Weddell-Scotia Confluence Research Articles

Summer sea ice melting enhances phytoplankton and dimethyl sulfide production

AbstractThe relationships among sea ice melting, phytoplankton assemblages, and the production of climate‐relevant trace gases in the Southern Ocean are gaining increasing attention from the scientific community. This is particularly true for dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry by influencing the formation of sulfated aerosols with radiative impacts and constituting cloud condensation nuclei. In the current study, chlorophyll a (Chl a), DMS and its precursors dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), were quantified in the Weddell–Scotia Confluence (WSC) during the 2018 record ice extent minimum period. Mixed layer changes were found to be generally associated with spatial variation in sea ice melt, with the depth being six times deeper in ice‐free, well‐mixed regions than in seasonal ice‐melting zones. The surface Chl a concentration increased from ice‐free to ice‐melting regions with elevated sea ice meltwater percentages and drawdown surface nutrient concentrations. The concentrations of surface and depth‐integrated Chl a in the upper 150 m reached maxima in the ice‐melting region with the highest fraction of sea ice meltwater, illustrating that sea ice melting promoted the occurrence of phytoplankton blooms. The DMS and DMSP concentrations in the vicinity of the ice‐melting zone were approximately three times higher than those in the ice‐free waters. The observations of this study show that the regions of ice melting in the WSC were a zone of particularly high sea–air fluxes of DMS, which could significantly contribute to the atmospheric budget of DMS in the polar regions.

Unsupervised classification identifies coherent thermohaline structures in the Weddell Gyre region

Abstract. The Weddell Gyre is a major feature of the Southern Ocean and an important component of the planetary climate system; it regulates air–sea exchanges, controls the formation of deep and bottom waters, and hosts upwelling of relatively warm subsurface waters. It is characterised by low sea surface temperatures, ubiquitous sea ice formation, and widespread salt stratification that stabilises the water column. Observing the Weddell Gyre is challenging, as it is extremely remote and largely covered with sea ice. At present, it is one of the most poorly sampled regions of the global ocean, highlighting the need to extract as much value as possible from existing observations. Here, we apply a profile classification model (PCM), which is an unsupervised classification technique, to a Weddell Gyre profile dataset to identify coherent regimes in temperature and salinity. We find that, despite not being given any positional information, the PCM identifies four spatially coherent thermohaline domains that can be described as follows: (1) a circumpolar class, (2) a transition region between the circumpolar waters and the Weddell Gyre, (3) a gyre edge class with northern and southern branches, and (4) a gyre core class. PCM highlights, in an objective and interpretable way, both expected and underappreciated structures in the Weddell Gyre dataset. For instance, PCM identifies the inflow of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) across the eastern boundary, the presence of the Weddell–Scotia Confluence waters, and structured spatial variability in mixing between Winter Water and CDW. PCM offers a useful complement to existing expertise-driven approaches for characterising the physical configuration and variability of oceanographic regions, helping to identify coherent thermohaline structures and the boundaries between them.

A species distribution model of the Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis)

The Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) is regarded a Southern Hemisphere endemic found throughout the Southern Hemisphere, generally south of 60°S in austral summer. Here they have been routinely observed in highest densities adjacent to and inside the sea ice edge, and where they feed predominantly on krill. Detecting abundance trends regarding this species by employing visual monitoring is problematic. Partly this is because the whales are frequently sighted within sea ice where navigational safety concerns prevent ships from surveying. In this respect species-habitat models are increasingly recognized as valuable tools to predict the probability of cetacean presence, relative abundance or density throughout an area of interest and to gain insight into the ecological processes affecting these patterns. The objective of this study was to provide this background information for the above research needs and in a broader context use species distribution models (SDMs) to establish a current habitat suitability description for the species and to identify the main environmental covariates related to its distribution. We used filtered 464 occurrences to generate the SDMs. We selected eight predictor variables with reduced collinearity for constructing the models: mean annuals of the surface temperature (ºC), salinity (PSS), current velocity (m/s), sea ice concentration (fraction, %), chlorophyll-a concentration (mg/m³), primary productivity (g/m3/day), cloud cover (%), and bathymetry (m). Six modelling algorithms were tested and the Bayesian additive regression trees (BART) model demonstrated the best performance. Based on variable importance, those that best explained the environmental requirements of the species were sea ice concentration, chlorophyll-a concentration and topography of the sea floor (bathymetry), explaining in sum around 62% of the variance. Using the BART model, habitat preferences have been interpreted from patterns in partial dependence plots. Areas where the AMW have particularly high likelihood of occurrence are East Antarctica, NE of the Weddell Sea, areas around the northern tip of the Antarctica Peninsula, areas bordering the Scotia–Weddell Confluence. Given the association of AMWs with sea ice, the pagophilic character of their biology makes them particularly vulnerable to climate change and a near-perfect biological indicator for tracking these changes.

