Roles of Continental Shelves and Marginal Seas in the Biogeochemical Cycles of the North Pacific Ocean

Most marginal seas in the North Pacific are fed by nutrients supported mainly by upwelling and many are undersaturated with respect to atmospheric CO₂ in the surface water mainly as a result of the biological pump and winter cooling. These seas absorb CO₂ at an average rate of 1.1 ± 0.3 mol C m⁻²yr⁻¹ but release N₂/N₂O at an average rate of 0.07 ± 0.03 mol N m⁻²yr⁻¹. Most of primary production, however, is regenerated on the shelves, and only less than 15% is transported to the open oceans as dissolved and particulate organic carbon (POC) with a small amount of POC deposited in the sediments. It is estimated that seawater in the marginal seas in the North Pacific alone may have taken up 1.6 ± 0.3 Gt (10¹⁵ g) of excess carbon, including 0.21 ± 0.05 Gt for the Bering Sea, 0.18 ± 0.08 Gt for the Okhotsk Sea; 0.31 ± 0.05 Gt for the Japan/East Sea; 0.07 ± 0.02 Gt for the East China and Yellow Seas; 0.80 ± 0.15 Gt for the South China Sea; and 0.015 ± 0.005 Gt for the Gulf of California. More importantly, high latitude marginal seas such as the Bering and Okhotsk Seas may act as conveyer belts in exporting 0.1 ± 0.08 Gt C anthropogenic, excess CO₂ into the North Pacific Intermediate Water per year. The upward migration of calcite and aragonite saturation horizons due to the penetration of excess CO₂ may also make the shelf deposits on the Bering and Okhotsk Seas more susceptible to dissolution, which would then neutralize excess CO₂ in the near future. Further, because most nutrients come from upwelling, increased water consumption on land and damming of major rivers may reduce freshwater output and the buoyancy effect on the shelves. As a result, upwelling, nutrient input and biological productivity may all be reduced in the future. As a final note, the Japan/East Sea has started to show responses to global warming. Warmer surface layer has reduced upwelling of nutrient-rich subsurface water, resulting in a decline of spring phytoplankton biomass. Less bottom water formation because of less winter cooling may lead to the disappearance of the bottom water as early as 2040. Or else, an anoxic condition may form as early as 2200 AD. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

厦门湾水体中颗粒有机碳的垂向输出通量:234Th/238U不平衡的应用

对厦门湾塔角附近海域某站位叶绿素 a、POC、初级生产力、234Th/238U不平衡进行的周日变化研究表明,POC含量介于14.4～34.6 mmol/m3之间,其中碎屑有机碳与活体有机碳所占份额分别为74%～92%和8%～26%.POC垂直分布呈现由表及底降低的趋势,且白昼期间POC含量高于晚间,说明研究海域POC含量与生物过程具有密切联系.初级生产力水平在1d之中变化达5倍,垂直分布亦随深度增加而降低,与叶绿素a的变化相对应.短时间(2h)培养获得的初级生产力水平明显高于长时间培养(24 h)的结果,证实部分新固定的碳被优先呼吸排出.结合234Th/238U不平衡法获得的颗粒态234Th输出通量及输出界面颗粒物中的POC/P_Th比值,可计算出真光层 POC的垂向输出通量为16.0mmol/(m2·d),其中碎屑有机碳与活体有机碳贡献的数量分别为13.3和2.7mmol/(m2·d).POC输出通量与初级生产力的比值(ThE比值)平均为0.31,真光层POC停留时间平均为11d.上述结果与Aksnes和Wassmann[1]的模型计算结果相吻合,但与其他大多数模型的结果仍存在一定的差异.     

