Saroma-ko Lagoon Research Articles

Survival strategies of microalgae in response to fluctuating brine environments in Saroma-ko Lagoon sea ice, Hokkaido, Japan.

This study investigated the changes in sea ice temperature, microalgae species distribution, shape changes, and photosynthetic activity observed in the first-year ice that forms in winter in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan. Temperatures at the bottom of the ice remained constant at -1.7°C, near the freezing point, while they varied between -6 and -1°C with diel fluctuations at the surface layer. Carefully collected algal samples showed high photosynthetic quantum yield and acclimation to the light intensities of individual ice layers; this indicates that the algal photosynthetic activity responds to dynamic changes in the ice environment, such as variations in temperature, salinity, and brine space. The algal communities consisted of more than 95% diatoms. Smaller algal cells were distributed in the upper layer of the sea ice compared to the lower layers. Chaetoceros sp., the dominant small-cell species, was evenly distributed throughout the layers. In contrast, Detonula confervacea, the dominant large-cell species, was unevenly distributed in the lower layer, with smaller colony size and cell volume in the upper layer. The shape differences observed in this species were thought to be a response to the changing environment within the first-year sea ice.

Species level mapping of a seagrass bed using an unmanned aerial vehicle and deep learning technique.

BackgroundSeagrass beds are essential habitats in coastal ecosystems, providing valuable ecosystem services, but are threatened by various climate change and human activities. Seagrass monitoring by remote sensing have been conducted over past decades using satellite and aerial images, which have low resolution to analyze changes in the composition of different seagrass species in the meadows. Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have allowed us to obtain much higher resolution images, which is promising in observing fine-scale changes in seagrass species composition. Furthermore, image processing techniques based on deep learning can be applied to the discrimination of seagrass species that were difficult based only on color variation. In this study, we conducted mapping of a multispecific seagrass bed in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan, and compared the accuracy of the three discrimination methods of seagrass bed areas and species composition, i.e., pixel-based classification, object-based classification, and the application of deep neural network.MethodsWe set five benthic classes, two seagrass species (Zostera marina and Z. japonica), brown and green macroalgae, and no vegetation for creating a benthic cover map. High-resolution images by UAV photography enabled us to produce a map at fine scales (<1 cm resolution).ResultsThe application of a deep neural network successfully classified the two seagrass species. The accuracy of seagrass bed classification was the highest (82%) when the deep neural network was applied.ConclusionOur results highlighted that a combination of UAV mapping and deep learning could help monitor the spatial extent of seagrass beds and classify their species composition at very fine scales.

Atmosphere-sea ice-ocean interaction study in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan 2021

Atmosphere-sea ice-ocean interaction study in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan 2021

Seasonal variation of water-column light utilization efficiency for primary production in Saroma-ko Lagoon

AbstractIn Saroma-ko Lagoon, where scallop aquaculture is a thriving commercial activity, monitoring primary production is essential for determining the amount of scallops that can be farmed. Using the primary production data obtained so far, we calculated Ψ, an index of water-column light utilization efficiency, and clarified its seasonal variation. Ψ tended to be lower in the spring bloom season (February–April), and higher in the late autumn to winter (October–December). Low chlorophyll-normalized production, an index of growth rate, resulted in lower values, while low daily irradiance resulted in higher values. The values of Ψ from our study had a range of 0.05–1.42 gC gChl-a−1 mol photons−1 m2 (N = 56). These values were within the previously reported range of 0.07–1.92 (gC gChl-a−1 mol photons−1 m2) for seawater and fresh water worldwide. Therefore, it is likely that Ψ varies from 0.05–2 gC gChl-a−1 mol photons−1 m2, being affected by conditions of phytoplankton growth and sunlight intensity, regardless of whether samples are collected from seawater or fresh water. Using the median Ψ value of 0.45 gC gChl-a−1 mol photons−1 m2 obtained in this study, primary production was 0.3–3.5 times the actual production at Saroma-ko Lagoon. Using this method, primary production can be easily and constantly monitored, facilitating the sustainable development of scallop aquaculture.

