Decoding environmental regimes and spring phytoplankton bloom occurrence in the central Yellow Sea.

ABSTRACT: Phytoplankton blooms, defined as a periods of high biomass, are key indicators of climate-driven ocean responses. Shifts in their timing and magnitude can substantially alter the marine ecosystem, yet the environmental regimes governing bloom development remain poorly constrained. We analyzed long-term environmental data (2003-2023) from the Central Yellow Sea (CYS) to decode the drivers of the spring phytoplankton bloom (SPB), which is defined into four developmental stages based on changes in chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). A machine-learning decision tree (DT) was employed to identify specific quantitative critical thresholds associated with each phase. Results show that the SPB initial stage represented low-light intensity in early-April. The peak stage was determined by strong-light intensity;

SUBMITTER: Baek JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12909990 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature