Factors influencing the distribution of Chl-a along coastal waters of East Peninsular Malaysia

F. Shaari, and M.A. Mustapha, (2017) Factors influencing the distribution of Chl-a along coastal waters of East Peninsular Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 46 (8). pp. 1191-1200. ISSN 0126-6039

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Official URL: http://www.ukm.my/jsm/malay_journals/jilid46bil8_2...

Abstract

Determination of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) distribution in the coastal waters is important to understand the coastal environmental conditions. This study was conducted to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of Chl-a along coastal waters of east Peninsular Malaysia and factors influencing its variability using Chl-a data derived from Aqua MODIS satellite (1 km spatial resolution) from January 2006 to December 2012. Chl-a variability was described using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. In-situ data (temperature, salinity, density and nitrate) and rainfall data from the Department of Meteorology were analyzed using spatial interpolation to determine factors influencing the distribution of Chl-a. The seasonal progressions of Chl-a showed high value during northeast monsoon along the coast. This variability was described by four modes of the EOF analysis. The first mode (72.08% of total variance) indicated seasonal cycle with high variability along the coast. Second mode (17.03% of variance) explained the northeast monsoon with high variability from river mouth to the south. Third mode (2.39% of variance) indicated variability during southwest monsoon along the coast and much higher to the south. Mode 4 (1.93% of variance) explained the inter-monsoon period observed along the northern and southern coastline. Concentration and distribution of Chl-a were related to availability of nutrient influenced by rainfall. The thermohaline front was also observed to play an important role in accumulation of phytoplankton biomass during northeast and southwest monsoon.

Item Type:Article
Keywords:Chl-a; Coastal waters; Empirical orthogonal function (EOF); Nitrate
Journal:Sains Malaysiana
ID Code:11138
Deposited By: ms aida -
Deposited On:18 Dec 2017 23:53
Last Modified:21 Dec 2017 05:19

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