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Vertical Distributions of Macromolecular Composition of Particulate Organic Matter in the Water Column of the Amundsen Sea Polynya During the Summer in 2014
Author(s) -
Kim Bo Kyung,
Lee SangHoon,
Ha SunYong,
Jung Jinyoung,
Kim Tae Wan,
Yang Eun Jin,
Jo Naeun,
Lim Yu Jeong,
Park Jisoo,
Lee Sang Heon
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1002/2017jc013457
Subject(s) - photic zone , water column , particulates , organic matter , deep sea , biomass (ecology) , oceanography , environmental chemistry , composition (language) , chemistry , environmental science , nutrient , phytoplankton , geology , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy
Abstract Macromolecular compositions (carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) of particulate organic matter (POM) are crucial as a basic marine food quality. To date, however, one investigation has been carried out in the Amundsen Sea. Water samples for macromolecular compositions were obtained at selected seven stations in the Amundsen Sea Polynya (AP) during the austral summer in 2014 to investigate vertical characteristics of POM. We found that a high proportion of carbohydrates (45.9 ± 11.4%) in photic layer which are significantly different from the previous result (27.9 ± 6.9%) in the AP, 2012. The plausible reason could be the carbohydrate content strongly associated with biomass of the dominant species ( Phaeocystis antarctica ). The calorific content of food material (FM) in the photic layer obtained in this study is similar with that of the Ross Sea as one of the highest primary productivity regions in the Southern Ocean. Total concentrations, calorific values, and calorific contents of FM were higher in the photic layer than the aphotic layer, which implies that a significant fraction of organic matter underwent degradation. A decreasing proteins/carbohydrates (PRT/CHO) ratio with depth could be caused by preferential nitrogen loss during sinking period. Since the biochemical compositions of POM mostly fixed in photic layers could play an important role in transporting organic carbon into the deep sea, further detail studies on the variations in biochemical compositions and main controlling factors are needed to understand sinking mechanisms of POM.