Abstract
Abstract. Recent studies indicate an increase in atmospheric turbulence in the Chukchi Sea due to the recent drastic sea-ice reduction during summer months. The importance of the effects of this atmospheric turbulence on the marine ecosystem in this region, however, is not fully understood. To evaluate the effects of atmospheric turbulence on the marine ecosystem, high-frequency sampling (daily) from five layers of the microplankton community between 0 and 30 m at a fixed station in the Chukchi Sea from 10 through 25 September 2013 was conducted. During the study period, a strong wind event (SWE) was observed on 18 and 19 September. The abundance of microplankton was 2.6 to 17.6 cells mL−1, with a maximum abundance being reported at 20 m on 22 September, while diatoms were the most dominant taxa throughout the study period. The abundance of diatoms, dinoflagellates and ciliates ranged between 1.6 and 14.1, 0.5 and 2.4 and 0.1 and 2.8 cells mL−1, respectively. Diatoms belonging to 7 genera consisting of 35 species (Cylindrotheca closterium and Leptocylindrus danicus were dominant), dinoflagellates belonging to 7 genera consisting of 25 species (Prorocentrum balticum and Gymnodinium spp. were dominant) and ciliates belonging to 7 genera consisting of 8 species (Strobilidium spp. and Strombidium spp. were dominant) were identified. Within the microplankton species, there were 11 species with abundances that increased after the SWE, while there was no species with an abundance that decreased following the SWE. It is conjectured that atmospheric turbulences, such as that of an SWE, may supply sufficient nutrients to the surface layer that subsequently enhance the small bloom under the weak stratification of the Chukchi Sea Shelf during the autumn months. After the bloom, the dominant diatom community then shifts from centric-dominated to one where centric/pennate are more equal in abundance.
Highlights
In the marine ecosystem of the western Arctic Ocean, microplankton, including diatoms, dinoflagellates and ciliates, play several roles, such as primary producers, consumers and food resources for mesozooplankton (Sherr and Sherr, 1988, Sherr et al, 1997; Olson and Strom, 2002)
It is conjectured that atmospheric turbulences, such as that of an strong wind event (SWE), may supply sufficient nutrients to the surface layer that subsequently enhance the small bloom under the weak stratification of the Chukchi Sea Shelf during the autumn months
We evaluate short-term changes in the microplankton community in the Chukchi Sea during the autumn months by quantification of both autotrophic and heterotrophic microplankton assemblages – diatoms, dinoflagellates, ciliates – based on the samples collected during the same time frame as Nishino et al (2015)
Summary
In the marine ecosystem of the western Arctic Ocean, microplankton, including diatoms, dinoflagellates and ciliates, play several roles, such as primary producers, consumers and food resources for mesozooplankton (Sherr and Sherr, 1988, Sherr et al, 1997; Olson and Strom, 2002). The microplankton community in the western Arctic Ocean is divided into three groups – shelf, continental slope and basin (Sukhanova et al, 2009; Matsuno et al, 2014). With respect to the microplankton community on the shelf of the Chukchi Sea, diatoms are the dominant taxa both in abundance and biomass N. Yokoi et al.: Short-term changes in a microplankton community in the Chukchi Sea al., 2014; Yang et al, 2015). Regarding temporal changes in the microplankton community, seasonal comparisons with
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