Phytoplankton in Prydz Bay and Its Adjacent Sea Area of Antarctica During the Austral Summer (1998/1999)

The cell density, species composition and distribution of phytoplankton, and their relations to environmental factors in Prydz Bay and its adjacent sea area, Antarctica (69degrees-77degrees E, 62degrees-70degrees S) during the austral summer of 1998/1999 were investigated. A total of 48 taxa belonging to 21 genera of phytoplankton in the sea area were identified. The average cell density of phytoplankton was 22.46 x 10(3) cells/dm(3), of which diatoms were predominant (84.51%). The highest cell density of phytoplankton occurred in Prydz Bay and the adjacent continental shelf where the average cell density was 46.03 x 10(3) cells/dm(3). The lowest cell density (3.34 x 10(3) cells/dm(3)) occurred in deep sea area. The dominant species of phytoplankton was Fragilariopsis curta. The vertical distribution of phytoplankton density was highest in the upper part of 0-50 in depth, lower in 100 in and lowest in 150 in. The species composition and cell density of phytoplankton were influenced by water circulation. The cell density was positively correlated with water temperature and salinity, and negatively correlated with the concentration of nutrients.

Distribution of dissolved cadmium in Prydz Bay,Antarctica

In order to better understand the spatial and temporal distribution of dissolved cadmium in Prydz Bay, east Antarctica, seawaters were sampled by CTD during the CHINARE-25 cruise （Oct. 2008 - Apr. 2009） and the concentrations of cadmium were analyzed by AAS （Atomic Absorption Spectrometry） in the clean laboratory. Together with the data of macronutrients and chl.a from the same cruise, the relationship between cadmium and biological process was studied. The results showed that the concentrations of Cd in the surface water had a good relationship with chl.a and biologicl process was the important factor that influenced the distribution of dissolved Cd in the surface water. Linear relationship was found between dissolved Cd and phosphate in the surface water and the high ratio of Cd/P at the edge of ice shelf was most probably due to ice melting, vertical distribution of Cd was similar to those of macronutrient such as phosphate and was affected by decomposition of organic particals. The temporal change of dissolved Cd in upper layer was slight and tide probably had influence on the change.

Air-sea carbon fluxes and their controlling factors in the Prydz Bay in the Antarctic

The Prydz Bay in the Antarctic is an important area in the Southern Ocean due to its unique geographic feature. It plays an important role in the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the distributions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and surface seawater and its air-sea exchange rates in this region, the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition （CHINARE） had set up several sections in the Prydz Bay. Here we present the results from the CHINARE-XVI cruises were presented onboard R/V Xue/ong from November 1999 to April 2000 and the main driving forces were discussed controlling the distributions of partial pressure of carbon dioxide. According to the partial pressure of carbon dioxide distributions, the Prydz Bay can be divided into the inside and outside regions. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide was low in the inside region but higher in the outside region during the measurement period. This distribution had a good negative correlation with the concentrations of ehlorophyll-a in general, suggesting that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide was substantially affected by biological production. The results also indicate that the biological produetion is most likely the main driving force in the marginal ice zone in the Southern Ocean in summer. However, in the Antarctic divergence sector of the Prydz Bay （about 64°S）, the hydrological processes become the controlling factor as the sea surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide is much higher than the atmospheric one due to the upwelling of the high DIC CDW, and this made the outside of Prydz Bay a source of carbon dioxide. On the basis of the calculations, the CO2 flux in January （austral summer） was -3.23 mmol/（m^2 · d） in the inner part of Prydz Bay, i.e. , a sink of atmospheric CO2, and was 0.62 mmol/（m^2 · d） in the outside part of the bay, a weak source of atmospheric CO2. The average air-sea flux of CO2 in the Prydz Bay was 2.50 mmol/（m^2 · d）.

Supercooled water in austral summer in Prydz Bay,Antarctica

Supercooled water with temperatures below freezing point, was identified from hydrographic data obtained by Chinese and Australian expeditions to Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during the austral summer. The study shows that most supercooled waters occurred at depths of 63-271 m in the region north of the Amery Ice Shelf （AIS） front. The maximum supercooling was 0.16℃ below the in-situ freezing point. In temperature and salinity ranges of-2.14 - -1.96℃ and 34.39-34.46, respectively, the water was colder and fresher than peripheral shelf water. The supercooled water had less variability in the vertical profiles compared to shelf water. Based on analysis of their thermohaline features and spatial distribution, as well as the circulation pattern in Prydz Bay, we conclude that these supercooled waters originated from a cavity beneath the AIS and resulted from upwelling just outside of the AIS front. Water emerging from the ice shelf cools to an extremely low temperature （about -2.0℃） by additional cooling from the ice shelf, and becomes buoyant with the addition of melt water from the ice shelf base. When this water flows out of the ice shelf front, its upper boundary is removed, and thus it rises abruptly. Once the temperature of this water reaches below the freezing point, supercooling takes place. In summer, the seasonal pycnocline at -100 m water depth acts as a barrier to upwelling and supercooling. The upwelling of ice shelf outflow water illuminates a unique mid-depth convection of the polar ocean.

