Long-term correlation analysis between water quality and plankton abundance in the Yun-Lin reclamation industrial area, Taiwan

To access the influence of development Yun-Lin reclamation industrial area on local eco-environment system, we used principal component analysis method to extract river and sea water quality variation trends, and then used time series cross correlation analysis method to study the relationships between river water quality, sea water quality, phytoplankton abundance and zooplankton abundance. The results revealed: (1)Both river and sea water quality trends declined slowly during land reclamation period; after this period their trends turned into slow rise and restored to original level after year 2004; (2) Both river and sea water quality had significant influences on phytoplankton abundance variations, the response of phytoplankton to river water quality change was instant, but the response to sea water quality change had time delay for 2 to 3 quarter; (3) Phytoplankton abundance would influence sea water quality in next quarter; (4) The major effect on zooplankton abundance change was phytoplankton abundance, the influences of water quality to zooplankton abundance were mainly via phytoplankton stratum.