Determination of Bacterioplankton Abundance, Production and Carbon Budget in the Northwest Weddell Sea

Bacteria are an essential part of the microbial loops and play key roles in carbon cycling. To understand their ecological contributions in polar regions, they were measured in the northwest Weddell Sea during the 32nd Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition in the austral summer of 2016. The results showed a range of bacterial abundance from 0.20 to 3.34 × 108 cells/L with an average of 1.03 × 108 cells/dm3. Bacterial production varied between 0.06 and 2.42 mg C/(m3 d) with an average of 0.44 mg C/(m3 d). Bacterial carbon budgets were unevenly distributed in the northwest Weddle Sea, and surpluses appeared in the autotrophic area such as Weddell Surface Water and Transitional Zonal Water with Weddell Sea influence (TWW), and deficits in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence (heterotrophic area). A t-test result suggested that the unbalanced bacterial carbon budgets were mainly caused by distributions of Chl a. Bacterial abundance was uncorrelated with environmental and biological factors in the autotrophic region. At the same time, production was positively correlated with temperature and Chl a. In the heterotrophic area, bacterial abundance was positively correlated with temperature. Production was significantly positively correlated with temperature, and Chl a. Bacterial production had a small contribution to the increase of bacterial abundance because of a strong top-down control in the northwest Weddell Sea.

Sea-ice habitat minimizes grazing impact and predation risk for larval Antarctic krill

Survival of larval Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) during winter is largely dependent upon the presence of sea ice as it provides an important source of food and shelter. We hypothesized that sea ice provides additional benefits because it hosts fewer competitors and provides reduced predation risk for krill larvae than the water column. To test our hypothesis, zooplankton were sampled in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence Zone at the ice-water interface (0–2 m) and in the water column (0–500 m) during August–October 2013. Grazing by mesozooplankton, expressed as a percentage of the phytoplankton standing stock, was higher in the water column (1.97 ± 1.84%) than at the ice-water interface (0.08 ± 0.09%), due to a high abundance of pelagic copepods. Predation risk by carnivorous macrozooplankton, expressed as a percentage of the mesozooplankton standing stock, was significantly lower at the ice-water interface (0.83 ± 0.57%; main predators amphipods, siphonophores and ctenophores) than in the water column (4.72 ± 5.85%; main predators chaetognaths and medusae). These results emphasize the important role of sea ice as a suitable winter habitat for larval krill with fewer competitors and lower predation risk. These benefits should be taken into account when considering the response of Antarctic krill to projected declines in sea ice. Whether reduced sea-ice algal production may be compensated for by increased water column production remains unclear, but the shelter provided by sea ice would be significantly reduced or disappear, thus increasing the predation risk on krill larvae.

Weddell-Scotia Confluence Effect on the Iron Distribution in Waters Surrounding the South Shetland (Antarctic Peninsula) and South Orkney (Scotia Sea) Islands During the Austral Summer in 2007 and 2008

