The baseline of coral reef water quality in Xisha Islands waters of South China Sea under southwest monsoon

The Xisha Islands, located off Sanya, South China Sea, are a group of islands administered by Hainan Province of the People's Republic of China. Due to little human activity, they are well preserved. Such conditions suggest that changes in ecosystem are mostly related to natural behavior. A baseline of water quality was established in May and July, 2012. The results of multivariate analysis showed changes in nutrients as the most significant variable in describing water quality. Hydrologic heterogeneity showed little change, but temporal characteristics presented distinguishable variations. This information may be valuable for socioeconomic development and human health in Xisha island waters.