Possibility of recent changes in vertical distribution and size composition of chlorophyll-a in the western North Pacific region

Our analysis of the last three decades of retrospective data of vertical distributions and size composition of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) over the western North Pacific has revealed significant changes of three indices related to Chl-a during summer season, as follows: (1) decreasing linear trend of the proportion of Chl-a in surface layer to that of the whole water column by 0.4 and 2.3% year⁻¹ in the subtropical area along 137°E (STA₁₃₇) during 1972 to 1997 and in the Kuroshio Extension area along 175°E (KEA₁₇₅) during 1990 to 2001; (2) increasing linear trend of the depth of subsurface Chl-a maximum (DCM) by 0.4 and 2.6 m year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅; and (3) decreasing linear trend of larger-size Chl-a (>3 μm) by 0.1 and 2.5% year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. Water density (σ _θ ) at 75 m depth had also decreased by 0.006 and 0.05 year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. The ratio of biogenic opal to biogenic CaCO₃ in the sinking flux decreased by 0.015 year⁻¹ in the subtropical region from 1997 to 2005. These findings may indicate that the subsurface chlorophyll maximum is deepening and larger phytoplankton such as diatoms has been decreasing during the past decade, associated with the decreasing density of surface water caused by warming in the western North Pacific, especially in the summer.     

北太平洋风海流季节变化的数值模拟

用绝热表层风海流模式,以1949～1979年COADS资料,研究北太平洋表层风海流及相应水位场随季节变化的特点、某些特定年表层风海流的异常。模式采用二次动量守恒的有限差分方法,保证了计算稳定性。在数值积分中考虑了陆界、水界条件和近岸地形对风海流及水位场的影响。计算表明:模式反映了北太平洋主要流系的季节变化规律,能较敏感地反映上层海洋对大气动力作用的响应。给出了北太平洋主要流系的强弱与黑潮大弯曲的对应关系。     

西太平洋雅浦海沟区海底热流原位测量

为了解西太平洋雅浦海沟区俯冲带及岛弧两侧的海底热流分布情况,2015年1-3月期间的西太平洋海山航次中,"科学"号利用最新一代Lister型热流探针对该区域开展了海底热流原位测量工作。沿着横跨俯冲带的站位测线,本次进行了10个热流站位测量,共获得8个站位的有效数据。测量结果表明,该地区地温梯度的变化范围为0.011~0.137 Km-1,平均0.089 Km-1,热导率的变化范围为0.58~1.32 Wm-1K-1,热流值则在14.4~118.85 mWm-2之间,平均为68.02 mWm-2。热流值分布显示,雅浦岛弧附近具有较高的热流值,自雅浦岛弧向两侧热流值逐渐降低,低热流区主要分布在帕里西维拉海盆。由于该地区热流测量数据依然稀缺,深入的讨论有待进一步研究。     

应用Argo资料分析西北太平洋冬、夏季水团

应用Argo剖面浮标观测的温、盐度资料,分析了西北太平洋海域冬、夏季的温、盐度分布、水团结构及其分布。首先采用T-S点聚图法分析了该海域水团分布的基本情况,由点聚分析结果可知,该海域至少存在6种以上水团;再用模糊聚类软化法对水团作进一步划分,分别计算了该海域6至11类水团的F和△F值,结果表明,冬、夏季的△F值都以划分为8类时为最大,这与大洋水团的稳定性是一致的,因此,该海域冬、夏季水团以划分为8类最佳,它们分别是北太平洋热带表层水、北太平洋次表层水、北太平洋中层水、北太平洋副热带模态水、北太平洋深层水和赤道表层水,以及南太平洋次表层水和南太平洋中层水。     

Spatial variability in growth and reproduction of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) along the west European coast

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas was introduced in Europe for commercial purposes in the mid 1960s. It was initially thought that low winter temperatures would restrain this species' reproduction and settlement; however, its present distribution in areas where no introduction has taken place suggests that natural invasion and expansion has occurred. Along the European coast, wild populations of Pacific oysters are already found from northern Germany to southern Portugal. Whether C. gigas will continue to further expand through northern waters will depend on its physiological performance. In this study, the performance of wild oyster populations has been studied in terms of growth and reproduction at three stations: La Rochelle (France; 46°N), Yerseke (Oosterschelde estuary, The Netherlands, 51°N), and Texel (Wadden Sea estuary, The Netherlands, 53°N). The French population had the lowest somatic-shell mass ratio and an increase in maximum shell length, somatic and gonadal mass was observed from France to the Netherlands. In addition, mean oocyte diameter decreased significantly from south to north. The combination of increasing gonadal mass and decreasing oocyte volume suggests an increasing reproductive output in terms of egg numbers from France to The Netherlands. Differences in temperature between locations will at least be partly responsible for the observed patterns; however, other environmental factors (such as food availability, predation pressure, sediment type and/or seston concentration) cannot be excluded. Since smaller eggs (oocytes) are thought to have a longer development time, the environmental conditions along the Dutch coast may result in increased larval dispersal and possibly in further population expansion.     