An oceanographic survey around the South Shetland Islands (SSI) and the South Orkney Islands (SOI) was conducted during January 2007 and February 2008, respectively, as part of the United States Antarctic Marine Living Resources program ecosystems surveys. At 27 stations, concentrations of dissolved labile (DFe) and total acid leachable (unfiltered, TaLFe) iron (Fe) were measured in the upper 200 m (including coastal and oceanic waters) to better resolve the factors limiting primary production in these regions. Northwest of the SSI, a region influenced by Drake Passage waters, mean DFe (~0.26 nM) and TaLFe (~1.02 nM) concentrations were the lowest, whereas intermediate concentrations for both DFe and TaLFe were measured in the Bransfield Strait. Around Elephant Island, over and off the continental shelf, Fe concentrations differed between the west and the east margins. DFe and TaLFe concentrations further support the argument that the effect of the Shackleton Transverse Ridge is a crucial structure affecting both the Fe and the chlorophyll distributions in this region. The waters around the SOI had DFe concentrations higher than those in the SSI, with the area north of the South Scotia Ridge (60oS), having the highest DFe (0.54 nM) concentrations and the waters in Powell Basin having the lowest DFe (1.17 nM) and TaLFe (4.51 nM) and concentrations. These spatial patterns of Fe suggest that there are different Fe inputs from shelf waters near the Antarctic Slope Front. The overall TaLFe:DFe ratios, used as indicator for understanding the relative distance of Fe sources, were lower around the SOI compared to those in the SSI, suggesting that the Fe source for SOI waters was more distant. The spatial patterns between Fe and chlorophyll-a concentrations in relation to the hydrography, highlight the complexity and variability of the oceanographic processes in the region. These results improve the knowledge on the Fe sources and inputs in the less known SOI waters during the austral summer, and they further support the importance of advective processes from the Fe-rich waters that flow from the eastern margin of the Antarctic Peninsula into the Weddell-Scotia Confluence.

Variability of euphausiid larvae densities during the 2011, 2012, and 2014 summer seasons in the Atlantic sector of the Antarctic

Euphausiid larvae were collected in the Weddell Scotia Confluence region in summer 2011, in the West Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea in 2012, and in the South Orkneys Shelf in 2014. From 2011 to 2014 the larval stages geographic distribution and the distribution of water masses were consistent with published information. The densities observed were compared between the cruises and with the 1981 and 1995 values by means of a kernel estimate of absolute and relative densities at a fixed grid of points. The values of Thysanoessa macrura were higher in 2011 and 2012 and those of Euphausia superba were lower than those observed in 1981 and 1995. Euphausia frigida did not show significant variations in absolute density but their relative values were higher than those of E. superba. No significant variations were observed in absolute values between 1981 and 1995. The opposite pattern was found in 2014, with significantly higher densities of E. superba than those of T. macrura. No single factor could be identified to explain these variations in density, suggesting the existence of complex mechanisms coupling the reproductive biology with oceanographic phenomena. Their description will require ample spatial and temporal monitoring rather than locally detailed observations.

Ice Algae-Produced Carbon Is Critical for Overwintering of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba

Antarctic krill Euphausia superba (‘krill’) constitute a fundamental food source for Antarctic seabirds and mammals, and a globally important fisheries resource. The future resilience of krill to climate change depends critically on the winter survival of young krill. To survive periods of extremely low production by pelagic algae during winter, krill are assumed to rely partly on carbon produced by ice algae. The true dependency on ice algae-produced carbon, however, is so far unquantified. This confounds predictions on the future resilience of krill stocks to sea ice decline. Fatty acid (FA) analysis, bulk stable isotope analysis (BSIA) and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of diatom- and dinoflagellate-associated marker FAs were applied to quantify the dependency of overwintering larval, juvenile and adult krill on ice algae-produced carbon (αIce) during winter 2013 in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence Zone. Our results demonstrate that the majority of the carbon uptake of the overwintering larval and juvenile krill originated from ice algae (up to 88% of the carbon budget), and that the dependency on ice algal carbon decreased with ontogeny, reaching less than 56% of the carbon budget in adults. Spatio-temporal variability in the utilization of ice algal carbon was more pronounced in larvae and juvenile krill than in adults. Differences between αIce estimates derived from short- versus long-term FA-specific isotopic compositions suggested that ice algae-produced carbon gained importance as the winter progressed, and might become critical at the late winter-spring transition, before the phytoplankton bloom commences. Where the sea ice season shortens, reduced availability of ice algae might possibly not be compensated by surplus phytoplankton production during wintertime. Hence, sea ice decline could seriously endanger the winter survival of recruits, and subsequently overall biomass of krill.

