Nitrogen enrichment ameliorates the stimulatory effects of reduced salinity on photosynthesis and growth of phytoplankton assemblages in the northern South China sea

Anthropogenic activities and climate change are exacerbating the occurrence of extreme rainfall that normally brings large amounts of nutrient-rich freshwater from the land to the sea, resulting in acute salinity decrease and nutrient increase. To evaluate the effects of such changes in salinity and nutrients, we tracked the changes in photosynthetic efficiency and growth of phytoplankton assemblages from the northern South China Sea at 5 salinity levels and at an intermediate salinity level with 3 or 4 nitrogen concentrations. The results showed that the reduction of salinity reduced the maximum photochemical quantum yield (FV/FM) of photosystem II of phytoplankton within a short-term cultivation (i.e. 24-72 h), followed by a stimulatory effect. The reducing effect of reduced salinity lasted longer in the nearshore area than in the offshore area, so the stimulatory effect occurred later in the former area. Nitrogen enrichment mitigated the negative effect of reduced salinity in short-term cultivation and showed a positive effect on FV/FM in long-term cultivation. Moreover, both reduced salinity and enriched nitrogen stimulated phytoplankton growth after an acclimation period. Our results suggest that the reduced salinity stresses phytoplankton in the short term, which is mitigated by nitrogen enrichment, but benefits them in the long term. This sheds light on how phytoplankton thrive and even flourish in coastal or estuarine environments where salinity and nutrients typically covary strongly after extreme rainfall.

Automated summary

Anthropogenic activities and climate change contribute to extreme rainfall, resulting in decreased salinity and increased nutrient concentration in the sea. This study examined the effects of reduced salinity and enriched nitrogen on the photosynthetic efficiency and growth of phytoplankton. The findings suggest that reduced salinity initially stresses phytoplankton, but nitrogen enrichment mitigates this stress and promotes their long-term growth.