Sources of particulate organic matter in the Chukchi and Siberian shelves: clues from carbon and nitrogen isotopes

The stable isotopic composition(δ13C andδ15N)and carbon/nitrogen ratio(C/N)of particulate organic matter(POM)in the Chukchi and East Siberian shelves from July to September,2016 were measured to evaluate the spatial variability and origin of POM.Theδ13CPOC values were in the range of−29.5‰to−17.5‰with an average of−25.9‰±2.0‰,and theδ15NPN values ranged from 3.9‰to 13.1‰with an average of 8.0‰±1.6‰.The C/N ratios in the East Siberian shelf were generally higher than those in the Chukchi shelf,while theδ13C andδ15N values were just the opposite.Abnormally low C/N ratios(<4),lowδ13CPOC(almost−28‰)and highδ15NPN(>10‰)values were observed in the Wrangel Island polynya,which was attributed to the early bloom of small phytoplankton.The contributions of terrestrial POM,bloom-produced POM and non-bloom marine POM were estimated using a three end-member mixing model.The spatial distribution of terrestrial POM showed a high fraction in the East Siberian shelf and decreased eastward,indicating the influence of Russian rivers.The distribution of non-bloom marine POM showed a high fraction in the Chukchi shelf with the highest fraction occurring in the Bering Strait and decreased westward,suggesting the stimulation of biological production by the Pacific inflow in the Chukchi shelf.The fractions of bloom-produced POM were highest in the winter polynya and gradually decreased toward the periphery.A negative relationship between the bloom-produced POM and the sea ice meltwater inventory was observed,indicating that the net sea ice loss promotes early bloom in the polynya.Given the high fraction of bloom-produced POM,the early bloom of phytoplankton in the polynyas may play an important role on marine production and POM export in the Arctic shelves.

Nitrogen isotopic fractionation of particulate organic matter production and remineralization in the Prydz Bay and its adjacent areas

During the 29 th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition,spatial variations in nitrogen isotopic composition of particulate nitrogen(δ15NPN)and their controlling factors were examined in detail with regard to nitrate drawdown by phytoplankton and particulate nitrogen(PN)remineralization in the Prydz Bay and its adjacent areas.To better constrain the nitrogen transformations,the physical and chemical parameters,including temperature,salinity,nutrients,PN andδ15NPN in seawater column were measured from surface to bottom.In addition,the nitrogen isotopic fractionation factor of nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton in the mixed layer,and the nitrogen isotopic fractionation factor of PN remineralization below the mixed layer were estimated using Rayleigh model and Steady State model,respectively.Our results showed that suspended particles had its lowestδ15NPN in the surface layer,which was due to the preferential assimilation of 14 N in nitrate by phytoplankton.Theδ15NPN in the mixed layer of the Prydz Bay and its adjacent areas decreased from the inner shelf to the outer basin,ascribing to the effect of isotope fractionation during phytoplankton assimilation.In mixed layer,the spatial distribution ofδ15NPN associated with particulate organic matter(POM)production can be well interpreted according to Rayleigh model and Steady State model.The nitrogen isotope fractionation factor during phytoplankton assimilating nitrate was estimated as 10.0‰by Steady State model,which was more reasonable than that calculated by Rayleigh model.These results validate the previous reports of fractionation factor during nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton.Increasingδ15NPN with depth below the euphotic zone correlated with the decreasing PN contents,and it was attributed to preferential remineralization of 14 N in PN by bacteria.In subsurface and deep layer,theδ15NPN distributions also conformed to Rayleigh model and Steady State model during PN remineralization,with a fractionation factor of about 3.6‰and 3.2‰,respectively.It is the first time to estimate the fractionation factor during POM production and remineralization in the Prydz Bay and its adjacent areas.Such fractionation may provide a useful tool for the follow-up study of the nitrogen dynamics in the Southern Ocean.