Differences in diversity and photoprotection capability between ice algae and under-ice phytoplankton in Saroma-Ko Lagoon, Japan: a comparative taxonomic diatom analysis with microscopy and DNA barcoding

Sea ice algae, comprised mainly of diatoms, are the main primary producers in polar ecosystems, and they are generally distributed with the highest biomass at the bottom of ice. The taxonomy of ice algae has been traditionally investigated using light microscopy, but molecular techniques, including pigment analysis, have recently provided new insights into the diversity and physiology of ice algae. However, no comparative taxonomic survey has been conducted for ice algae thus far. Here, we investigated differences and similarities in (1) the diversity and (2) the photosynthetic strategies of diatom communities in sea ice and the underlying seawater of Saroma-Ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan, using algal pigment signatures determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography, light and scanning electron microscopy and Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing techniques targeting the 18S rRNA gene (i.e., DNA barcoding). Ice algae typically possessed greater biomass (> 20-fold) and chlorophyll (Chl) a breakdown products than under-ice phytoplankton, suggesting that the ice algae formed blooms, and cell senescence and disruption could be significant mitigating factors. At the genus level, the diversity of diatoms in sea ice was higher than in under-ice seawater, although the evenness was comparable or lower in ice algae than in under-ice phytoplankton. Ice algae had a larger xanthophyll pool size and a higher ratio of photoprotective to photosynthetic pigments (11-fold and 4.5-fold higher, respectively) than under-ice phytoplankton. The results indicated that ice algae were well adapted to changes in the light regime, which could partly support their survival capability and high taxonomic diversity.

Using under-ice hyperspectral transmittance to determine land-fast sea-ice algal biomass in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

AbstractSea ice, which forms in polar and nonpolar areas, transmits light to ice-associated (sympagic) algal communities. To noninvasively study the distribution of sea-ice algae, empirical relations to estimate its biomass from under-ice hyperspectral irradiance have been developed in the Arctic and Antarctica but lack for nonpolar regions. This study examines relationships between normalised difference indices (NDI) calculated from hyperspectral transmittance and sympagic algal biomass in the nonpolar Saroma-ko Lagoon. We analysed physico-biogeochemical properties of snow and land-fast sea ice supporting 27 paired bio-optical measurements along three transects covering an area of over 250 m × 250 m in February 2019. Snow depth (0.08 ± 0.01 m) and ice-bottom brine volume fraction (0.21 ± 0.02) showed low (0.06) and high (0.58) correlations with sea-ice core bottom section chlorophylla(Chl.a), respectively. Spatial analyses unveiled the patch size of sea-ice Chl.ato be ~65 m, which is in the same range reported from previous studies. A selected NDI (669, 596 nm) explained 63% of algal biomass variability. This reflects the bio-optical properties and environmental conditions of the lagoon that favour the wavelength pair in the orange/red part of the spectrum and suggests the necessity of a specific bio-optical relationship for Saroma-ko Lagoon.

Solidification effects of snowfall on sea-ice freeze-up: results from an onsite experimental study

AbstractAlthough the effects of snow during sea-ice growth have been investigated for sea ice which is thick enough to accommodate dry snow, those for thin sea ice have not been paid much attention due to the difficulty in observing them. Observations are complicated by the presence of slush and its subsequent freeze-up, and the surface heat budget might be sensitive to the additional ice thickness. An onsite short-term land fast sea-ice freeze-up experiment in the Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan was carried out to examine the effects of snowfall on the structure and surface heat budget of thin sea ice, based on observational results and a 1-D thermodynamic model. We found that snowfall contributes to the solidification of the surface slush layer, contributing ice thickness that is comparable to the snowfall amount and affecting the crystal texture significantly. On the other hand, the basal ice growth rate and turbulent heat flux were not significantly affected, being &lt;3.1 × 10−8m s−1and 3 W m−2, respectively. This finding may validate the omission in past studies of snow effect in estimating ice production rates in polynyas and has implications about the reconstruction of growth history from sample analysis.

Saroma-ko Lagoon Observations for sea ice Physico-chemistry and Ecosystems 2019 (SLOPE2019)

Saroma-ko Lagoon, located on the Okhotsk Sea coast of Hokkaido, is seasonally covered by flat, homogeneous, easily accessible and safe sea ice. As such, it proves a very useful experimental site for the study of sea ice processes, the inter-comparison of methods, the testing of equipment, and the training of researchers new to the Polar regions. In this contribution, we describe a physical, chemical, and ecosystem survey at Saroma-ko Lagoon, conducted over February 23-28, 2019 under the auspices of the SLOPE2019 (Saroma-ko Lagoon Observations for sea ice Physico-chemistry and Ecosystems 2019) program. Sea ice cores were collected to examine temperature, salinity, oxygen isotopic ratio, thin sections, and chemical and biological parameters such as carbonate chemistry, CH4, nutrients, chlorophyll a concentrations, and ice algae community assemblage. Broadband and spectral irradiance measurements were carried out above/under the sea ice, and different sensors were inter-compared at close positions and environments. Equipment such as spectrometers, air-sea ice CO2/CH4 flux chamber, and under-ice turbulent heat flux systems were tested for future Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Finally, an artificial pool was dug into the sea ice to understand the effect of snow particles on ice growth and to compare the gas exchange process over sea ice with an ice-free water surface. Our SLOPE2019 field campaign activities provided useful information for inter-comparison work and future sea ice research in the polar oceans.

The effect of melting treatments on the assessment of biomass and nutrients in sea ice (Saroma-ko lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan)

Melting of sea-ice samples is an inevitable step in obtaining reliable and representative measurements for biogeochemical parameters such as inorganic nutrients and particulate matter. The impact of the sea-ice melting procedure has been previously evaluated for biological parameters such as chlorophyll a and cell abundance. For nutrient and biomass concentrations in sea ice, it is generally considered to be best practice to melt samples fast; however, no systematic evaluation exists in literature. The impact of melting temperature and buffer addition to avoid osmotic shock was tested on ice samples in Saroma-ko Lagoon on the northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan. The focus was on inorganic nutrient concentrations (NO3−, NO2−, PO4−, NH4+, Si(OH)4) and particulate organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations and their isotope ratios. Coherent small changes have been observed for the parameter related to nitrogen, suggesting marginal cell lysis of a specific part of the microbial community. When differences are statistically significant, they are close to the uncertainty of the measurements and small in regard to the expected natural variation in sea ice. Our study suggest a minimal effect between melting treatments on biomass (POC, PN, and Chl a) and nutrient measurements in diatom-dominated sea ice and should be repeated where the sympagic community is dominated by flagellates.

橇搭載型電磁誘導式氷厚計Ice Wormを用いた2013-2015年のサロマ湖広域氷厚観測

橇搭載型電磁誘導式氷厚計Ice Wormを用いた2013-2015年のサロマ湖広域氷厚観測

Photoprotective responses of an ice algal community in Saroma-Ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

