Study on the Impact of Offshore Pollution on Carbon Sinks in the South China Sea - Based on Data from Offshore Cities in the South China Sea

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jcte.202406412

Author(s)

Fengjing Han*

Affiliation(s)

Business School, lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China *Corresponding Author.

Abstract

This study aims to explore the impacts of offshore pollution in the South China Sea on the carbon sink function, focusing on the environmental context of coastal cities in Guangdong Province and their carbon sink ecosystem response mechanisms. The study shows that the current offshore areas of the South China Sea have a wide range of pollutants, mainly from industrial activities, agricultural practices and urban sewage discharges, and the continuous accumulation of these pollutants poses a significant threat to the marine ecosystem, leading to a significant weakening of the carbon sink function. By analysing empirical data from coastal cities in Guangdong Province, it was found that the structure and function of phytoplankton communities were disturbed by pollution, which in turn affected the process of atmosphere-ocean carbon exchange. Changes in carbon fluxes in sediments reflected the vulnerability of ecosystems such as coastal wetlands and mangrove forests under the pressure of carrying pollution. We further applied statistical analysis and model construction methods to systematically process the data samples to verify the negative effects of pollution on carbon sinks. The conclusions of this study call for the strengthening of regional environmental protection strategy and public environmental awareness, and the promotion of ecosystem restoration and protection to maintain the ecological security of the South China Sea and the sustainability of its carbon sinks.

Keywords

South China Sea; Carbon Sinks; Pollution; Guangdong Province; Heavy Metals; Eutrophication

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