Skip to main content

An optical remote sensing approach for ecological monitoring of red and green Noctiluca scintillans

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 189, Article number: 330 (2017) Cite this article

Abstract

An ecosystem disruptive bloom of red Noctiluca scintillans (hereafter Noctiluca) was observed in coastal waters of the north-western Bay of Bengal during April 2014. Based on the principle of phytoplankton group/species specific remote sensing reflectance (Rrs), a technique of detecting green Noctiluca and diatom was developed earlier using Rrs at 443, 488, and 531 nm of Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer-Aqua (MODIS). This was appropriately modified to detect bloom of red Noctiluca in coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal. Additional Rrs data at longer wavelengths viz. 667 and 678 nm were included in the existing algorithm, and the spectral shapes were accounted to detect the bloom of red Noctiluca. The classification scheme discriminates red Noctiluca from the green form of the same species and diatom. Phytoplankton group/species products were generated using the modified approach and validated with the reported events of red and green Noctiluca blooms in the Indian coastal waters. The present study also highlights two specific results based on MODIS retrieved time-series phytoplankton group/species image analysis: first, the observation of coexistence of diatom, red, and green Noctiluca in coastal waters of the north-western Bay of Bengal, and the second, phytoplankton community shift resulting in red/green Noctiluca proliferation following diatom.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

References

  • Anderson, D. M., Glibert, P. M., & Burkholder, J. M. (2002). Harmful algal blooms and eutrophication: Nutrient sources, composition, and consequences. Estuaries, 25, 704–726.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Astoreca, R., Rousseau, V., Ruddick, K., Van Mol, B., Parent, J. Y., & Lancelot, C. (2005). Optical properties of algal blooms in an eutrophicated coastal area and its relevance to remote sensing. In Optics & Photonics 2005. International Society for Optics and Photonics.

  • Balch, W. M., & Haxo, F. T. (1984). Spectral properties of Noctiluca miliaris Suriray, a heterotrophic dinoflagellate. Journal of Plankton Research, 6(3), 515–525.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baliarsingh, S. K., Lotliker, A. A., Trainer, V. L., Wells, M. L., Parida, C., Sahu, B. K., et al. (2016). Environmental dynamics of red Noctiluca scintillans bloom in tropical coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 111(1–2), 277–286.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buskey, E. J. (1995). Growth and bioluminescence of Noctiluca scintillans on varying algal diets. Journal of Plankton Research, 17, 29–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dela-Cruz, J., Ajani, P., Lee, R., Pritchard, T., & Suthers, I. (2002). Temporal abundance patterns of the red tide dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans along the southeast coast of Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 236, 75–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devassy, V. P. (1989). Red tide discoloration and its impact on fisheries. In T. Okaichi, D. M. Anderson, & T. Nemoto (Eds.), Red tides: Biology, environmental Science, and toxicology (pp. 57–60). Netherlands: Elsevier Science Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwivedi, R., Rafeeq, M., Smitha, B. R., Padmakumar, K. B., Thomas, L. C., Sanjeevan, et al. (2015). Species identification of mixed algal bloom in the northern Arabian Sea using remote sensing techniques. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187(2), 1–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dwivedi, R., Priyaja, P., Rafeeq, M., & Sudhakar, M. (2016). MODIS-Aqua detects Noctiluca scintillans and hotspots in the central Arabian Sea. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 188(1), 1–11.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eashwar, M. T., Nallathambi, K. K., & Govindarajan, G. (2001). Noctiluca blooms in Port Blair Bay, Andamans. Current Science, 81(2), 203–205.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elbrachter, M., & Qi, Z. Y. (1998). Aspect of Noctiluca (Dinophyceae) population dynamics. In D. M. Anderson, A. D. Cembella, & M. G. In Hallegraeff (Eds.), Physiological ecology of harmful algal blooms. NATO ASI series (Vol. 41, pp. 315–335), Berlin: Springer.