In polar seas, ice algal communities can acclimate to extremely low light conditions. Reduced acclimation to shade in ice algal communities, as a result of shortened ice seasons at the lower latitude limits of sea ice distribution, has been suggested as advantageous for avoiding strong photoinhibition when cells are released into high light levels at the water’s surface. Thermal dissipation of excess energy by xanthophyll cycle pigments in the de-epoxidated state may occur in ice algal communities released from retreating sea ice. A light exposure experiment was conducted on ice algal communities obtained from sea ice at Saroma-Ko Lagoon in Hokkaido, Japan. Photoprotective responses to direct sunlight were examined through non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence and xanthophyll pigments. De-epoxidation of diadinoxanthin (DD) to diatoxanthin (DT) occurred rapidly, and NPQ showed a dynamic response to high light exposure. The linear relationship between the ratio of DT to chlorophyll a and NPQ followed a steeper slope than previously observed for mesophilic diatoms. The steeper slope could be explained by an apparent increase in DT for the mesophilic diatoms and induction of NPQ in response to low temperatures only in the ice algal communities. Enhanced production of DT in mesophilic diatoms could be the result of de-epoxidation of DD plus de novo synthesis, and the enhancement of NPQ might be caused by low temperature stress in the ice algae. Although the response of NPQ might be related to temperature, NPQ independent of DT synthesis should also be studied.

An early spring bloom of large diatoms in the ice-covered Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan—ERRATUM

Saroma-ko Lagoon, the largest body of water that has complete ice coverage during winter in Japan, was not completely covered by ice in the winter of 2009. This condition is considered to be a result of the progression of global warming. A bloom of large diatoms was observed in the ice-free area between February and April. This early spring bloom seemed to have started in the latter part of January, and lasted for about three months. The maximum chlorophyll- a (Chl a ) concentration of about 10 mg m −3 was observed in March, and was similar to the level of 5–20 mg m −3 previously reported for the ordinary spring bloom in Saroma-ko Lagoon. The maximum primary production of 786 mgC m −2 day −1 and the maximum Chl a -specific primary production, an index of the phytoplankton growth rate, were also found in March. Species changes from Thalassiosira spp. to Chaetoceros spp. were observed during the bloom. This early spring bloom could extend into the ordinary spring bloom period. Its duration was obviously longer than that of the spring bloom, which is typically about one month. These results show the phytoplankton condition that could be expected during winter and spring as global warming progresses.

Incorporation of nitrogen compounds into sea ice from atmospheric deposition

Temporal measurements of temperature, salinity, water–oxygen isotopic ratio and nutrient concentrations at Saroma-ko Lagoon, southern Sea of Okhotsk, were made in February–March 2008 to examine the processes by which nitrogen compounds from the atmosphere were incorporated via snowfall into sea ice. Granular ice made up more than half the ice thickness, and the mass fraction of snow in the snow-ice layer on top of the ice ranged from 0.8% to 46.9%. The high concentrations of NO 3 − + NO 2 − and NH 4 + observed in the snow and snow-ice throughout the study period were likely due to the proximity of the study site, in northern Japan, to the east coast of the Asian continent. Pollutants containing high NO 3 −and NH 4 + concentrations are transported from East Asia and deposited in snowfall over the sea ice in the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk. Compared with NO 3 − + NO 2 − and NH 4 + concentrations, PO 4 3− concentrations in the snow and snow-ice were low. The strong correlation between the NO 3 − + NO 2 − and NH 4 + concentrations in the snow-ice and the mass fraction of snow indicates that the nitrogen compounds on top of the sea ice were controlled mainly by the snow contribution to the sea ice when snow-ice predominated. Our results indicate that chemical cycles in sea ice can be affected by polluted precipitation (snow) originating from a nonpolar sea.

An early spring bloom of large diatoms in the ice-covered Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

Saroma-ko Lagoon, the largest body of water that has complete ice coverage during winter in Japan, was not completely covered by ice in the winter of 2009. This condition is considered to be a result of the progression of global warming. A bloom of large diatoms was observed in the ice-free area between February and April. This early spring bloom seemed to have started in the latter part of January, and lasted for about three months. The maximum chlorophyll-a (Chl a) concentration of about 10 mg m−3 was observed in March, and was similar to the level of 5–20 mg m−3 previously reported for the ordinary spring bloom in Saroma-ko Lagoon. The maximum primary production of 786 mgC m−2 day−1 and the maximum Chl a-specific primary production, an index of the phytoplankton growth rate, were also found in March. Species changes from Thalassiosira spp. to Chaetoceros spp. were observed during the bloom. This early spring bloom could extend into the ordinary spring bloom period. Its duration was obviously longer than that of the spring bloom, which is typically about one month. These results show the phytoplankton condition that could be expected during winter and spring as global warming progresses.

