Articles | Volume 22, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-3347-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-3347-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Oct 2026
Research article |
| 21 Oct 2026
| 21 Oct 2026
Contrasting physical drivers of chlorophyll a responses to summer marine heatwaves in the South China Sea
Yunlu Fang
Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572000, China
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Sensing & Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, 316021, China
Hainan Provincial Observatory of Ecological Environment and Fishery Resource in Yazhou Bay, Sanya, 572025, China
Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572000, China
Hainan Provincial Observatory of Ecological Environment and Fishery Resource in Yazhou Bay, Sanya, 572025, China
Yicheng Chen
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Sensing & Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, 316021, China
Peiliang Li
Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572000, China
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Sensing & Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, 316021, China
Hainan Provincial Observatory of Ecological Environment and Fishery Resource in Yazhou Bay, Sanya, 572025, China
Mingyang Li
Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572000, China
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Sensing & Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, 316021, China
Hainan Provincial Observatory of Ecological Environment and Fishery Resource in Yazhou Bay, Sanya, 572025, China
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Jing Sheng, Cong Liu, Yanzhen Gu, Peiliang Li, Fangguo Zhai, and Ning Zhou
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Short summary
Short summary
The homogeneous water column, named mode water, retains atmosphere conditions and biogeochemical elements from the deep winter mixed layer and became weaker and warmer in the North Pacific subtropical ocean in 2018–2021 even though the Kuroshio Extension was stable. Locally anomalous east wind transporting warm water to the north and enhanced near-surface stratification hinder the deepening of the winter mixed layer. This study has broad implications for climate change and biogeochemical cycles.
Ruili Sun, Peiliang Li, Yanzhen Gu, Fangguo Zhai, Yunwei Yan, Bo Li, and Yang Zhang
Ocean Sci., 18, 717–728, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-717-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-717-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Previous studies show that only when water flows into and out of the Luzon Strait (LS), material and energy exchange between the South China Sea (SCS) and the Northwest Pacific (NWP) will take place. However, our studies demonstrate that mesoscale eddies in the NWP can transfer vorticity to mesoscale eddies in the SCS, without water exchange in the LS. This provides a new perspective for the study of material and energy exchange between the SCS and NWP.
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Short summary
Marine heatwaves, periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures, are often linked to variations of chlorophyll-a, but ocean ecosystems are shaped by many processes. Using satellite and reanalysis data and causal analysis, we studied changes in the South China Sea. Chlorophyll-a decreased off Vietnam and increased near the Pearl River Estuary. The main drivers were weaker upward nutrient transport off Vietnam and stronger river-water retention near the estuary, not these warm events alone.
Marine heatwaves, periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures, are often linked to variations...