Deep sea circulation of particulate organic carbon in the Japan Sea

Seasonal and spatial variations of particulate organic carbon (POC) flux were observed with sediment traps at three sites in the Japan Sea (western and eastern Japan Basin and Yamato Basin). In order to investigate the transport processes of POC, radiocarbon (¹⁴C) measurements were also carried out. Annual mean POC flux at 1 km depth was 30.7 mg m⁻²day⁻¹ in the western Japan Basin, 12.0 mg m⁻²day⁻¹ in the eastern Japan Basin and 23.8 mg m⁻²day⁻¹ in the Yamato Basin. At all stations, notably higher POC flux was observed in spring (March–May), indicating biological production and rapid sinking of POC in this season. Sinking POC in the high flux season showed modern Δ¹⁴C values (>0‰) and aged POC (Δ¹⁴C < −40‰) was observed in winter (December–January). The Δ¹⁴C values in sinking POC were negatively correlated with aluminum concentration, indicating that Δ¹⁴C is strongly related to the lateral supply of lithogenic materials. The Δ¹⁴C values also showed correlations with excess manganese (Mn_xs) concentrations in sinking particles. The Δ¹⁴C-Mn_xs relationship suggested that (1) the majority of the aged POC was advected by bottom currents and incorporated into sinking particles, and (2) some of the aged POC might be supplied from the sea surface at the trap site as part of terrestrial POC. From the difference in the Δ¹⁴C-Mn_xs relationships between the Japan Basin and the Yamato Basin, we consider that basin-scale transport processes of POC occur in the Japan Sea.     

南海北部表层颗粒有机碳的季节和年际变化遥感分析

海洋颗粒有机碳（POC）是海洋固碳的一个关键参数。为了研究南海北部陆架及海盆表层POC浓度的时空分布特征以及变化趋势,本文利用2009-2011年4个季节的实测数据,对NASA发布的MODIS/AQUA卫星月平均POC遥感产品,进行了验证和校正;并利用校正后的遥感数据分析了2003-2014年POC的时空分布特征和变化趋势。发现POC遥感产品与南海北部实测数据具有较好的线性关系（R2=0.72）,但存在系统性偏高,需利用实测数据对遥感数据进行区域性校正。分析校正后的遥感数据发现,南海北部陆架POC浓度较高,平均为（33.34±8.02）mg/m3;吕宋海峡西南海域浓度较低,平均为（29.25±6.20）mg/m3;中央海盆区浓度最低,平均为（27.02±4.84）mg/m3。春夏季POC浓度较低,最低值一般出现在5月,冬季（12月至翌年1月）POC浓度达到最高。利用2003-2014年的长时间序列遥感叶绿素（Chl a）和海表温度（SST）、混合层深度（MLD）模式数据,以及实测数据对南海北部POC浓度的影响机制进行了分析。发现POC与Chl a在秋冬呈现较好的相关关系（R2=0.51）,但在春夏季较离散,表明秋冬季生物作用对POC影响较大。2003-2014年期间,POC与Chl a、MLD及SST存在明显的年际变化,但并没有显著的上升或下降趋势。     

Estimation of changes in characteristics of the climate and carbon cycle in the 21st century accounting for the uncertainty of terrestrial biota parameter values

ensemble simulations with the A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences (IAP RAS) climate model (CM) for the 21st century are analyzed taking into account anthropogenic forcings in accordance with the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A2, A1B, and B1, whereas agricultural land areas were assumed to change in accordance with the Land Use Harmonization project scenarios. Different realizations within these ensemble experiments were constructed by varying two governing parameters of the terrestrial carbon cycle. The ensemble simulations were analyzed with the use of Bayesian statistics, which makes it possible to suppress the influence of unrealistic members of these experiments on their results. It is established that, for global values of the main characteristics of the terrestrial carbon cycle, the SRES scenarios used do not differ statistically from each other, so within the framework of the model, the primary productivity of terrestrial vegetation will increase in the 21st century from 74 ± 1 to 102 ± 13 PgC yr⁻¹ and the carbon storage in terrestrial vegetation will increase from 511 ± 8 to 611 ± 8 PgC (here and below, we indicate the mean ± standard deviations). The mutual compensation of changes in the soil carbon stock in different regions will make global changes in the soil carbon storage in the 21st century statistically insignificant. The global CO₂ uptake by terrestrial ecosystems will increase in the first half of the 21st century, whereupon it will decrease. The uncertainty interval of this variable in the middle (end) of the 21st century will be from 1.3 to 3.4 PgC yr⁻¹ (from 0.3 to 3.1 PgC yr⁻¹). In most regions, an increase in the net productivity of terrestrial vegetation (especially outside the tropics), the accumulation of carbon in this vegetation, and changes in the amount of soil carbon stock (with the total carbon accumulation in soils of the tropics and subtropics and the regions of both accumulation and loss of soil carbon at higher latitudes) will be robust within the ensemble in the 21st century, as will the CO₂ uptake from the atmosphere only by terrestrial ecosystems located at extratropical latitudes of Eurasia, first and foremost by the Siberian taiga. However, substantial differences in anthropogenic emissions between the SRES scenarios in the 21st century lead to statistically significant differences between these scenarios in the carbon dioxide uptake by the ocean, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere, and changes in the surface air temperature. In particular, according to the SRES A2 (A1B, B1) scenario, in 2071–2100 the carbon flux from the atmosphere to the ocean will be 10.6 ± 0.6 PgC yr⁻¹ (8.3 ± 0.5, 5.6 ± 0.3 PgC yr⁻¹), and the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere will reach 773 ± 28 ppmv (662 ± 24, 534 ± 16 ppmv) by 2100. The annual mean warming in 2071–2100 relatively to 1961–1990 will be 3.19 ± 0.09 K (2.52 ± 0.08, 1.84 ± 0.06 K).     

