Ecosystem dynamics of the Pacific-influenced Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas in the Amerasian Arctic

The shallow continental shelves and slope of the Amerasian Arctic are strongly influenced by nutrient-rich Pacific waters advected over the shelves from the northern Bering Sea into the Arctic Ocean. These high-latitude shelf systems are highly productive both as the ice melts and during the open-water period. The duration and extent of seasonal sea ice, seawater temperature and water mass structure are critical controls on water column production, organic carbon cycling and pelagic–benthic coupling. Short food chains and shallow depths are characteristic of high productivity areas in this region, so changes in lower trophic levels can impact higher trophic organisms rapidly, including pelagic- and benthic-feeding marine mammals and seabirds. Subsistence harvesting of many of these animals is locally important for human consumption. The vulnerability of the ecosystem to environmental change is thought to be high, particularly as sea ice extent declines and seawater warms. In this review, we focus on ecosystem dynamics in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas, with a more limited discussion of the adjoining Pacific-influenced eastern section of the East Siberian Sea and the western section of the Beaufort Sea. Both primary and secondary production are enhanced in specific regions that we discuss here, with the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas sustaining some of the highest water column production and benthic faunal soft-bottom biomass in the world ocean. In addition, these organic carbon-rich Pacific waters are periodically advected into low productivity regions of the nearshore northern Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska and sometimes into the East Siberian Sea, all of which have lower productivity on an annual basis. Thus, these near shore areas are intimately tied to nutrients and advected particulate organic carbon from the Pacific influenced Bering Shelf-Anadyr water. Given the short food chains and dependence of many apex predators on sea ice, recent reductions in sea ice in the Pacific-influenced sector of the Arctic have the potential to cause an ecosystem reorganization that may alter this benthic-oriented system to one more dominated by pelagic processes.     

白令海及西北冰洋有机质来源与新鲜程度的脂肪酸指示

白令海、西北冰洋等高生产力海域在北冰洋"生物泵"中起到重要作用;海水升温、海冰消退等北极快速变化,将强烈影响该海域"生物泵"的结构与规模,并在沉积物中有机质的来源与新鲜程度上有所体现,可用脂肪酸加以指征。对第五次、第六次中国北极科学考察在以上海域采集的表层沉积物进行脂肪酸含量(以沉积物干重计)及组成分析,结果显示楚科奇海陆架总脂肪酸含量非常高((97.15±55.31)μg/g),白令海盆最低((15.00±1.30)μg/g),加拿大海盆、楚科奇海陆坡、白令海陆架居中(分别为(88.65±3.52)μg/g,(70.35±11.32)μg/g与(38.28±14.89)μg/g)。海源脂肪酸占总脂肪酸比例最高(86.82%±7.08%),陆源次之(8.45%±6.62%),细菌最低(4.63%±2.24%);硅藻指数(16:1ω9/16:0)在楚科奇海陆架(> 0.82)、白令海陆架边缘(> 0.65)较高,其他区域均较低。脂肪酸结果表明:(1)该海域沉积有机质主要来自海源,陆源贡献小;在北部、南部楚科奇海陆架、白令海陆架边缘,硅藻生物量占主要优势;细菌脂肪酸比例显著低于...     

楚科奇海海冰周年变化特征及其主要关联因素

利用1999年美国国家冰雪资料中心的各种卫星遥感综合分析数据对楚科奇海海冰周年变化进行详细分析，将全年的海冰变化过程分成密集冰封期、东岸融化期、单湾结构期、双湾结构期、三湾结构期、全线北撤期、南进封闭期、全面冻结期8个阶段。海冰冻结期仅2个月，海冰融化期持续4～5个月，说明融冰过程的吸热是个漫长的过程。太平洋与北冰洋海面高度差形成的正压压强梯度力是白令海水进入北冰洋的主要动力，白令海水进入冰下形成的暖水海冰边缘区是海冰融化的重要机制。白令海水在楚科奇海扩散过程受到海底地形产生的Taylor柱效应的显著影响，使其产生绕过浅滩，沿海谷流动，在海谷的方向上输送更多的水体和热量的现象，形成海冰融化的湾状结构。楚科奇海的局地风场也是海冰形态变化的重要因素之一。局地风场在冬季阻碍白令海水的入流，而在夏季促进白令海水的入流。     

