Water temperature dynamics and influencing factor analysis in Yangtze Estuary, China

Estuaries are located at the interface between terrestrial and marine environments, and they are valuable aquatic ecosystems. Water temperature is an important environmental factor affecting estuarine ecosystems. Atmospheric, riverine, and marine forcings govern water temperature dynamics in estuaries. Given the complex hydrodynamic conditions (e.g., tides, waves, and runoff) in estuarine environments, it is still a challenge to well understand estuarine water temperature distributions and variations at different spatial and temporal scales. Recently, many methods (e.g., numerical modeling, remote sensing, and field observation) have been applied in studies of estuarine water temperature dynamics. The main objective of this study is to investigate water temperature dynamics and associated influencing factors in the Yangtze Estuary. The used methods are introduced in detail, including the data collection and model setup (i.e., the Delft3D model). Then, the distributions of estuarine water temperature, variations in heat flux, and contributions of influencing factors to estuarine water temperature variations are analyzed. In addition, the roles of influencing factors in estuarine water temperature, implications for estuarine ecosystems, and limitations of this study are discussed. We hope this study can advance understanding of estuarine water temperature dynamics and provide implications for management of estuarine ecosystems.