Incorporation of aged dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by oceanic particulate organic carbon (POC): An experimental approach using natural carbon isotopes

Incorporation of ¹⁴C-depleted (old) dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on/into particulate organic carbon (POC) has been suggested as a possible mechanism to explain the low Δ¹⁴C-POC values observed in the deep ocean [Druffel, E.R.M., Williams, P.M., 1990. Identification of a deep marine source of particulate organic carbon using bomb ¹⁴C. Nature, 347, 172–174.]. A shipboard incubation experiment was performed in the Sargasso Sea to test this hypothesis. Finely ground dried plankton was incubated in seawater samples from the deep Sargasso Sea, both with and without a biological poison (HgCl₂). Changes in parameters such as biochemical composition and carbon isotopic signatures of bulk POC and its organic compound classes were examined to study the roles of sorptive processes and biotic activity on POC character. Following a 13-day incubation, the relative abundance of the acid-insoluble organic fraction increased. Abundances of extractable lipids and total hydrolyzable amino acids decreased for both treatments, but by a greater extent in the non-poisoned treatment. The Δ¹⁴C values of POC recovered from the non-poisoned treatment were significantly lower than the value of the unaltered plankton material used for the incubation, indicating incorporation of ¹⁴C-depleted carbon, most likely DOC. The old carbon was present only in the lipid and acid-insoluble fractions. These results are consistent with previous findings of old carbon dominating the same organic fractions of sinking POC from the deep Northeast Pacific [Hwang, J., Druffel, E.R.M., 2003. Lipid-like material as the source of the uncharacterized organic carbon in the ocean? Science, 299, 881–884.]. However, the Δ¹⁴C values of POC recovered from the poisoned treatment did not change as much as those from the non-poisoned treatment suggesting that biological processes were involved in the incorporation of DOC on/into POC.     

In vitro O2 fluxes compared with 14C production and other rate terms during the JGOFS Equatorial Pacific experiment

We report rates of gross and net O₂ production measured in vitro during JGOFS cruises in the equatorial Pacific in spring and fall, 1992. We scale O₂ productivities to net and gross C production. We then compare the calculated rates with ¹⁴C production and with new/export production measured by various techniques. ¹⁴C productivities in samples incubated for 24 h are about 45% of gross carbon production rates calculated from gross O₂ production. The difference is compatible with expected rates of the Mehler reaction, photorespiration, excretion, and community mitochondrial respiration. ¹⁴C production rates are similar to net carbon production rates in the upper half of the euphotic zone. At lower irradiances, where net C production can be zero or less, ¹⁴C productivities lie between net community production and gross primary production. Net carbon production rates in vitro are a factor of =4–20 times greater than estimates from drifting sediment trap and tracer transport studies. This difference probably reflects anomalous accumulation of POC in bottles because of the exclusion of grazers.     