The distribution of the carbonate parameters in the waters of Anadyr Bay of the Bering Sea and in the western part of the Chukchi Sea

The distribution of the total alkalinity (TA), the total inorganic carbon (TCO₂), the calcium (Ca), and the CO₂ partial pressure in the waters of the northwestern Bering Sea (Anadyr Bay) and in the western part of the Chukchi Sea is considered according to the data obtained in August–September 2002. It is shown that the areas treated were sinks of atmospheric CO₂ in the summer of 2002: the total CO₂ exchange between the atmosphere and the seawater was equal to about −20 mmol C/(m² day). The net community production according to the TCO₂ decrease in the upper photic layer in the west of the Chukchi Sea and in the Anadyr Bay waters amounted to 48 ± 12 and 72 ± 18 g C/(m² year), respectively. The comparison with historical data allows one to tell about the pronounced increase of the TCO₂, TA, and Ca concentrations in the waters of Anadyr Bay and in the western part of the Chukchi Sea in the summer 2002. The processes that might have caused the changes observed are the enrichment of the estuarine waters in marine salts under the ice formation in winter and the decrease of the supply of the waters of the Bering Slope Current to the northwestern part of the Bering Sea.     

西伯利亚极地海域表层沉积硅藻分布特征及其与海洋环境变量的相关性研究

北冰洋西伯利亚陆架海是北极气候快速变化最为显著的海域之一,而沉积硅藻作为极地海洋生态系统的重要组成部分,对环境变化具有敏感的响应。对楚科奇海、东西伯利亚海和拉普捷夫海表层沉积物开展了硅藻组成鉴定,利用典型对应分析方法分析了硅藻属种与1986～2015年环境变量之间的关系。结果表明,夏季和秋季海冰密集度、表层海水盐度是影响研究区表层硅藻分布特征最主要的因素。此外,根据表层站位与环境变量的典型对应分析,可将西伯利亚极地海域划分为4个区域,分别为海冰硅藻组合带、暖水硅藻组合带、沿岸硅藻组合带和混合硅藻组合带。这些表层站位的分区与相应区域的海流模式有明显的相关性,海冰硅藻组合带仅分布于研究区北部的高纬度地区;暖水硅藻组合带位于受白令水和太平洋海水的分支——阿拉斯加沿岸水影响为主的区域;拉普捷夫海南部的沿岸硅藻组合带则受到河流径流和西伯利亚沿岸流的强烈影响;混合硅藻组合带受极地冷水、海冰覆盖、太平洋暖水和陆地径流的共同影响。     

西北冰洋表层沉积物中生源和陆源粗组分及其沉积环境

通过中国第1至第3次北极科学考察在北冰洋西部所采集的99个表层沉积物中生源与陆源粗组分的分析,研究了该海域表层生产力的变化,有机质来源以及陆源粗颗粒物质的输入方式和影响因素.研究区域生源组分所反映的表层生产力变化与通过白令海峡进入楚科奇海的3股太平洋洋流密切相关.楚科奇海西侧高盐高营养盐的阿纳德尔流流经区域,表层生产力...     