  • Gomes, H. D. R., Joaquim, I. G., Matondkar, S. G. P., Edward, J. B., Basu, S., Parab, S., et al. (2014). Massive outbreaks of Noctiluca scintillans blooms in the Arabian Sea due to spread of hypoxia. Nature, 5, 4862. doi:10.1038/ncomms5862.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gopakumar, G., Sulochanan, B., & Venkatesan, V. (2009). Bloom of Noctiluca scintillans (Macartney) in gulf of Mannar, southeast coast of India. Journal Marine Biological Association of India, 51(1), 75–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, P. J., Furuya, K., Glibert, P. M., Xu, J., Liu, H. B., Yin, K., et al. (2011). Geographical distribution of red and green Noctiluca scintillans. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 29(4), 807–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiorboe, T. (1998). Intensive aggregate formation with low flux during an upwelling-induced diatom bloom. Limnology and Oceanography, 43, 104–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiϕrboe, T., & Titelman, J. (1998). Feeding, prey selection and prey encounter mechanisms in the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans. Journal of Plankton Research, 20(8), 1615–1636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madhu, N. V., Jyothibabu, R., Maheswaran, P. A., Jayaraj, K. A., & Achuthankutty, C. T. (2012). Enhanced chlorophyll a and primary production in the northern Arabian Sea during the spring intermonsoon due to green Noctiluca (N. scintillans) bloom. Marine Biology Research, 8, 182–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohanty, A. K., Satpathy, K. K., Sahu, G., Sasmal, S. K., Sahu, B. K., & Panigrahy, R. C. (2007). Red tide of Noctiluca scintillans and its impact on the coastal water quality of the near-shore waters, off the Rushikulya River, bay of Bengal. Current Science, 93(5), 616–618.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura, Y. (1998). Biomass, feeding and production of Noctiluca scintillans in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Journal of Plankton Research, 20, 213–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naqvi, S. W. A., George, M. D., Narvekar, P. V., Jayakumar, D. A., Shailaja, M. S., Sardesai, S., et al. (1998). Severe fish mortality associated with ‘red tide’ observed in the sea off cochin. Current Science, 75, 543–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Padmakumar, K. B., SreeRenjima, G., Fanimol, C. L., Menon, N. R., & Sanjeevan, V. N. (2010). Preponderance of heterotrophic Noctiluca scintillans during a multi-species diatom bloom along the southwest coast of India. International Journal of Oceans and Oceanography, 4(1), 55–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Padmakumar, K. B., Lathika, C. T., Vimalkumar, K. G., Asha Devi, C. R., Maneesh, T. P., Vijayan, A., et al. (2016). Hydrobiological responses of the north eastern Arabian Sea during late winter and early spring inter-monsoons and the repercussions on open ocean blooms. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. doi:10.1017/S0025315416000795.

  • Sahayak, S., Jyothibabu, R., Jayalakshmi, K. J., Habeebrehman, H., Sabu, P., Prabhakaran, M. P., et al. (2005). Red tide of Noctiluca miliaris off south of Thiruvananthapuram subsequent to the ‘stench event’ at the southern Kerala coast. Current Science, 89(9), 1472–1473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaumann, K., Gerdes, D., & Hesse, K. J. (1988). Hydrographic and biological characteristics of a Noctiluca scintillans red tide in the German bight. (1984). Meeresforschung, 32, 77–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schott, F. A., & McCreary, J. P. (2001). The monsoon circulation of the Indian Ocean. Progress in Oceanography, 51(1), 1–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, A., & Shanmugam, P. (2012). An algorithm for classification of algal blooms using MODIS-Aqua data in oceanic waters around India. Advances in Remote Sensing, 1(02), 35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sulochanan, B., Dineshbabu, A. P., Saravanan, R., Subramanya, B. G., & Lavanya, S. (2014). Occurrence of Noctiluca scintillans bloom off Mangalore in the Arabian Sea. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 61(1), 42–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiselius, P., & Kiorboe, T. (1998). Colonization of diatom aggregates by the dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans. Limnology and Oceanography, 43, 154–159.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Mol, B., Ruddick, K., Astoreca, R., Park, Y., & Nechad, B. (2007). Optical detection of a Noctiluca scintillans bloom. EARSeL eProc, 6(2), 130–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinayachandran, P. N., & Mathew, S. (2003). Phytoplankton bloom in the bay of Bengal during the northeast monsoon and its intensification by cyclones. Geophysical Research Letters, 30(11).

  • Zakaria, A. M., & Ibrahim, M. (2007). First report on Noctiluca scintillans blooms in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia: Consequences of eutrophication. Oceanologia, 49(3), 337–351.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Access of MODIS data from Ocean Color Web (http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov) supported by the Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is gratefully acknowledged. Facilities of Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) sponsored Satellite Coastal and Oceanographic Research (SATCORE) program to Berhampur University, Odisha have been availed for in situ observations. Thanks are also extended to CMLRE for providing in situ datasets collected onboard FORV Sagar Sampada.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, 500090, India

    S. K. Baliarsingh, R. M. Dwivedi, Aneesh A. Lotliker, T. Srinivasa Kumar & S. S. C. Shenoi

  2. Department of Marine Sciences, Behrampur University, Odisha, 760007, India

    K. C. Sahu

Authors
  1. S. K. Baliarsingh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. M. Dwivedi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aneesh A. Lotliker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. C. Sahu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T. Srinivasa Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. S. C. Shenoi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. M. Dwivedi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Baliarsingh, S.K., Dwivedi, R.M., Lotliker, A.A. et al. An optical remote sensing approach for ecological monitoring of red and green Noctiluca scintillans . Environ Monit Assess 189, 330 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6037-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6037-9

Keywords

  • Algal bloom
  • Diatom
  • Red Noctiluca
  • Green Noctiluca
  • Remote sensing
  • Bay of Bengal