富油微藻富碳培养下油脂积累及固碳研究

微藻固碳是一种新型节能减排技术,具有长期可持续发展的潜力。本文对两株富油微藻（球等鞭金藻和微拟球藻）进行了富碳培养下生长特性及中性脂积累特性的研究。两株富油微藻的最佳培养条件为10%CO₂浓度和f培养基。本研究对两株富油微藻的最大生物量产率、总脂含量、最大油脂产率、微藻的C含量和CO₂固定率进行了测定。球等鞭金藻的各参数指标分别为：142.42±4.58g/（m²·d）,39.95%±0.77%,84.47±1.56g/（m²·d）,45.98%±1.75%和33.74±1.65g/（m²·d）。微拟球藻的各参数指标分别为：149.92±1.80g/（m²·d）,37.91%±0.58%,89.90±1.98g/（m²·d）,46.88%±2.01%和34.08±1.32g/（m²·d）。实验结果显示,两株海洋微藻均属于高固碳优良藻株,适合应用于微藻烟气减排技术开发,具备用于海洋生物质能耦合CO₂减排开发的潜力。     

Seasonal export fluxes of particulate organic carbon from <Superscript>234</Superscript>Th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U disequilibrium measurements in the Ulleung Basin<Superscript>1</Superscript> (Tsushima Basin) of the East Sea<Superscript>1</Superscript> (Sea of Japan)

Export fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) were estimated from the ²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibrium in the Ulleung Basin¹ (UB) of the East/Japan Sea¹ (EJS) over four seasons. The fluxes were calculated by multiplying the average POC/²³⁴Th ratio of sinking particles larger than 0.7 μm at 100- and 200-m water depths to ²³⁴Th fluxes by the integrated ²³⁴Th/²³⁸U disequilibrium from the surface to 100-m water depth. In spring, the ²³⁴Th profiles changed dramatically with sampling time, and hence a non-steady-state ²³⁴Th model was used to estimate the ²³⁴Th fluxes. The ²³⁴Th flux estimated from the non-steady-state model was an order of magnitude higher than that estimated from the steady-state model. The ²³⁴Th fluxes estimated using the steady-state model showed distinct seasonal variation, with high values in summer and winter and low values in autumn. In spring, the phytoplankton biomass had the highest value, and primary production was higher than in summer and autumn, but the ²³⁴Th fluxes were moderate. However, these values might have been significantly underestimated, as the ²³⁴Th fluxes were estimated using the steady-state model. The POC export fluxes estimated in autumn were about four times lower than those in other seasons when they were rather similar. The annually averaged POC flux was estimated to be 161 ± 76 mgC m⁻² day⁻¹, which was somewhat lower than that in highly productive coastal areas, and higher than that in oligotrophic regions. The export/primary production (ThE) ratios ranged from 7.0 to 56.1%, with higher values in spring and summer and lower values in autumn and winter. In summer, a high ThE ratio of 48.4 ± 7.0% was measured. This may be attributed to the mass diatom sinking event following nitrate depletion. In the UB¹, the annually averaged ThE ratio was estimated to be 34.4 ± 12.9%, much higher than that in oligotrophic oceans. The high ThE ratio may have contributed to the high organic carbon accumulation in the UB¹.     

Biogeochemical responses to late-winter storms in the Sargasso Sea,III—Estimates of export production using 234Th:238U disequilibria and sediment traps

Direct measurements of new production and carbon export in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean appear to be too low when compared to geochemical-based estimates. It has been hypothesized that episodic inputs of new nutrients into surface water via the passage of mesoscale eddies or winter storms may resolve at least some of this discrepancy. Here, we investigated particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and biogenic silica (BSiO₂) export using a combination of water column ²³⁴Th:²³⁸U disequilibria and free-floating sediment traps during and immediately following two weather systems encountered in February and March 2004. While these storms resulted in a 2–4-fold increase in mixed layer NO₃ inventories, total chlorophyll a and an increase in diatom biomass, the systems were dominated by generally low ²³⁴Th:²³⁸U disequilibria, suggesting limited particle export. Several ²³⁴Th models were tested, with only those including non-steady state and vertical upwelling processes able to describe the observed ²³⁴Th activities. Although upwelling velocities were not measured directly in this study, the ²³⁴Th model suggests reasonable rates of 2.2–3.7 m d^?1.Given the uncertainties associated with ²³⁴Th derived particle export rates and sediment traps, both were used to provide a range in sinking particle fluxes from the upper ocean during the study. ²³⁴Th particle fluxes were determined applying the more commonly used steady state, one-dimensional model with element/²³⁴Th ratios measured in sediment traps. Export fluxes at 200 m ranged from 1.91±0.20 to 4.92±1.22 mmol C m^?2 d^?1, 0.25±0.08 to 0.54±0.09 mmol N m^?2 d^?1, and 0.22±0.04 to 0.50±0.06 mmol Si m^?2 d^?1. POC export efficiencies (Primary Production/Export) were not significantly different from the annual average or from time periods without storms, although absolute POC fluxes were elevated by 1–11%. This increase was not sufficient, however, to resolve the discrepancy between our observations and geochemical-based estimates of particle export. Comparison of PON export rates with simultaneous measurements of NO₃^? uptake derived new production rates suggest that only a fraction, <35%, of new production was exported as particles to deep waters during these events. Measured bSiO₂ export rates were more than a factor of two higher (p<0.01) than the annual average, with storm events contributing as much as 50% of annual bSiO₂ export in the Sargasso Sea. Furthermore it appears that 65–95% (average 86±14%) of the total POC export measured in this study was due to diatoms.Combined these results suggest that winter storms do not significantly increase POC and PON export to depth. Rather, these storms may play a role in the export of bSiO₂ to deep waters. Given the slower remineralization rates of bSiO₂ relative to POC and PON, this transport may, over time, slowly decrease water column silicate inventories, and further drive the Sargasso Sea towards increasing silica limitation. These storm events may further affect the quality of the POC and PON exported, given the large association of this material with diatoms during these periods.     