早全新世白令海北部陆坡沉积环境快速变化

理解增暖背景下海洋环境的演化过程是海洋学和气候学一项重要的研究内容。在地质时期,地球经历了多次增暖时段（包括早全新世）,这为认识海洋环境演化过程提供了重要参考。早全新世全球气候经历了快速增暖,并伴随着冰原融化和海平面快速上升,对包括白令海在内的高纬边缘海的沉积过程和海洋环境产生显著影响。白令海发育宽阔的大陆架,毗邻北美大陆,接受来自育空河、阿纳德尔河和库斯科维姆河物质的供给。目前我们对白令海如何响应早全新世气候的认识还存在明显不足。本研究对位于白令海北部陆坡LV63-19-3岩心沉积物中陆源碎屑组份进行了高分辨率调查,结合沉积年龄模型,研究了早中全新世（距今11.7～5.5 ka）白令海北部陆坡陆源沉积演化过程。研究结果显示,在距今11.5～11 ka,白令海北部陆坡沉积速率高达392.9 cm/ka,在距今约9.7 ka以后降至17.2 cm/ka。在距今11～10.7 ka,发现一层厚约40 cm的暗色纹层状沉积层。在高沉积速率时段,沉积物平均粒径较细,距今9 ka以来平均粒径逐渐增大。主微量元素分析结果表明,陆源碎屑沉积物母岩性质以长英质沉积物为主,并存在少量火山碎屑源贡献。白令海北部陆坡高沉积速率事件对应于冰原融水脉冲（MWP）-1B事件（距今11.4～11.1 ka）,并导致白令海陆坡硅质生产力勃发。在距今11～10.7 ka研究区春夏季海冰覆盖增加抑制表层水体氧供给,夏、秋季持续冰川融水和高表层生产力进一步加剧了水体层化和海洋内部消耗,共同促进了纹层状沉积层的形成。距今9 ka以来白令海季节性海冰活动增强,但是陆源碎屑物质质量累积速率则逐渐减小,表明随着海平面上升,供给到研究区的陆源物质减少。我们认为早全新世白令海北部陆坡沉积环境快速变化是海平面、冰融水脉冲事件和季节性海冰活动共同作用的结果,实际上受高纬日射量、北美大陆冰原融化和全球气候变化控制。     

Determination of the chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> concentration by MODIS-Aqua and VIIRS satellite radiometers in Eastern Arctic and Bering Sea

The waters of the Bering and Chukchi seas, as well as the De Long Strait, are investigated based on the data obtained in August 2013 during the scientific expedition of the Far Eastern Floating University on the research vessel Professor Khlyustin. Chlorophyll a concentrations calculated from MODIS-Aqua and VIIRS satellite data by ocean color and obtained by means of shipboard flow-through fluorometric measurements are comparatively analyzed. Vessel data are corrected for standard spectrophotometric measurements and the vertical depth distribution of phytoplankton. It has been found that, in the waters of the Eastern Arctic, satellite radiometers showed overestimated chlorophyll a concentrations in the upper seawater layer visible from the satellite. This is associated with the additional contribution of colored dissolved organic matter in the sea surface color. In the De Long Strait, satellite measurements incorrectly estimate the depth integrated chlorophyll a concentration, since the bulk of phytoplankton cells at a chlorophyll a concentration of 10–20 g/L is at depths of 25–30 m with luminosity of 5%.     

Role of sea ice on satellite-observed chlorophyll-a concentration variations during spring bloom in the East/Japan sea

The relationship between the spring bloom along the Primorye coast and the sea ice of the Tatarskiy Strait in the northern region of the East/Japan Sea, a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the North Pacific, was investigated using the ten-year SeaWiFS chlorophyll-a concentration data and DMSP/SSMI sea ice concentration data from 1998 to 2007. Year-to-year variations in the chlorophyll-a concentrations in the spring were positively correlated with those of the sea ice concentrations in the Tatarskiy Strait in the previous winter with a correlation coefficient of 0.77. Abrupt increases in nutrients, essential for the spring bloom in the upper ocean during spring, were supplied from sea ice-melted waters. Time series of vertical distributions of the nutrients indicated that phosphate concentrations were extremely elevated in the upper ocean (less than 100 m) without any connection to high concentrations in the deep waters below. The water mass from sea ice provided preferable conditions for the spring bloom through changes in the vertical stratification structure of the water columns. Along-coast ratios of stability parameters between two neighboring months clearly showed the rapid progression of the generation of a shallow pycnocline due to fresh water originating from sea ice. This study addressed the importance of the physical environment for biogeochemical processes in semi-enclosed marginal seas affected by local sea ice.     