Photoadaptation of an ice algal community in thin sea ice, Saroma-Ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

We investigated the shade adaptation of a seasonally well-developed ice algal community in thin sea ice at Saroma-Ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan on 3–4 March 2006 and 4–5 March 2007, by examining photosynthetic pigment concentrations, the chlorophyll a-specific light-absorption coefficient (aph*), and the light-saturation index (Ek). The high proportions of photosynthetic pigments, including chlorophyll a, fucoxanthin, and chlorophyll c, and the low values of aph*(440) and aph*(675) suggested that the lagoon’s ice algal community was shade-adapted. The high ratio of Ek to total photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in the ice algal habitat suggested that the degree of shade adaptation is weak. Scaling of Ek to total PAR could be extended to studies of the degree of photoadaptive succession of ice algal communities in the Northern Hemisphere. The degree of shade adaptation of ice algal communities in the Northern Hemisphere might be related to ice thickness, regardless of latitude.

Diel tuning of photosynthetic systems in ice algae at Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

Ice algae are the major primary producers in seasonally ice-covered oceans during the cold season. Diurnal change in solar radiation is inevitable for ice algae, even beneath seasonal sea ice in lower-latitude regions. In this work, we focused on the photosynthetic response of ice algae under diurnally changing irradiance in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Japan. Photosynthetic properties were assessed by pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry. The species composition remained almost the same throughout the investigation. The maximum electron transport rate ( rETR max), which indicates the capacity of photosynthetic electron transport, increased from sunrise until around noon and decreased toward sunset, with no sign of the afternoon depression commonly observed in other photosynthetic organisms. The level of non-photochemical quenching, which indicates photoprotection activity by dissipating excess light energy via thermal processes, changed with diurnal variations in irradiance. The pigment composition appeared constant, except for xanthophyll cycle pigments, which changed irrespective of irradiance. These results indicate that ice algae tune their photosynthetic system harmonically to achieve efficient photosynthesis under diurnally changing irradiance, while avoiding damage to photosystems. This regulation system may be essential for productive photosynthesis in ice algae.

Transport of chemical components in sea ice and under-ice water during melting in the seasonally ice-covered Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

Physico-chemical properties in the brine and under-ice water were measured in Saroma-ko Lagoon on the northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan, which is connected to the Sea of Okhotsk, during the period from mid-February through mid-March 2006. The brine within brine channels of the sea ice was collected with a new sampling method examined in this study. Salinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrients and oxygen isotopic ratio (δ 18O) contained in the brine within brine channels of the sea ice and in the under-ice water varied largely in both time and space during the ice melt period, when discharge from Saromabetsu River located on the southeast of the lagoon increased markedly due to the onset of snow melting. The under-ice plume expands as far as 4.5 km from the river mouth at mid-March 2006, transporting chemical components supplied from the river into the lagoon. The under-ice river water was likely transported into the sea ice through well-developed brine channels in the sea ice due to upward flushing of water through brine channels occurred by loading of snowfalls deposited over the sea ice. These results suggest that the river water plume plays an important role in supplying chemical components into the sea ice, which may be a key process influencing the biogeochemical cycle in the seasonally ice-covered Saroma-ko Lagoon.