Oxygen fluxes in the Norwegian Atlantic Current

Oxygen and phosphate measurements from two sections across the Norwegian Atlantic Current, the Gimsøy-NW section from 67.5°N 9°E to 71.5°N 1°E and the Bjørnøya-W section along 74.5°N from 7 to 15°E, are used to estimate oxygen fluxes in the surface layer and between the atmosphere and the ocean. Vertical entrainment velocities of 0.9 m day⁻¹ for the winter season and 0.1 m day⁻¹ for the summer season are found and applied to the upper 300 m. The resulting oxygen fluxes to the surface layer driven by this vertical mixing are 0.58±0.05 and 0.27±0.02 mol O₂ m⁻² year⁻¹ at the Gimsøy-NW and Bjørnøya-W sections, respectively. Oxygen fluxes to the surface layer due to phytoplankton production are 2.6 and 3.4 mol O₂ m⁻² year⁻¹, which represent the net community production at the two sections. Estimated uncertainties in these numbers are ±15%. The surface water is a sink for atmospheric oxygen during fall and winter and a source during the productive season for both sections. On an annual basis there is a net uptake of oxygen from the atmosphere, 3.4±0.4 mol O₂ m⁻² year⁻¹ at the Gimsøy-NW section and 4.9±0.5 mol O₂ m⁻² year⁻¹ at the Bjørnøya-W. A decrease in temperature of 1°C to 1.5°C seen between the Gimsøy-NW section and the Bjørnøya-W section is the main reason for the increased atmospheric flux of oxygen at the latter section. An oxygen budget made for the area bounded by the two sections gives a net advective flux of oxygen out of the area of approximately 10 mol O₂ m⁻² year⁻¹. The increased concentration of oxygen corresponding to the decrease in surface layer temperatures going northwards in the Norwegian Atlantic Current is mainly attributed to the air–sea oxygen exchange and phytoplankton production in this area.     

考洲洋牡蛎养殖海域海-气界面CO2交换通量的时空变化

根据2018年7月、11月和2019年1月、4月对广东考洲洋牡蛎养殖海域进行4个季节调查获得的p H、溶解无机碳(DIC)、水温、盐度、溶解氧(DO)及叶绿素a(Chla)等数据,估算该区域表层海水溶解无机碳体系各分量的浓度、初级生产力(PP)、表层海水CO₂分压[p(CO₂)]和海-气界面CO₂交换通量(FCO₂),分析牡蛎养殖活动对养殖区碳循环的影响。结果表明:牡蛎养殖区表层海水中Chl a、DIC、HCO₃^–和PP显著低于非养殖区;养殖淡季表层海水中pH、DO、DIC、HCO₃^–、和CO₃^2–显著大于养殖旺季,养殖旺季的p(CO₂)和FCO₂显著大于养殖淡季。牡蛎养殖区表层海水夏季、秋季、冬季和春季的海-气界面CO₂交换通量FCO₂平均值分别是(42.04±9.56)、(276...     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In-situ</Emphasis> measured primary productivity of ice algae in Arctic sea ice floes using a new incubation method