Variability of Ice Conditions of the Bering Sea and Assessment of Their Possible Modeling

Oceanology - Various aspects of the seasonal and interannual variability of the sea ice cover are estimated based on all available Bering Sea ice data from 1960 to 2017. The possibility of...     

Circulation on the north central Chukchi Sea shelf

Mooring and shipboard data collected between 1992 and 1995 delineate the circulation over the north central Chukchi shelf. Previous studies indicated that Pacific waters crossed the Chukchi shelf through Herald Valley (in the west) and Barrow Canyon (in the east). We find a third branch (through the Central Channel) onto the outer shelf. The Central Channel transport varies seasonally in phase with Bering Strait transport, and is 0.2 Sv on average, although some of this might include water entrained from the outflow through Herald Valley. A portion of the Central Channel outflow moves eastward and converges with the Alaskan Coastal Current at the head of Barrow Canyon. The remainder appears to continue northeastward over the central outer shelf toward the shelfbreak, joined by outflow from Herald Valley. The mean flow opposes the prevailing winds and is primarily forced by the sea-level slope between the Pacific and Arctic oceans. Current variations are mainly wind forced, but baroclinic forcing, associated with upstream dense-water formation in coastal polynyas might occasionally be important.Winter water-mass modification depends crucially on the fall and winter winds, which control seasonal ice development. An extensive fall ice cover delays cooling, limits new ice formation, and results in little salinization. In such years, Bering shelf waters cross the Chukchi shelf with little modification. In contrast, extensive open water in fall leads to early and rapid cooling, and if accompanied by vigorous ice production within coastal polynyas, results in the production of high-salinity (>33) shelf waters. Such interannual variability likely affects slope processes and the transport of Pacific waters into the Arctic Ocean interior.     

Remotely sensed seasonality in the spatial distribution of sea-surface suspended particulate matter in the southern North Sea

An algorithm is presented for estimating near-surface SPM concentrations in the turbid Case 2 waters of the southern North Sea. The single band algorithm, named POWERS, was derived by parameterising Gordon's approximation of the radiative transfer model with measurements of Belgian and Dutch inherent optical properties. The algorithm was used to calculate near-surface SPM concentration from 491 SeaWiFS datasets for 2001. It was shown to be a robust algorithm for estimating SPM in the southern North Sea. Regression of annual geometric mean SPM concentration derived from remote sensing (SPM_rs), against in situ (SPM_is) data from 19 Dutch monitoring stations was highly significant with an r² of 0.87. Further comparison and statistical testing against independent datasets for 2000 confirmed the consistency of this relationship. Moreover, time series of SPM_rs concentrations derived from the POWERS algorithm, were shown to follow the same temporal trends as individual SPM_is data recorded during 2001. Composites of annual, winter and summer SPM_rs for 2001 highlight the three dominant water masses in the southern North Sea, as well as their winter–fall and spring–summer variability. The results indicate that wind induced wave action and mixing cause high surface SPM signals in winter in regions where the water column becomes well mixed, whereas in summer stratification leads to a lower SPM surface signal. The presented algorithm gives accurate near-surface SPM concentrations and could easily be adapted for other water masses and seas.     

