Spatiotemporal variability of surface particulate organic carbon distributions in the Yellow Sea: multi-temporal scale analysis and environmental controls

Yujie SHENG; Chunli LIU; Bei SU; Qicheng MENG; Muhsan Ali KALHORO; Zhiyuan HE; Min LI

doi:10.1007/s00343-026-5404-1

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Spatiotemporal variability of surface particulate organic carbon distributions in the Yellow Sea: multi-temporal scale analysis and environmental controls

Updated：2026-07-20

- Spatiotemporal variability of surface particulate organic carbon distributions in the Yellow Sea: multi-temporal scale analysis and environmental controls
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Pages: 1-15(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
  2.Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
  3.State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou 310012, China
  4.Observation and Research Station of Yangtze River Delta Marine Ecosystems, Ministry of Natural Resources, Zhoushan 316022, China
  5.Faculty of Marine Sciences, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal 90150, Pakistan
- Author bio：
  
  chunliliu@sdu.edu.cn
  bei.su@sdu.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-026-5404-1
  CLC：
- Received：19 October 2025，
  
  Online First：20 July 2026，
- Accepted：
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SHENG Yujie,LIU Chunli,SU Bei,et al.Spatiotemporal variability of surface particulate organic carbon distributions in the Yellow Sea: multi-temporal scale analysis and environmental controls[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,
DOI：

SHENG Yujie,LIU Chunli,SU Bei,et al.Spatiotemporal variability of surface particulate organic carbon distributions in the Yellow Sea: multi-temporal scale analysis and environmental controls[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, DOI：.

摘要

Abstract

Particulate organic carbon (POC) is critical to the coastal carbon cycle of the Yellow Sea (YS)

a typical marginal sea

but its interannual-to-multiyear variability and driving mechanisms remain unclear due to the limitations of traditional linear or single-factor analyses. To address this gap

we employed model-derived surface POC data from 2003 to 2023 and wavelet coherence analysis to investigate POC variability and regulating mechanisms at multi-scales in the YS. The dominant spatiotemporal mode of surface POC exhibits pronounced seasonality

a consistent coastal-offshore gradient (higher in coastal waters)

and a spring maximum

which is regulated by the seasonal alternation controlled by coastal production or input and offshore stratification or ventilation. Wavelet analysis reveals distinct subregional differences in driving mechanisms of POC variability a

t interannual-to-multiyear scales. Colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is the optimal single driver in most subregions

while sea surface temperature (SST) dominates in the Southern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (SYSCWM). Specific optimal multi-factor combinations include CDOM+sea surface wind speed (SSW) in the Northern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (NYSCWM)

chlorophyll

(Chl

)+Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR)+partial pressure of carbon dioxide (

) in the SYSCWM

CDOM+Chl

+suspended matter (SPM) in the Jiangsu Shoal (JSS) and CDOM+sea surface salinity (SSS) in the Changjiang River estuary (CRE). These findings clarify the subregional heterogeneity of POC variability and its driving mechanisms in the YS at interannual-to-multiyear scales

and provide a robust scientific basis for accurate regional carbon budget assessments and the optimization of marine numerical models.

关键词

Keywords

references

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