Seasonal cycle of CO2 from the sea ice edge to island blooms in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean

The Scotia Sea region contains some of the most productive waters of the Southern Ocean. It is also a dynamic region through the interaction of deep water masses with the atmosphere. We present a first seasonally-resolved time series of the fugacity of CO2 (fCO2) from spring 2006, summer 2008, autumn 2009 and winter (potential temperature minimum) along a 1000km transect from the pack ice to the Polar Front to quantify the effects of biology and temperature on oceanic fCO2. Substantial spring and summer decreases in sea surface fCO2 occurred in phytoplankton blooms that developed in the naturally iron-fertilised waters downstream (north) of South Georgia island (54–55°S, 36–38°W) and following sea ice melt (in the seasonal ice zone). The largest seasonal fCO2 amplitude (ΔfCO2) of −159μatm was found in the South Georgia bloom. In this region, biological carbon uptake dominated the seasonal signal, reducing the winter maxima in oceanic fCO2 by 257μatm by the summer. In the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, the southern fringe of the Scotia Sea, the shift from wintertime CO2-rich conditions in ice covered waters to CO2 undersaturation in the spring blooms during and upon sea ice melt created strong seasonality in oceanic fCO2. Temperature effects on oceanic fCO2 ranged from ΔfCO2 sst of ~55μatm in the seasonal ice zone to almost double that downstream of South Georgia (98μatm). The seasonal cycle of surface water fCO2 in the high-nutrient low-chlorophyll region of the central Scotia Sea had the weakest biological control and lowest seasonality. Basin-wide biological processes dominated the seasonal control on oceanic fCO2 (ΔfCO2 bio of 159μatm), partially compensated (43%) by moderate temperature control (ΔfCO2 sst of 68μatm). The patchwork of productivity across the Scotia Sea creates regions of seasonally strong biological uptake of CO2 in the Southern Ocean.

Role of tides on the formation of the Antarctic Slope Front at the Weddell‐Scotia Confluence

AbstractThe structure of the Antarctic Slope Front (ASF) and the associated Antarctic Slope Current (ASC) on the Scotia Sea side of the Weddell‐Scotia Confluence (WSC) is described using data from a hydrographic survey and three 1 year long moorings across the continental slope. The ASC in this region flows westward along isobaths with an annual mean speed of ∼0.2 m s−1, with time variability dominated by the K1 and O1 tidal diurnal constituents, a narrowband oscillation with ∼2‐week period attributable to the spring/neap tidal cycle, and seasonal variability. Realistic and idealized high‐resolution numerical simulations are used to determine the contribution of tides to the structure of the ASF and the speed of the ASC. Two simulations forced by realistic atmospheric forcing and boundary conditions integrated with and without tidal forcing show that tidal forcing is essential to reproduce the measured ASF/ASC cross‐slope structure, the time variability at our moorings, and the reduced stratification within the WSC. Two idealized simulations run with tide‐only forcing, one with a homogeneous ocean and the other with initial vertical stratification that is laterally homogeneous, show that tides can generate the ASC and ASF through volume flux convergence along the slope initiated by effects including the Lagrangian component of tidal rectification and mixing at the seabed and in the stratified ocean interior. Climate models that exclude the effects of tides will not correctly represent the ASF and ASC or their influence on the injection of intermediate and dense waters from the WSC to the deep ocean.

Circulation, retention, and mixing of waters within the Weddell‐Scotia Confluence, Southern Ocean: The role of stratified Taylor columns

AbstractThe waters of the Weddell‐Scotia Confluence (WSC) lie above the rugged topography of the South Scotia Ridge in the Southern Ocean. Meridional exchanges across the WSC transfer water and tracers between the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) to the north and the subpolar Weddell Gyre to the south. Here, we examine the role of topographic interactions in mediating these exchanges, and in modifying the waters transferred. A case study is presented using data from a free‐drifting, intermediate‐depth float, which circulated anticyclonically over Discovery Bank on the South Scotia Ridge for close to 4 years. Dimensional analysis indicates that the local conditions are conducive to the formation of Taylor columns. Contemporaneous ship‐derived transient tracer data enable estimation of the rate of isopycnal mixing associated with this column, with values of O(1000 m2/s) obtained. Although necessarily coarse, this is of the same order as the rate of isopycnal mixing induced by transient mesoscale eddies within the ACC. A picture emerges of the Taylor column acting as a slow, steady blender, retaining the waters in the vicinity of the WSC for lengthy periods during which they can be subject to significant modification. A full regional float data set, bathymetric data, and a Southern Ocean state estimate are used to identify other potential sites for Taylor column formation. We find that they are likely to be sufficiently widespread to exert a significant influence on water mass modification and meridional fluxes across the southern edge of the ACC in this sector of the Southern Ocean.

Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer,Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment

Understanding the distribution and foraging ecology of major consumers within pelagic systems, specifically in relation to physical parameters, can be important for the management of bentho-pelagic systems undergoing rapid change associated with global climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances such as fishing (i.e., the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea). We tracked 11 adult male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), during their five-month post-moult foraging migrations from King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), northern Antarctic Peninsula, using tags capable of recording and transmitting behavioural data and in situ temperature and salinity data. Seals foraged mostly within the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, while a few foraged along the western Antarctic Peninsula shelf of the Bellingshausen Sea. Mixed model outputs suggest that the at-sea behaviour of seals was associated with a number of environmental parameters, especially seafloor depth, sea-ice concentrations and the temperature structure of the water column. Seals increased dive bottom times and travelled at slower speeds in shallower areas and areas with increased sea-ice concentrations. Changes in dive depth and durations, as well as relative amount of time spent during the bottom phases of dives, were observed in relation to differences in overall temperature gradient, likely as a response to vertical changes in prey distribution associated with temperature stratification in the water column. Our results illustrate the likely complex influences of bathymetry, hydrography and sea ice on the behaviour of male southern elephant seals in a changing environment and highlight the need for region-specific approaches to studying environmental influences on behaviour.Keywords: Southern elephant seals; foraging ecology; satellite-relay data loggers; King George Island; Isla 25 de Mayo; at-sea behaviourTo access the supplementary material for this article, please see the supplementary files in the column to the right (under Article Tools).(Published: 26 November 2014)Citation: Polar Research 2014, 33, 23808, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v33.23808

Phytoplankton photosynthetic response to solar ultraviolet irradiance in the Ross Sea Polynya: Development and evaluation of a time‐dependent model with limited repair

The relationship of photosynthesis (14C incorporation) to ultraviolet (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was measured over the course of the late‐spring to early‐summer phytoplankton bloom in the Ross Sea Polynya (Southern Ocean). Experiments were conducted in November 2005 to determine PAR‐only photosynthesis–irradiance (P‐E) curves, biological weighting functions (BWFs) using a new version of the “photoinhibitron” laboratory spectral incubator, and variation in photosynthesis under high vs. low solar UVR treatments in on‐deck incubations. These observations were incorporated into a new spectral model of photosynthetic response to UVR + PAR with time‐dependent repair rates. The distinguishing feature of this model is that repair scales with inhibition up to a maximum absolute repair rate (rmax). Once repair is limited at the maximum rate, additional exposure has a more severe inhibitory effect on photosynthesis, consistent with measured exposure response curves. Parameters for the BWFRmax/P‐E model were determined for 10 sampling locations ranging from mixed diatom and Phaeocystis antarctica assemblages at the beginning of the bloom to assemblages dominated by P. antarctica at the peak of the bloom. The model explained 86–97% of the measured spectral variation with BWFs severalfold higher (more inhibitory) than those previously measured in the Weddell–Scotia Confluence and coastal waters near the Antarctic Peninsula. Predicted relative productivity (ratio of modeled photosynthesis under high vs. low UVR) was close to observed relative productivity, but absolute photosynthetic rates were higher in the on‐deck incubations than in the photoinhibitron.

Distribution patterns of chaetognata, polychaeta, pteropoda and salpidae off south georgia and south orkney islands

The distribution pattern, frequency and density (ind./1000 m) of different mesozooplankton species from the South Georgia Islands, South Orkney Islands and the Weddell-Scotia Confluence were analyzed using data obtained in 1994. The maximum densities of the species found were: Eukrohnia hamata (5330), Sagitta gazellae (1052), Clione limacina antarctica (450), Spongiobranchaea australis (375), Clio sulcata (100), Limacina helicina (4076 x 10³), Limacina retroversa (71 x 10(4)), Pelagobia longicirrata (29170), Rhynchonereella bongraini (117), Tomopteris carpenterii (26), Tomopteris planktonis (498), Tomopteris septentrionales (498) and Salpa thompsoni (189). Species density and frequency decreased from South Georgia to the South Orkney Islands, recording intermediate values at the Weddell-Scotia Confluence. Species density in the South Orkney area seemed to be limited by variations in temperature and salinity. The southern area around South Georgia showed the highest density of species, probably due to the influence of the Southern Front of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The presence of species characteristic of sub-Antarctic waters such as L. retroversa in the Confluence area could be related to the southward movements of eddies that originate in the Polar Front.