渤海及黄海北部冰情长期变化趋势分析

统计分析上世纪50年代—2010年渤海及黄海北部海冰资料,对其年代际变化特征进行分析。上世纪50年代—90年代冰情总体呈缓解的趋势,2000年以来冰情略有加重。研究发现太阳活动与渤海及黄海北部冰情变化关系密切,太阳活动可能是渤海及黄海北部冰情长期变化重要影响因素。如果太阳黑子的周期长度比上一个周期长,那么周期内冰情较上一个周期严重。反之亦然。     

Trace metal concentrations in the Ross Sea and their relationship with nutrients and phytoplankton growth

Dissolved and particulate trace metal concentrations (dissolved Fe, Zn, Cd, Co, Cu and Ni; particulate Fe, Mn and Al) were measured along two transects in the Ross Sea during austral summer of 1990. Total Fe concentrations in southern Ross Sea and inshore waters were elevated >3.5 times that of northern waters. Dissolved Zn, Cd and Co concentrations were lower by factors of 4.5, 3.5 and 1.6 in southern surface waters relative to northern waters. Dissolved Cu and Ni concentrations were similar in both areas. Elevated Fe concentrations coincided with areas of increased productivity, phytoplankton biomass and nutrient drawdown, indicating that Fe is an important factor controlling the location of phytoplankton blooms in the Ross Sea. Particulate concentrations of Fe, Mn and Al indicate two possible sources of iron to the Ross Sea, resuspension of continental shelf sediments and iron incorporated in annual sea ice and released with meltwaters.     

日本海、鄂霍次克海和白令海的古海洋学研究进展

边缘海的存在使大陆和大洋之间的物质和能量交换变得相当复杂。在构造运动和海平面升降的控制下,边缘海和大洋之间时而连通时而隔绝,各种古气候变化信号都在一定程度上被放大。基于近期有关西北太平洋边缘海的古海洋学研究成果,简要概述了日本海、鄂霍次克海、白令海以及北太平洋地区自中新世以来的古气候和古海洋环境演化特征,并认为它们与全球其它地区一样也受控于因地球轨道参数变化引起的太阳辐射率的变化,大尺度的气候变化具有与地球轨道偏心率周期相对应的100ka周期,而41ka的小尺度周期则受地球自转轴斜率变化的控制。一些突发性的气候变化则是由气候不稳定性、海峡的关闭与开启和其它一些地球气候系统的非线性活动所驱动。但同时作为中高纬度边缘海,它们的古海平面、古海水温度、古洋流等古海洋环境因子的变化特征还受到冰盖扩张和退缩、构造运动、冰川性地壳均衡补偿、东亚季风等因素的影响,具有一定的区域特点。     

西北冰洋中太平洋入流水营养盐的变化特征

利用1999,2003和2008年夏季(7-9月)三次中国北极科学考察数据资料,分析和讨论太平洋入流水营养盐的分布和楚科奇海关键生物地球化学过程对太平洋水化学性质的改造.结果表明,2003和2008年在白令海峡南部64.3°N纬向断面(BS断面)由于水团性质差异显著,营养盐呈西高、东低的分布趋势.2003年BS断面水柱...     

Application of long-chain alkenones and U37k values for paleotemperature estimation in the Arctic Chukchi Sea-Bering Sea area

-Long-chain alkenones were detected in samples of sea surface sediments from the Chukchi Sea and the Bering Sea areas, the Arctic Pole. The analysis result indicates that C37:3 methylketone is pre dominate in the long-chain alkenones from the Chukchi and Bering Sea sediments. The abundance of C37to C39 unsaturated alkenones changes in an order of C37 ＞C38 ＞C39. Based on ∑37/∑38 ratio, the de tected organism precursors of the long-chain alkenones are mainly coccolithophrid (Emiliania huxleyi).By the calibration relationship between U3k7 and U37k indices, the sea surface paleotemperature in these seas is estimated. The estimated values of U37k vary from 4.147℃ to 5. 706℃, with a mean value of 5.092℃.     

