17 d⁻¹), and lower at the bloom stations (average 0.59±0.21 d⁻¹), but the difference of growth rates between bloom and pre-bloom stations was not statistically significant (t test, p=0.77). The phytoplankton mortality rate by microzooplankton grazing averaged 0.41±0.23 d⁻¹ at pre-bloom stations, and 0.58±0.31 d⁻¹ during the blooms. In contrast to the growth rates, the statistic difference of grazing rates between bloom and pre-bloom stations was significant (after removal of outliers, t test, p=0.04), indicating the importance of the top-down control in the phytoplankton bloom processes. Average potential grazing efficiency on primary productivity was 66% at pre-bloom stations and 98% at bloom stations, respectively. Based on our results, the biomass maximum phase (bloom phase) was not the maximum growth rate phase. Both phytoplankton specific growth rate and net growth rate were higher in the pre-bloom phase than during the bloom phase. Microzooplankton grazing mortality rate was positively correlated with phytoplankton growth rate during both phases, but growth and grazing were highly coupled during the booming phase. There was no correlation between phytoplankton growth rate and cell size during the blooms, but they were positive correlated during the pre-bloom phase. Our results indicate that microzooplankton grazing is an important process controlling the growth of phytoplankton in spring bloom period in the Central Yellow Sea, particularly in the “blooming” phase.     

胶州湾东北部养殖海域夏季营养盐分布特征及其对浮游植物生长的影响

以2000年夏季胶州湾东北部养殖海域(女姑山)的现场调查为基础,结合前3年的调查结果和相关的历史资料,对该海域夏季营养盐含量分布特征及其对浮游植物生长的可能限制因子进行了分析和探讨。研究结果表明,胶州湾东北部典型养殖海域夏季表层水体各种营养盐含量高于胶州湾全湾夏季及全年的平均值,铵氮是总溶解态无机氮的主要组成形态,硝态氮次之。该海域的环境因素适宜浮游植物的生长,相关分析显示:叶绿素a与pH及DO呈显著正相关,与PO4、SiO3、NH4、DIN呈负相关。通过分析营养盐对浮游植物生长的限制因素发现,该海域各种营养盐含量相对较高,无机氮不会成为浮游植物生长的限制因素,磷酸盐有限制的可能性,而浮游植物生长受控于硅酸盐的几率最大。     

Copepod grazing during spring blooms: Can Pseudocalanus newmani induce trophic cascades?

During late winter and spring of 2002 and 2003, 24 two- to three-day cruises were conducted to Dabob Bay, Washington State, USA, to examine the grazing, egg production, and hatching success rates of adult female Calanus pacificus and Pseudocalanus newmani. Here, we discuss the results of our grazing experiments for P. newmani. Each week, we conducted traditional microzooplankton dilution experiments and “copepod dilution” experiments, each from two different layers. Grazing was measured by changes in chlorophyll concentration and direct cell counts. Clearance rates on individual prey species, as calculated by cell counts, showed that Pseudocalanus are highly selective in their feeding, and may have much higher grazing rates on individual taxa than calculated from bulk chlorophyll disappearance. The grazing rates of the copepods, however, are typically an order of magnitude lower than the grazing rates of the microzooplankton community, or the growth rates of the phytoplankton. P. newmani ingested diatoms, but, at certain times fed preferentially on microzooplankton, such as ciliates, tintinnids, and larger dinoflagellates. Removal of the microzooplankton may have released the other phytoplankton species from grazing pressure, allowing those species’ abundance to increase, which was measured as an apparent “negative” grazing on those phytoplankton species. The net result of grazing on some phytoplankton species, while simultaneously releasing others from grazing pressure resulted in bulk chlorophyll-derived estimates of grazing which were essentially zero or slightly negative; thus bulk chlorophyll disappearance is a poor indicator of copepod grazing. Whether copepods can significantly release phytoplankton from the grazing pressure by microzooplankton in situ, thus causing a trophic cascade, remains to be verified, but is suggested by our study.     

Variability of nutrients and phytoplankton primary production in a shallow macrotidal coastal ecosystem (Arcachon Bay,France)

Seasonal and spatial variations of phytoplankton primary production were studied using a high frequency sampling strategy in the external (ENW) and internal (INW) part of Arcachon Bay, during 2002 and 2003. In order to better assess the availability of nutrients and their relationship with phytoplankton primary production, nutrient variability was studied in relation to environmental conditions and phytoplankton production. During winter, when primary production rates were the lowest, nutrient concentrations were maximal but did not show excessive levels compared to highly urbanised areas. Seasonal and spatial variations of nutrient concentrations (especially DIN-nitrate + nitrite + ammonium- and Si) were largely influenced by Leyre River loads coupled with high tidal exchange with the Atlantic Ocean creating a nutrient gradient between the INW and ENW. By February, diatom growth leads to an early severe nutrient depletion in the entire bay. Examination of nutrient ratios showed that the potential limiting nutrient during spring was P in 2003, and Si in 2002. During summer 2003, N and Si concentrations reached their lowest values, and nutrient ratios revealed a N-deficient environment, more pronounced in the INW. The high Si:N ratios during this period might be explained by (1) important N-uptake by all autotroph communities and (2) benthic-pelagic coupling with high Si regeneration. This study shows that nutrient levels in Arcachon Bay seem to play an important role in the control of phytoplankton primary production rates during the productive period and explain their spatial, seasonal and inter-annual variability. Our estimates of annual integrated phytoplankton primary production (103 g C m⁻² y⁻¹) place this bay within the low to moderate phytoplankton primary production systems.     

A three-dimensional water quality model and its application to Jiaozhou Bay, China

A three-dimensional coupled physical and water quality model was developed and applied to the Jiaozhou Bay to study water quality involving nutrients, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and phytoplankton that are closely related to eutrophication process. The physical model is a modified ECOM-si version with inclusion of flooding/draining processes over the intertidal zone. The water quality model is based on WASP5 which quantifies processes governing internal nutrients cycling, dissolved oxygen balance and phytoplankton growth. The model was used to simulate the spatial distribution and the temporal variation of water quality in the Jiaozhou Bay for the period of May 2005 to May 2006. In addition, the effect of reduction of riverine nutrients load was simulated and evaluated. The simulated results show that under the influence of nutrients discharged from river, the concentrations of nutrients and phytoplankton were higher in the northwest and northeast of the bay, and decreased from the inner bay to the outer. Affected by strong tidal mixing, the concentrations of all state variables were vertically homogeneous except in the deeper regions where a small gradient was found. Obvious seasonal variation of phytoplankton biomass was found, which exhibited two peaks in March and July, respectively. The variation of riverine waste loads had remarkable impact on nutrients concentration in coastal areas, but slightly altered the distribution in the center of the bay.