Silicoflagellate fluxes and environmental variations in the northwestern North Pacific during December 1997–May 2000

Abstract

Time-series sediment traps were deployed during 1997–2000 in the northwestern North Pacific. The samples from 3000 m depth were investigated in order to study the silicoflagellate skeleton fluxes, the relationships with the geographical differences of their distribution, and their responses to temporal climate variations. At Station 50N (50°N, 165°E), located near the center of the Western Subarctic Gyre (WSG), subarctic-water taxa Distephanus speculum and Distephanus boliviensis dominated in the sinking assemblage. At Station KNOT (44°N, 155°E), located in the southwestern edge of the WSG, D. speculum also dominated throughout the sampled period. The warm-water taxon Dictyocha mandrai increased from the second half of 1998 to the first half of 1999, and the subtropical-water taxon Dictyocha messanensis also increased after the maximum period of D. mandrai flux. Not an obviously discernible seasonality was observed in the assemblages at Stations 50N and KNOT. At Station 40N (40°N, 165°E), at the south of the Subarctic Boundary, both the subarctic-water and the subtropical-water taxa dominated in winter and spring, and in summer and fall, respectively. The temporal assemblage variations at Station 40N significantly reflected the change of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomaly. This assemblage variation also implies which water mass, subarctic or subtropical, had more influence at Station 40N. The temporal successions of silicoflagellate assemblages at Station 40N are most likely due to the temporal oceanographic variability caused by global atmospheric changes. The differences of the seasonal flux pattern and the biogeochemical contribution of silicoflagellates at each station were due to the differences of ecosystem at each station.