Long term trend of chemical oxygen demand in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Japan; possible effects of climatic warming

A trend of shortening duration of ice coverage has been reported in many rivers, ponds and lakes around the world due to climatic warming. The shortening will have much influence on organic production due to the greater supply of light intensity and hence on water quality. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), a useful measure of water quality, has been monitored over the past thirty years in Saroma-ko Lagoon, a boreal lake in Japan characterized by wintertime ice coverage. Here the data set of water quality in the lagoon is analyzed to reveal long-term trends in COD and the influence of climatic warming on such trends. There has been a significant increasing trend, caused primarily by an abrupt increase in the early 1990s. However, the increase could not be explained by the increased load of organic matter on the lagoon from the river basin and organic production in the lagoon. On the other hand, periods of freezing of the entire surface have tended to be shorter with inevitable thinning of ice over the past forty years, probably due to climatic warming. Ice and planktonic algae are exposed to the low light intensity in situ, which is not optimum for the algal production of organic matter. The shortening and thinning should thus bring an improvement in ambient light conditions for algae, resulting in an increase of organic matter in winter. Most of the organic matter possibly remains even after spring because of the low water temperature. It is highly possible that climatic warming promotes deterioration in water quality in ice-covered lakes.

Long term trend of chemical oxygen demand in Saroma-ko Lagoon, Japan; possible effects of climatic warming

AbstractA trend of shortening duration of ice coverage has been reported in many rivers, ponds and lakes around the world due to climatic warming. The shortening will have much influence on organic production due to the greater supply of light intensity and hence on water quality. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), a useful measure of water quality, has been monitored over the past thirty years in Saroma-ko Lagoon, a boreal lake in Japan characterized by wintertime ice coverage. Here the data set of water quality in the lagoon is analyzed to reveal long-term trends in COD and the influence of climatic warming on such trends. There has been a significant increasing trend, caused primarily by an abrupt increase in the early 1990s. However, the increase could not be explained by the increased load of organic matter on the lagoon from the river basin and organic production in the lagoon. On the other hand, periods of freezing of the entire surface have tended to be shorter with inevitable thinning of ice over the past forty years, probably due to climatic warming. Ice and planktonic algae are exposed to the low light intensity in situ, which is not optimum for the algal production of organic matter. The shortening and thinning should thus bring an improvement in ambient light conditions for algae, resulting in an increase of organic matter in winter. Most of the organic matter possibly remains even after spring because of the low water temperature. It is highly possible that climatic warming promotes deterioration in water quality in ice-covered lakes.

Preliminary investigation of Okhotsk Sea ice algae; taxonomic composition and photosynthetic activity

Okhotsk Sea pack ice from Shiretoko in northern Hokkaido, sampled in March 2007, contained microalgal communities dominated by the centric diatoms Thalassiosira nordenskioeldi and T. punctigera. Domination by this genus is very unusual in sea ice. Communities from nearby fast ice at Saroma-ko lagoon were dominated by Detonula conferavea and Odontella aurita. Average microalgal biomass of the Okhotsk Sea pack ice (surface and bottom) was 1.59 ± 1.09 μg chla l−1 and for fast ice (bottom only) at nearby Saroma-ko lagoon, 16.5 ± 3.2 μg l−1 (=31.1 ± 5.0 mg chla m−2). Maximum quantum yield of the Shiretoko pack ice algal communities was 0.618 ± 0.056 with species-specific data ranging between 0.211 and 0.653. These community values are amongst the highest recorded for sea ice algae. Rapid light curves (RLC) on individual cells indicated maximum relative electron transfer rates (relETR) between 20.8 and 60.6, photosynthetic efficiency values (α) between 0.31 and 0.93 and onset of saturation values (E k) between 33 and 91 μmol photons m−2 s−1. These data imply that the pack ice algal community at Shiretoko was healthy and actively photosynthesising. Maximum quantum yield of the Saroma-ko fast ice community was 0.401 ± 0.086, with values for different species between 0.361 and 0.560. RLC data from individual Saroma-ko fast ice algal cells indicated relETR between 55.3 and 60.6, α values between 0.609 and 0.816 and E k values between 74 and 91 μmol photons m−2 s−1 which are consistent with measurements in previous years.