A method for measuring the size of early euphausiid larvae

A simple method to measure early euphausiid larvae is tested on 35 specimens of Euphausia superba obtained in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence region (ranging from Calyptopes I to Furcilia III) against the measures obtained on the same specimens with a graduated eyepiece. The arrangement of the test includes two observers, four magnifications (from 7.5× to 62.5×) whenever feasible and two replications of each measurement. A total of 953 measurements were analyzed in an incomplete random blocks ANOVA design not finding significant differences between magnifications, methods, observers and their interactions. It was found that the relative differences between methods were of the same magnitude as the differences between replications (approximately 5%). The proposed method is less demanding on laboratory work, thus allowing the measurement of the large number of specimens needed to estimate size frequency distributions.

Rapid changes in surface water carbonate chemistry during Antarctic sea ice melt

The effect of sea ice melt on the carbonate chemistry of surface waters in the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, Southern Ocean, was investigated during January 2008. Contrasting concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA) and the fugacity of carbon dioxide (fCO2) were observed in and around the receding sea ice edge. The precipitation of carbonate minerals such as ikaite (CaCO3·6H2O) in sea ice brine has the net effect of decreasing DIC and TA and increasing the fCO2 in the brine. Deficits in DIC up to 12 ± 3 ¼mol kg-1 in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) were consistent with the release of DIC-poor brines to surface waters during sea ice melt. Biological utilization of carbon was the dominant processes and accounted for 41 ± 1 ¼mol kg-1 of the summer DIC deficit. The data suggest that the combined effects of biological carbon uptake and the precipitation of carbonates created substantial undersaturation in fCO2 of 95 ìatm in the MIZ during summer sea ice melt. Further work is required to improve the understanding of ikaite chemistry in Antarctic sea ice and its importance for the sea ice carbon pump.

Control of phytoplankton biomass by dilution and mixed layer depth in the western Weddell-Scotia Confluence

Hydrographic, nutrient and trace metal (iron, manganese, and aluminum) concentration data, collected as part of a 2-ship survey during austral summer 2004, were used to examine the influ- ence of upwelling and horizontal mixing on phytoplankton biomass in the region of Elephant Island and South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Temperature/salinity property analysis and changes in trace metal and nutrient concentrations show that horizontal mixing of shelf waters, not upwelling from depth, is correlated with phytoplankton biomass in the upper mixed layer (UML). The interaction between changing UML depth and nutrient and trace metal concentrations in the UML results in a unimodal distribution of phytoplankton biomass centered at intermediate surface salinities of ~34. Principal component (PC) analysis of hydrographic and chemical observations resolved 3 compo- nents that accounted for 99% of the variability in nutrient and trace metal concentrations. The first PC accounted for a conservative loss of nutrients through dilution across a latitudinal salinity gradi- ent. The second and third PCs separated mixed layer depth and nutrient consumption. Although these 2 PCs accounted for just 20% of the variability in the data matrix, they accounted for 65% of the variability in mean phytoplankton biomass, and recreated the unimodal distribution of chlorophyll concentration when modeled across a salinity gradient. We propose that the distribution of phyto- plankton biomass is structured by the horizontal mixing of nutrient rich waters, derived from Weddell Sea Shelf Waters, with Antarctic Surface Water that enhances stratification and shoaling of the UML.

