Open AccessPaleoecological evidence for decadal increase in phytoplankton biomass off northwestern Australia in response to climate change
Author(s) -
Yuan Zineng,
Liu Dongyan,
Keesing John K.,
Zhao Meixun,
Guo Shixin,
Peng Yajun,
Zhang Hailong
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.3836
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , environmental science , dinoflagellate , diatom , oceanography , climate change , sea surface temperature , biomass (ecology) , global warming , effects of global warming on oceans , climatology , ecology , nutrient , geology , biology
Ocean warming can modify the phytoplankton biomass on decadal scales. Significant increases in sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall in the northwest of Australia over recent decades are attributed to climate change. Here, we used four biomarker proxies (TEX 86 index, long‐chain n ‐alkanes, brassicasterol, and dinosterol) to reconstruct approximately 60‐year variations of SST, terrestrial input, and diatom and dinoflagellate biomass in the coastal waters of the remote Kimberley region. The results showed that the most significant increases in SST and terrestrial input occurred since 1997, accompanied by an abrupt increase in diatom and dinoflagellate biomasses. Compared with the results before 1997, the average TEX 86 H temperature during 1997–2011 increased approximately 1°C, rainfall increased 248.2 mm, brassicasterol and dinosterol contents increased 8.5 and 1.7 times. Principal component analysis indicated that the warming SST played a more important role in the phytoplankton increase than increased rainfall and river discharge.