Recent changes in climate and environmental conditions have had great negative effects such as decreasing sea ice thickness and the extent of Arctic sea ice floes that support ice-related organisms. However, limited field observations hinder the understanding of the impacts of the current changes in the previously ice-covered regions on sea ice algae and other ice-related ecosystems. Our main objective in this study was to measure recent primary production of ice algae and their relative contribution to total primary production (ice plus pelagic primary production). In-situ primary productivity experiments with a new incubation system for ice algae were conducted in 3 sea ice cores at 2 different ice camps in the northern Chukchi Sea, 2014, using a ¹³C and ¹⁵N isotope tracer technique. A new incubation system was tested for conducting primary productivity experiments on ice algae that has several advantages over previous incubation methods, enabling stable carbon and nitrogen uptake experiments on ice algae under more natural environmental conditions. The vertical C-shaped distributions of the ice algal chl-a, with elevated concentrations at the top and bottom of the sea ice were observed in all cores, which is unusual for Arctic sea ice. The mean chl-a concentration (0.05 ± 0.03 mg chl-a m^?3) and the daily carbon uptake rates (ranging from 0.55 to 2.23 mg C m^?2 d^?1) for the ice algae were much lower in this study than in previous studies in the Arctic Ocean. This is likely because of the late sampling periods and thus the substantial melting occurring. Ice algae contributed 1.5–5.7% of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) contents of the combined euphotic water columns and sea ice floes. In comparison, ice algae contributed 4.8–8.6% to the total primary production which is greater than previously reported in the Arctic Ocean. If all of the ice-associated productions were included, the contributions of the sea ice floes to the total primary production would be greater in the Arctic Ocean and their importance would be greater in the arctic marine ecosystems.     

Underwater measurements of carbon dioxide evolution in marine plant communities: A new method

We developed a new methodology to determine CO₂ fluxes in intertidal and shallow subtidal plant communities, namely seagrasses, both when the plants are submerged and when they are air-exposed. The apparatus comprises closed incubation chambers and a gas exchange column, designed to remove carbon dioxide from the water. Different types of incubation chambers were designed and built to adapt the system to distinct environments and incubation requirements. The methodology was tested under a comprehensive range of situations and its advantages and limitations are discussed. Overall, the method provides precise measurements of community carbon dioxide fluxes, through a fast and non-intrusive process, allowing repeatable in situ measurements of carbon uptake both in submerged and air-exposed conditions. As the experimental apparatus is identical, directly comparable measurements of air-exposed and submerged community production may be obtained, allowing sound estimates of daily carbon budgets of intertidal and shallow subtidal communities.     

Impacts of elevated CO2 on particulate and dissolved organic matter production: microcosm experiments using iron-deficient plankton communities in open subarctic waters

Response of phytoplankton to increasing CO₂ in seawater in terms of physiology and ecology is key to predicting changes in marine ecosystems. However, responses of natural plankton communities especially in the open ocean to higher CO₂ levels have not been fully examined. We conducted CO₂ manipulation experiments in the Bering Sea and the central subarctic Pacific, known as high nutrient and low chlorophyll regions, in summer 2007 to investigate the response of organic matter production in iron-deficient plankton communities to CO₂ increases. During the 14-day incubations of surface waters with natural plankton assemblages in microcosms under multiple pCO₂ levels, the dynamics of particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PN), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and phosphorus (DOP) were examined with the plankton community compositions. In the Bering site, net production of POC, PN, and DOP relative to net chlorophyll-a production decreased with increasing pCO₂. While net produced POC:PN did not show any CO₂-related variations, net produced DOC:DOP increased with increasing pCO₂. On the other hand, no apparent trends for these parameters were observed in the Pacific site. The contrasting results observed were probably due to the different plankton community compositions between the two sites, with plankton biomass dominated by large-sized diatoms in the Bering Sea versus ultra-eukaryotes in the Pacific Ocean. We conclude that the quantity and quality of the production of particulate and dissolved organic matter may be altered under future elevated CO₂ environments in some iron-deficient ecosystems, while the impacts may be negligible in some systems.     