Response of Antarctic phytoplankton to solar UVR exposure: inhibition and recovery of photosynthesis in coastal and pelagic assemblages

We examined ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-in- duced inhibition and recovery of Antarctic phytoplankton photosynthesis during the austral spring in surface coastal waters near Palmer Stn and in the open ocean waters of the Weddell-Scotia Confluence from 1997 to 1999. Pri- mary productivity was measured in 12 h time-course ex- periments using enclosures that transmitted either full- spectrum solar UVR or only long-wavelength UVA. Recovery from inhibition was determined by transferring samples from high to low UVR at intervals during the in- cubation. Biological weighting functions for UVR inhibi- tion of photosynthesis were also determined for each experiment. Photosynthesis measurements were compared to model predictions using 3 exposure-response relation- ships: an irradiance-based (E) model that assumes rapid repair, a cumulative-exposure (H) model that assumes no repair, and a model that incorporated slow repair (R model). Open-ocean phytoplankton were generally much more sensitive to UVR inhibition than coastal assem- blages, which primarily had high rates of repair (E model). In contrast, open-ocean assemblages generally recovered from inhibition more slowly (R model). Some recovery was evident in all cases, so the H model was not applied to any assemblage. Our previous view of repair being either sim- ply present or absent is therefore revised to recognize that repair rates range from slow to fast and should be taken into account, together with spectral weight, in assess- ments of photosynthetic response to UVR in the Southern Ocean, including the effect of ozone depletion. Informa- tion on repair rate is particularly important for simulations of production in vertically mixed surface layers.

Distribution and ecology of Pseudo-nitzschia species (Bacillariophyceae) in surface waters of the Weddell Sea (Antarctica)

The distribution of six Pseudo-nitzschia species and their relationship with environmental conditions were studied for the first time in a vast zone of the Weddell Sea (∼61–77°S, Antarctica). Both qualitative and quantitative phytoplankton samples, collected during summer 2004, were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Phytoplankton abundance and composition showed great variability along our study area. Diatoms were the most conspicuous phytoplankton group in the northern area while small flagellates were generally dominant in the southern stations. The genus Pseudo-nitzschia was broadly distributed and significantly contributed to total diatom densities. A marked contrast in Pseudo-nitzschia species distribution was observed in three main zones divided by the Weddell Front (WF) and the Antarctic Slope Front (ASF). P. subcurvata and P. turgiduloides were the most abundant species in the neritic Weddell Sea zone, south of the ASF, mainly near the ice-edge in shallower waters and in conditions of long photoperiod. In contrast, P. prolongatoides and P. lineola dominated north of the ASF; the first was associated with deeper and nutrient-rich waters whereas the latter showed a weak relation with environmental variables examined. Finally, P. turgidula and P. heimii were mostly observed in the Weddell–Scotia Confluence Zone in the warmest and far from ice covered waters, north of the WF. A brief morphological Pseudo-nitzschia species description is given in the Appendix, including morphometrics and pictures.

Spatial and temporal operation of the Scotia Sea ecosystem: a review of large-scale links in a krill centred food web

The Scotia Sea ecosystem is a major component of the circumpolar Southern Ocean system, where productivity and predator demand for prey are high. The eastward-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and waters from the Weddell-Scotia Confluence dominate the physics of the Scotia Sea, leading to a strong advective flow, intense eddy activity and mixing. There is also strong seasonality, manifest by the changing irradiance and sea ice cover, which leads to shorter summers in the south. Summer phytoplankton blooms, which at times can cover an area of more than 0.5 million km2, probably result from the mixing of micronutrients into surface waters through the flow of the ACC over the Scotia Arc. This production is consumed by a range of species including Antarctic krill, which are the major prey item of large seabird and marine mammal populations. The flow of the ACC is steered north by the Scotia Arc, pushing polar water to lower latitudes, carrying with it krill during spring and summer, which subsidize food webs around South Georgia and the northern Scotia Arc. There is also marked interannual variability in winter sea ice distribution and sea surface temperatures that is linked to southern hemisphere-scale climate processes such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. This variation affects regional primary and secondary production and influences biogeochemical cycles. It also affects krill population dynamics and dispersal, which in turn impacts higher trophic level predator foraging, breeding performance and population dynamics. The ecosystem has also been highly perturbed as a result of harvesting over the last two centuries and significant ecological changes have also occurred in response to rapid regional warming during the second half of the twentieth century. This combination of historical perturbation and rapid regional change highlights that the Scotia Sea ecosystem is likely to show significant change over the next two to three decades, which may result in major ecological shifts.