TITLE:
Remote Sensing Assessment of Ecological Effects of Marine Ranching in the Eastern Guangdong Waters, China
AUTHORS:
Yanfeng Wang, Jing Yu, Pimao Chen
KEYWORDS:
Marine Ranching, Ecological Effects, Remote Sensing, Eastern Guangdong Waters, China
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.6 No.12,
December
14,
2018
ABSTRACT: This study aims to assess ecological effects of the construction of marine
ranching in the eastern Guangdong waters. Variations in sea surface temperature
(SST), chlorophyll a concentration (Chl-a), catch per unit effort
(CPUE), biodiversity, biomass and density of benthos were compared during
the pre- (August in 2011) and post- (August in 2013) marine ranching. These
were based on satellite remote sensing and survey data. Results showed that
the ratio of Nitrogen (N): Phosphorus (P) was closed to 16, Chl-a increased
from 7.5 - 12.3 mg·m-3 to 10.4 - 16.2 mg·m-3, and CPUE increased from 2.1 -
5.5 kg·h-1 to 5.8 - 14.5 kg·h-1. The species number of fish, crustaceans, cephalopods
and shellfish increased by 25, 3, 2 and 3 respectively. Shannon-Wiener
biodiversity index of fish, crustaceans, cephalopods and shellfish increased by
0.5, 0.4, 0.1 and 1.0 respectively. Both biomass and density of benthos increased
also. The construction of marine ranching in the eastern Guangdong
had restored the habitat to some extent, and played positive effects in the
conservation and proliferation of fishery resources in local area.