Decoupling of Macromolecular Compositions of Particulate Organic Matters between the Water Columns and the Sediment in Geoje-Hansan Bay, South Korea

Abstract

The biochemical composition of particulate organic matter (POM) is very important to understand in relation to the trophic conditions of marine ecosystems since it forms the primary trophic base. The present study investigated the biochemical compositions (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) of POM monthly from January to December 2015 in Geoje-Hansan Bay to determine if the macromolecular composition of POM is coupled between the water columns and sediment. A spatial difference in the macromolecular compositions was observed in the water columns between the inner and outer bays, which may be caused by the different physiological conditions of phytoplankton growth that are due to the water circulation pattern in the bay. In contrast, no distinctive spatial difference in the macromolecular compositions was found in the sedimentary organic matter. Overall, while carbohydrates were the dominant (45.7%) macromolecules of the POM in the water columns, proteins were dominant (47.9%) in the sedimentary organic matter during our observation period. Decoupling of the macromolecular compositions between the water columns and underneath the sediment in Geoje-Hansan Bay appears to be a result of the various effects of selective filter feeding by oysters and protein-dominant benthic microalgae and fouling organisms.