Comprehensive analysis of the origin of giant jellyfish near Qinhuangdao in summer

• Published in: Chinese journal of oceanology and limnology Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 1061 - 1069
• Main Author: 吴玲娟 吴晓芬 白涛
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science Press 01.09.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Blooms; Bottom water; China; Computer simulation; Data analysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Estuaries; Estuarine dynamics; Fish; Hydrodynamics; Larvae; Marine invertebrates; Mathematical models; Modelling; Nemopilema nomurai; Ocean floor; Ocean models; Oceanography; Physics; Rivers; Scyphozoa; Sea surface; Sediments; Shoals; Simulation; spring; Summer; Surface water; Temperature (air-sea); Three dimensional models; Tides; winter; Yellow Sea; 夏季; 巨型; 成因; 数值模拟; 水母; 河口海域; 渤海海域; 秦皇岛; Qinhuangdao China; China; China, People's Republic, Hebei Province, Qinhuangdao; Bohai Sea; Yellow Sea; backward particle-tracking; giant jellyfish; Lagrangian method; Bohai Sea; numerical simulation
• ISSN: 0254-4059; 2096-5508; 1993-5005; 2523-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s00343-017-6083-8

A massive bloom of the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai occurred in waters offQinhuangdao, a port city in Hebei Province, in July 2013. However, jellyfish larvae were not found in this location during the previous winter and spring. To determine the possible origin of the giant jellyfish medusa in the Bohai Sea, we developed a backward particle-tracking model and a series of numerical simulations were conducted by using the hydrodynamic, three-dimensional Regional Ocean Modeling System （ROMS） results. The simulated results showed that passive particles, representing jellyfish medusae, released in surface waters at different dates during the summer had consistent trajectories. Particles released at the sea surface on August 1 and 15 could be traced back to the center of the Bohai Sea and to waters between Feiyan Shoal and the new Huanghe （Yellow） River estuary. Particles released on July 1 and 15 could also be traced back to the center of the Bohai Sea and to waters between Feiyan Shoal and only to Zhuangxi tide station. However, none of the particles released in the middle and bottom water layers could be traced back to those areas. Based on the results of the numerical simulations, the distribution characteristics of seafloor sediments, and observational data for giant jellyfish in the region, we suggest that waters between Feiyan Shoal and the new Huanghe River estuary are the likely origin of giant jellyfish observed near Qinhuangdao in summer.