Simulation of export production and biological pump structure in the South China Sea

The export flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) consumes upwelled dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), which hinders surplus CO₂ being released to the atmosphere. The export flux of POC is therefore crucial to the carbon and biogeochemical cycles. This study aims to model the long-term (1958–2009) variation of export flux and structure of the biological pump in the South China Sea (SCS) using a three-dimensional physical-biogeochemical coupled (ROMS-CoSiNE) model. The modeled POC export flux in the northeastern and north central SCS is high in winter and low in summer, whereas the flux in the central, southwestern and southern SCS varies following a “W” shape: two maxima in winter and summer, and two minima in spring and autumn. The pattern follows the variation of the East Asian monsoon and is consistent with observations. On the interannual scale, export flux is anti-phased with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation such that El Niño (La Niña) conditions correspond to low (high) export flux. Modeled annual mean POC export flux reaches up to 1.95 mmol m^–2 day^–1, which is underestimated comparing with field observations. The f-ratio is estimated to be ~0.4. The b value of the Martin equation for POC is 1.18±0.03. Remineralization rate of POC is greater than the classical Martin equation but is consistent with its subtropical counterparts. The modeled results indicate that the SCS is a weak source of atmospheric CO₂ with a flux estimated at 1.0 mmol m^–2 day^–1. The modeled results provide an insight of the temporal and spatial variability of the carbon cycle in this monsoon-driven, semi-enclosed basin.     

天津近岸浮游植物群落对海洋酸化和硝酸盐加富的响应

为了评估海洋酸化和富营养化耦合作用对近海浮游生态环境的影响,本研究以天津市近岸海域浮游植物群落的生物地球化学指标为研究对象,分别采用一次性及连续培养的方式模拟自然水华及稳态条件,探究其对二氧化碳(CO₂)和硝酸盐浓度变化及二者耦合作用的响应。实验条件设置如下:1)对照:二氧化碳分压p(CO₂)40.53 Pa、无硝酸盐添加;2)酸化:p(CO₂)101.3 Pa、无硝酸盐添加;3)加N:p(CO₂)40.53 Pa、添加硝酸盐50 μmol·L^–1;4)酸化加N:p(CO₂)101.3 Pa、添加硝酸盐50 μmol·L^–1。实验结果表明,硝酸盐加富比酸化更加显著地促进浮游植物群落总叶绿素(Chl a)生物量及颗粒有机碳(POC)和颗粒有机氮(PON)积累,酸化和加N使浮游植物群落粒径大小升高。连续培养实验表明,酸化和N加富对Chl a、生物硅(BSi)、PON浓度、PON与颗粒有机磷(POP)比值(N/P)、POC与BSi比值(C/BSi)及沉降速率有协同交互作用,对POP和POC浓度及POC与PON比值(C/N)有拮抗性交互作用。在一次性培养后,酸化显著降低了浮游植物群落的沉降速率;而在连续培养后,酸化和N加富使浮游植物群落沉降速率显著升高。这些结果表明酸化和N加富对与近岸浮游植物相关的生物地球化学循环及在不同生长阶段的种群碳沉降存在不同的潜在影响及交互效应。     

Seasonal and interannual variability in particle fluxes of carbon,nitrogen and silicon from time series of sediment traps at Ocean Station P, 1982–1993: relationship to changes in subarctic primary productivity

An extended time series of particle fluxes at 3800 m was recorded using automated sediment traps moored at Ocean Station Papa (OSP, 50°N, 145°W) in the northeast Pacific Ocean for more than a decade (1982–1993). Time-series observations at 200 and 1000 m, and short-term measurements using surface-tethered free-drifting sediment traps also were made intermittently. We present data for fluxes of total mass (dry weight), particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), biogenic Si (BSi), and particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) in calcium carbonate. Mean monthly fluxes at 3800 m showed distinct seasonality with an annual minimum during winter months (December–March), and maximum during summer and fall (April–November). Fluxes of total mass, POC, PIC and BSi showed 4-, 10-, 7- and 5-fold increases between extreme months, respectively. Mean monthly fluxes of PIC often showed two plateaus, one in May–August dominated by <63 μm particles and one in October–November, which was mainly >63 μm particles. Dominant components of the mass flux throughout the year were CaCO₃ and opal in equal amounts. The mean annual fluxes at 3800 m were 32±9 g dry weight g m⁻² yr⁻¹, 1.1±0.5 g POC m⁻² yr⁻¹, 0.15±0.07 g PON m⁻² yr⁻¹, 5.9±2.0 g BSi m⁻² yr⁻¹ and 1.7±0.6 g PIC m⁻² yr⁻¹. These biogenic fluxes clearly decreased with depth, and increased during “warm” years (1983 and 1987) of the El Niño, Southern Oscillation cycle (ENSO). Enhancement of annual mass flux rates to 3800 m was 49% in 1983 and 36% in 1987 above the decadal average, and was especially rich in biogenic Si. Biological events allowed estimates of sinking rates of detritus that range from 175 to 300 m d⁻¹, and demonstrate that, during periods of high productivity, particles sink quickly to deep ocean with less loss of organic components. Average POC flux into the deep ocean approximated the “canonical” 1% of the surface primary production.     