Further evidence for non-reemergence of winter SST anomalies in the North Pacific eastern subtropical mode water area

Following our previous study (Sugimoto and Hanawa, 2005b), we further investigate the reason why reemergence of winter sea surface temperature anomalies does not occur in the North Pacific eastern subtropical mode water (NPESTMW) area, despite its occurrence in the North Pacific subtropical mode water and North Pacific central mode water areas. We use vertical temperature and salinity profiles of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment Hydrographic Program and Argo floats with high vertical and temporal resolution, together with heat flux data through the sea surface. We point out first that one of the causes for non-occurrence of reemergence is that the thickness of NPESTMW is very thin. In addition to this basic cause, two major reasons are found: a vigorous mixing in the lower portion of NPESTMW and less heat input from the atmosphere in the warming season. Since, in the lower portion of NPESTMW and deeper, the stratification is favorable for salt-finger type convection to occur compared with the other mode water areas, vigorous mixing takes place. This is confirmed by both a large Turner Angle there and the existence of staircase structures in vertical temperature and salinity profiles. From the viewpoint of heat input, the NPESTMW area gradually gains heat in the warming season compared with other mode water areas. As a result, NPESTMW cannot be capped so quickly by the shallow summer mixed layer, and water properties of NPESTMW are to be gradually modified, even in the upper portion.     

Linkages between Alaskan sockeye salmon abundance, growth at sea, and climate, 1955–2002

We tested the hypothesis that increased growth of salmon during early marine life contributed to greater survival and abundance of salmon following the 1976/1977 climate regime shift and that this, in turn, led to density-dependent reductions in growth during late marine stages. Annual measurements of Bristol Bay (Bering Sea) and Chignik (Gulf of Alaska) sockeye salmon scale growth from 1955 to 2002 were used as indices of body growth. During the first and second years at sea, growth of both stocks tended to be higher after the 1976–1977 climate shift, whereas growth during the third year and homeward migration was often below average. Multiple regression models indicated that return per spawner of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon and adult abundance of western and central Alaska sockeye salmon were positively correlated with growth during the first 2 years at sea and negatively correlated with growth during later life stages. After accounting for competition between Bristol Bay sockeye and Asian pink salmon, age-specific adult length of Bristol Bay salmon increased after the 1976–1977 regime shift, then decreased after the 1989 climate shift. Late marine growth and age-specific adult length of Bristol Bay salmon was exceptionally low after 1989, possibly reducing their reproductive potential. These findings support the hypothesis that greater marine growth during the first 2 years at sea contributed to greater salmon survival and abundance, which in turn led to density-dependent growth during later life stages when size-related mortality was likely lower. Our findings provide new evidence supporting the importance of bottom-up control in marine ecosystems and highlight the complex dynamics of species interactions that continually change as salmon grow and mature in the ocean.     

东太平洋铁锰结核区微生物的丰度及其成矿作用研究

１９９４ 年 ４～１１ 月在东太平洋铁锰结核区, 使用 “向阳红 ０９”船, 采集 ３９ 个表层沉积物、１２ 个上覆水和 ７ 个结核样。在现场用平板法测定了异养细菌和铁、锰细菌丰度, 用稀释法（ Ｍ Ｐ Ｎ 法） 测定硫酸还原菌丰度。为了探讨微生物在大洋成矿过程的作用, 在实验室对异养细菌和锰细菌作纯化分离, 并进行了多项生理生化实验, 参照伯杰氏手册第八版鉴定至属。使用分光光度法, 测定锰细菌对锰、铁离子的转化作用, 使用 ｐ Ｈ 计测定了ｐ Ｈ 值的变化, 同时测定了不同培养温度对转化作用的影响。结果表明, 沉积物中异养细菌的数量在 ３×１００～９５×１０３个／ｇ; 锰、铁细菌的数量在１×１００ ～１×１０３ 个／ｇ; 硫酸盐还原细菌的数量分布范围在 ０～４×１０３个／ｇ;在上覆水和结核样中各类细菌的数量均较低,比沉积物样中各类细菌数低 １ 个数量级。在细菌的种群组成方面与近海区相比存在差异, 特别是在革兰氏阳性菌的组成上微球菌占了绝对优势。在成矿作用方面, 锰细菌对锰、铁氧化还原的实验结果表明, 在好氧的条件下, 锰细菌使可溶性的 Ｍ ｎ２＋ 氧化为 Ｍ ｎ４＋ , 其氧化速度与环境温度存在密切关系, 锰细菌对铁的氧化速度比对锰的氧化速度来得快。在     

Improved Method for Calculating Anthropogenic CO2 in the Upper Layer of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre along 175°E

Seawater samples were collected in the North Pacific along 175°E during a cruise of the Northwest Pacific Carbon Cycle Study (NOPACCS) program in 1994. Many properties related to the carbonate system were analyzed. By using well-known ratios to correct for chemical changes in seawater, the CO₂ concentration at a given depth was back calculated to its initial concentration at the time when the water left the surface in winter. We estimated sea-surface CO₂ and titration alkalinity (TA) in present-day winter, from which we evaluated the degree of air-sea CO₂ disequilibrium in winter was. Using a correction factor for air-sea CO₂ disequilibrium in winter, we reconstructed sea-surface CO₂ in pre-industrial times. The difference between the back-calculated initial CO₂ and sea-surface CO₂ in pre-industrial times should correspond to anthropgenic CO₂ input. Although the mixing of different water masses may cause systematic error in the calculation, we found that the nonlinear effect induced by the mixing of different water masses was negligible in the upper layer of the North Pacific subtropical gyre along 175°E. The results of our improved method of assessing the distribution of anthropogenic CO₂ in that region show marked differences from those obtained using the previous back-calculation method.