Concentrations and distribution of biogenic barium in surface sediments of Prydz Bay, Antarctica

Concentrations ofbiogenic barium were investigated in surface sediments of Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during the 21st and 27th CHINARE cruises. Factors controlling the observed distribution are explored. Biogenic barium concentrations obtained from a sequential extraction procedure are compared with total concentrations obtained from the normative calculation based on a total digestion, and differences in the results are examined. Concentrations of biogenic barium, calculated by the normative calculation, were much higher than the concentrations obtained through sequential extraction; this discrepancy is the result of the occurrence of barium associated with Mn/Fe oxides, which represents an important component of total barium in these sediments. Concentrations of biogenic barium obtained from the sequential extraction range from 104 to 445 ktg.g1, and the average concentration was 227 p.g.g-~. The highest concentrations of biogenic barium occur in the central area of the bay, where the seawater is more stable, while lower values occur in the bank and the ice shelf. Biogenic barium is significantly linearly correlated with biogenic barium and organic carbon, and similar in distribution of Chl a, which may indicate that primary productivity of phytoplankton in the surface water column is the main environmental factor regulating barium concentration and distribution.     

Bacterial productivity in the Prydz Bay and its adjacent waters,Antarctic

1　IntroductionBacteriaandtheiractivitiesplayanimportantroleintheelementalbiogeochemicalcyclesandenergytransformingintheocean (Zhenetal.1 997) .DortchandPackard(1 989) proposedthatfoodwebsintheeutrophicwatersaredominatedbythebiomassofprimaryproducerswhilefoodwebsintheoligotrophicwatersaredominatedbythebiomassofmicrobes.Heterotrophicbacteriahadbeenshowntoplayanimportantroleinthedecompositionoflarge ,rapidlysinkingorganicparticleswithinandbelowtheeuphot iczone ,andfurthertoaffecttheelementaldyn…     

Source and spatial distributions of particulate organic carbon and its isotope in surface waters of Prydz Bay,Antarctica, during summer

In this study, we investigated the distributions of sea-surface suspended particulate organic carbon （POC） and its stable isotope （δ13C POC） in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, and examined the factors influencing their distribution, sources, and transport. We used measurements collected from 61 stations in Prydz Bay during the 29th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition, in combination with remote sensing data on sea surface temperature （SST）, chlorophyll a concentration, and sea ice coverage. The POC concentration in the surface waters of Prydz Bay was 0.28-0.84 mg.L-1, with an average concentration of 0.48 mg.L-1. The δ13C POC value ranged from -29.68‰ to -26.30‰, with an average of-28.01‰. The concentration of suspended POC was highest in near-shore areas and in western Prydz Bay. The POC concentration was correlated with chlorophyll a concentration and sea ice coverage, suggesting that POC was associated with phytoplankton production in local water columns, while the growth of phytoplankton was obviously affected by sea ice coverage. The δ13C poc value in suspended particles decreased gradually towards the outer waters of Prydz Bay, while in eastern Prydz Bay the δ13Cpoc value become gradually more negative from nearshore to deep-water areas, suggesting that δ13C poc was mainly influenced by CO2 fixation by phytoplankton. The δ13C POC value in suspended particles near Zhongshan Station was significantly negative, possibly as a result of the input of terrigenous organic matter and changes in the phytoplankton species composition in the nearshore area.     

Distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae and salps during austral summers in Prydz Bay, Antarctica

The distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae and salps was studied from samples collected in 2002 and 2006 from Prydz Bay, Antarctica.Larvae of Thysanoessa macrura and Euphausia superba were mainly distributed in the north of the continental shelf. T. macrura was more abundant and had a relatively wider distribution. In 2006, with ice having retreated and higher seawater temperatures and chlorophyll a levels, E. superba and T. macrura occurred in higher abundances and at more mature developmental stages. Euphausia crystallorophias was mainly distributed in the neritic region. In 2002, with severe ice conditions in the neritic region, abundance of E. crystallorophias was consisted of metanauplius (MN) and calyptopis I (CI). Salps, mostly Salpa thompsoni, had a low abundance in Prydz Bay. In 2002, S. thompsoni was only m)-3. In 2006, S. thompsoni was found at three stations located near the contimental factors, such as the timing of ice melt, polynya formation and food concentration appear to have a marked effect on the distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae and salps.     

The distribution and concentration of particulate biogenic silica in surface waters of Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during the austral summer of 2011

The concentrations and distributions of particulate biogenic silica （PBSi） in the upper surface waters of Prydz Bay, Antarctica, were investigated during the 27th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition cruises of January 2011. We aimed to characterize the correlations between PBSi and plankton, nutrients and particulate organic carbon. The results showed that the concentrations of biogenic silica ranged from 0.76--19.72 ktmol-dm3 and the average concentration of biogenic silica was 6.06 mol.dm3. The distribution of surface PBSi had significant regional characteristics： The concentrations were higher south of 67S than to the north. The distribution of PBSi, chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon showed similar patterns, and PBSi distribution had a negative correlation with that of silicate. In the vertical direction, the mole ratio of PBSi and POC （Si/Co） decreased with increasing depth. This trend indicated a higher rate of PBSi dissolution, or a lower rate of organic matter reminer- alization rate, in the upper 200 m.     

Short- and long-term response of phytoplankton to ENSO in Prydz Bay,Antarctica: Evidences from field measurements,remote sensing data and stratigraphic biomarker records

The study provides one of the first lines of evidence showing linkages between Antarctic phytoplankton abundance and composition in response to ENSO, based on historical reconstruction of sediment biomarkers. In addition to sediment biomarkers, field measured and remote sensing data of phytoplankton abundance were also recorded from Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica. Com-munity structure of field measured phytoplankton showed significant El Ni？o/La Ni？a-related succession during 1990 to 2002. In general, the number of algae species decreased during El Ni？o and La Ni？a years compared to normal years. Austral summer monthly variation of remotely sensed chlorophyll-a （Chl-a）, particulate organic carbon （POC）, and sea surface temperature （SST） indicated that ENSO impacted the timing of phytoplankton blooms during 2007 to 2011. Phytoplankton blooms （indicated by Chl-a and POC） preceded the increases in SST during El Ni？o years, and lagged behind the SST increases during La Ni？a years. Stratigraphic record of marine sedimentary lipid （brassicasterol, dinosterol and alkenones） biomarkers inferred that the proportions of different algae （diatoms, dinoflagellates and haptophytes） changed significantly between El Ni？o and La Ni？a events. The relative proportion of diatoms increased, with that of dinoflagellates being decreased during El Ni？o years, while it was reversed during La Ni？a years.     

Study on the distribution,abundance and growth condition of Antarctic Krill(Euphausia superba)in the Prydz Bay region,Antarctica during the Austral summer of 1999/2000

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) were collected from the Prydz Bay region during the austral summer of 1999/2000. The sample - collection was made at 15 sites in 3 longitudinal transects. Although krill were encountered at 14 sites, the abundance was comparatively low in general. The main component of the krill population was of post -larval stages. The mean numerical and weight density of krill integrated for all sampling stations in the survey area were 16. 17 ind. 1000 m -3and 12.02 g 1000 m -3 , respectively. In the survey area, stations with larger krill density are mainly located in the slope zone, except that the largest sample was collected in the open sea zone. No krill occurred in the only station of the shelf zone during our investigation. Krill collected from the slope zone were under better growth condition than those from the open sea zone, but when the survey area is considered as a whole, the growth condition is normal. The results of the comprehensive analysis of the environmental fa