Comparison of atmospheric forcing in four sub-arctic seas

A comparative analysis was conducted on climate variability in four sub-arctic seas: the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea shelf, the Labrador Sea, and the Barents Sea. Based on data from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, the focus was on air–sea interactions, which influence ice cover, ocean currents, mixing, and stratification on sub-seasonal to decadal time scales. The seasonal cycles of the area-weighted averages of sea-level pressure (SLP), surface air temperature (SAT) and heat fluxes show remarkable similarity among the four sub-arctic seas. With respect to variation in climate, all four seas experience changes of comparable magnitude on interannual to interdecadal time scales, but with different timing. Since 2000 warm SAT anomalies were found during most of the year in three of the four sub-arctic seas, with the exception of the Sea of Okhotsk. A seesaw (out of phase) pattern in winter SAT anomalies between the Labrador and the Barents Sea in the Atlantic sector is observed during the past 50 years before 2000; a similar type of co-variability between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea shelf in the Pacific is only evident since 1970s. Recent positive anomalies of net heat flux are more prominent in winter and spring in the Pacific sectors, and in summer in the Atlantic sectors. There is a reduced magnitude in wind mixing in the Sea of Okhotsk since 1980, in the Barents Sea since 2000, and in early spring/late winter in the Bering Sea shelf since 1995. Reduced sea-ice areas are seen over three out of four (except the Sea of Okhotsk) sub-arctic seas in recent decades, particularly after 2000 based on combined in situ and satellite observations (HadISST). This analysis provides context for the pan-regional synthesis of the linkages between climate and marine ecosystems.     

Distribution and air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide on the Chukchi Sea shelf

This article presents the results of long-term studies of the dynamics of carbonate parameters and air–sea carbon dioxide fluxes on the Chukchi Sea shelf during the summer. As a result of the interaction of physical and biological factors, the surface waters on the west of Chukchi Sea were undersaturated with carbon dioxide when compared with atmospheric air; the partial pressure of CO₂ varied in the range from 134 to 359 μatm. The average value of CO₂ flux in the Chukchi Sea per unit area varied in the range from–2.4 to–22.0 mmol /(m² day), which is significantly higher than the average value of CO₂ flux in the World Ocean. It has been estimated that the minimal mass of C absorbed by the surface of Chukchi Sea from the atmosphere during ice-free season is 13 × 10¹² g; a great part of this carbon is transported to the deeper layers of sea and isolated from the atmosphere for a long period of time. The studies of the carbonate system of the Chukchi Sea, especially of its western part, will provide some new data on the fluxes of carbon dioxide in the Arctic Ocean and their changes. Our analysis can be used for an interpretation of the satellite assessment of CO₂ fluxes and dissolved CO₂ distribution in the upper layers of the ocean.     

1982—2001年与2002—2021年北极秋季海冰的时空变化及原因

基于北极海冰密集度、海冰范围、大气环流和海温数据,研究了1982—2001年与2002—2021年两阶段各20 a间北极秋季海冰的时空变化特征及其原因。结果表明,近20 a（2002—2021年）北极海冰密集度的下降中心由过去（1982—2001年）的楚科奇海及白令海峡一带,转移至亚欧大陆海岸的巴伦支海附近,且海冰范围每10 a减少量由0.44×10⁶ km²增长至0.72×10⁶ km²,减少速度加快约64%。秋季北极海冰范围与海水表面温度（Sea Surface Temperature,SST）、表面气温（Surface Air Temperature,SAT）及比湿（Specific Humidity）均呈显著负相关。2002—2021年的相关系数较1982—2001年有所提高,且与温度相关系数最高的月份提前了一个月。通过对海水表面温度、表面气温、比湿、气压场和风场的经验正交分解（Empirical Orthogonal Function,EOF）可知,1982—2001年间,北极地区的温度及比湿的上升中心集中在楚科奇海及白令海峡一带;2002—2021年间,上升中心则转移至巴伦支海一带。气压场和风场在前后两阶段也出现了中心转移的分布变化。北极地区大气与海洋环流各因素的协同变化影响着北极海冰的消融。