Particulate organic carbon (POC) in surface sediments of the Baltic Sea

In this study, particulate organic carbon (POC) contents and their distribution pattern in surficial sediments of the Baltic Sea are presented for 1,471 sampling stations. POC contents range from approx. 0.1% in shallow sandy areas up to 16% in deep muddy basins (e.g. Gotland Basin). Some novel relationships were identified between sediment mass physical properties (dry bulk density (DBD), grain size) and POC levels. Notably, the highest POC concentrations (about 10–17 mg cm^–3) occur in sandy mud to mud (60–100% mud content) with intermediate POC contents of about 3–7% and DBDs of 0.1–0.4 g cm^–3. Areas with this range in values seem to represent the optimum conditions for POC accumulation in the Baltic Sea. The maximum POC contents (8–16%) are found in fluid mud of the central Baltic Sea characterized by extremely low DBDs (<0.1 g cm^–3) and moderate POC concentrations (4–7 mg cm^–3). Furthermore, sediment mass accumulation rates (MAR), based on ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs measurements and available for 303 sites of the Baltic Sea, were used for assessing the spatial distribution of POC burial rates. Overall, these vary between 14 and 35 g m^–2 year^–1 in the mud depositional areas and, in total, at least 3.5 (±2.9) Mt POC are buried annually. Distribution patterns of POC contents and burial rates are not identical for the central Baltic Sea because of the low MAR in this area. The presented data characterize Baltic Sea sediments as an important sink for organic carbon. Regional differences in organic carbon deposition can be explained by the origin and transport pathways of POC, as well as the environmental conditions prevailing at the seafloor (morphology, currents, redox conditions). These findings can serve to improve budget calculations and modelling of the carbon cycle in this large brackish-water marginal sea.     

Biological organic carbon export estimated from the annual carbon budget observed in the surface waters of the western subarctic and subtropical North Pacific Ocean from 2004 to 2013

The annual flux of biologically produced organic carbon from surface waters is equivalent to annual net community production (NCP) at a steady state and equals the export of particulate and dissolved organic carbon (POC and DOC, respectively) to the ocean interior. NCP was estimated from carbon budgets of salinity-normalized dissolved inorganic carbon (nDIC) inventories at two time-series stations in the western subarctic (K2) and subtropical (S1) North Pacific Ocean. By using quasi-monthly biogeochemical observations from 2004 to 2013, monthly mean nDIC inventories were integrated from the surface to the annual maximum mixed layer depth and corrected for changes due to net air–sea CO₂ exchange, net CaCO₃ production, vertical diffusion from the upper thermocline, and horizontal advection. The annual organic carbon flux at K2 (1.49 ± 0.42 mol m^?2 year^?1) was lower than S1 (2.81 ± 0.53 mol m^?2 year^?1) (p < 0.001 based on t test). These fluxes consist of three components: vertically exported POC fluxes (K2: 1.43 mol m^?2 year^?1; S1: 2.49 mol m^?2 year^?1), vertical diffusive DOC fluxes (K2: 0.03 mol m^?2 year^?1; S1: 0.25 mol m^?2 year^?1), and suspended POC fluxes (K2: 0.03 mol m^?2 year^?1; S1: 0.07 mol m^?2 year^?1). The estimated POC export flux at K2 was comparable to the sum of the POC flux observed with drifting sediment traps and active carbon flux exported by migrating zooplankton. The export fluxes at both stations were higher than those reported at other time-series sites (ALOHA, the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study, and Ocean Station Papa).