Factors controlling nitrous oxide in the inner Pearl River Estuary, Northern South China Sea

Authors

  • You-Shao Wang State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Mei-Lin Wu State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Ji-Rong Xu State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Cui-Ci Sun State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Jun-De Dong State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Yu-Tu Wang State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Fu-Lin Sun State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China

Keywords:

anthropogenic activities, principal component analysis, cluster analysis, the Northern South China Sea

Abstract

Chemometrics coupling geographic information system (GIS) was applied to investigate the spatial distribution patterns of nitrous oxide in the water column, its relation with environmental factors and to identify spatial human impacts on local scales. N2O concentrations in both the surface and bottom waters of the inner Pearl River Estuary had obvious variability along the Pearl River. The spatial variation in distribution of N2O concentration in the inner Pearl River Estuary was influenced by freshwater discharge along salinity gradients, which highlights the effects of human impacts on N2O emission rates. Principal component analysis recognized human impacts and their affected areas. The primary anthropogenic source in the area was domestic sewage. Cluster analysis further confirmed the results of principal component analysis. Moreover, GIS-based spatial analysis facilitated chemometrics.

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Published

2012-04-01

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2012): Linkages of lakes, rivers, estuaries and oceans: Asia-Pacific focus

Section

Research article

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