The investigation on particulate organic carbon fluxes with disequilibria between thorium-234 and uranium-238 in the Prydz Bay,the Southern Ocean

Dissolved and particulate thorium-234, particulate organic carbon in the upper 150 m of water columns from five stations in the Prydz Bay, the Southern Ocean were determined during the 22nd Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition （from November 2005 to March 2006 ）. The disequilibria between thorium-234 and its parent uranium-238 in upper layer was used to derive the averaged residence time of thorium-234, which decreased along with the latitude to the south and a minimum value, 1 - 8 d for particulate thorium-234 and 29 - 48 d for dissolved thorium-234, appeared at the medium latitude station, and the export fluxes of thorium-234 were calculated too and ＇a maximum value, 0. 35 -0. 63 Bq/（m^3 · d） for the particulate thorium-234 and 0. 44 -0. 65 Bq/ （m^3 ·d） for the dissolved thorium-234, appeared at the same station. The export fluxes of particulate organic carbon at different water columns were derived by two methods with irreversible scavenging model, and the averaged values were 104. 7 mmol/ （ m2 · d ） （ E method） and 120. 6 mmol/（ m2·d ） （ B method ）, respectively, indicating that a relatively high new production would exist in summer in the Prydz Bay where it will play a potential significant role in sequestering the absorption CO2 to deeper ocean.

Features of physical oceanography in the oceans near the Prydz Bay during the 1998/1999 austral summer

Thermohaline features, spatial extensions, and depths of the antarctic circumpolar deep water, the antarctic bottom water, and the upper layer water near the Prydz Bay （ including the Prydz Bay s.mmer surface water, the antarctic winter water, and the Prydz Bay shelf water ） are analyzed and studied by use of the full depth CTD data obtained in the Southern Ocean near the Prydz Bay during the 1998/1999 austral summer. The northward extension of the shelf water, the thickness of the temperature inversion layer, the minima in the vertical temperature profile and the vertical temperature gradient are interpreted. On the basis of analysis of gravitational potential field, the geostrophic current and the geostrophic volume transport are calculated to determine the location of the strongest current in the zonal circulation near the Prydz Bay and to find the spatial variability of the volume transport in the64° -66.5°S zone. In addition, the central location, the frontal strength, the vertical depth and thickness of the continental water boundary （CWB） are estimated from the CTD data to expound the spatial variability of CWB in the study area （64° -66.5°S, 70° -75°E）.

Source and spatial distributions of particulate organic carbon and its isotope in surface waters of Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during summer

In this study, we investigated the distributions of sea-surface suspended particulate organic carbon （POC） and its stable isotope （δ13C POC） in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, and examined the factors influencing their distribution, sources, and transport. We used measurements collected from 61 stations in Prydz Bay during the 29th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition, in combination with remote sensing data on sea surface temperature （SST）, chlorophyll a concentration, and sea ice coverage. The POC concentration in the surface waters of Prydz Bay was 0.28-0.84 mg.L-1, with an average concentration of 0.48 mg.L-1. The δ13C POC value ranged from -29.68‰ to -26.30‰, with an average of-28.01‰. The concentration of suspended POC was highest in near-shore areas and in western Prydz Bay. The POC concentration was correlated with chlorophyll a concentration and sea ice coverage, suggesting that POC was associated with phytoplankton production in local water columns, while the growth of phytoplankton was obviously affected by sea ice coverage. The δ13C poc value in suspended particles decreased gradually towards the outer waters of Prydz Bay, while in eastern Prydz Bay the δ13Cpoc value become gradually more negative from nearshore to deep-water areas, suggesting that δ13C poc was mainly influenced by CO2 fixation by phytoplankton. The δ13C POC value in suspended particles near Zhongshan Station was significantly negative, possibly as a result of the input of terrigenous organic matter and changes in the phytoplankton species composition in the nearshore area.

Topographic features around Zhongshan Station,southeast of Prydz Bay

Considering the complex topographic features of the southeast of Prydz Bay where China's Zhongshan Station is located,three types of geomorphologic units can be identified,i.e., submarine slopes,canyons,and terrains.The major topographic features in the study area are the submarine canyon and trough system outside the calving ice front of Dalk Glacier.A 3.8 km×80 m fissure is found on the submarine terrain at Zhongshan Anchorage,which,once triggered by geological hazards such as earthquakes and ice falls,would be a threat to the usage and maintenance of the anchorage.

Turbulent dissipation and mixing in Prydz Bay

In this paper, we present measurements of velocity, temperature, salinity, and turbulence collected in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during February, 2005. The dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy （e） and diapycnal diffusivities （Ks） were estimated along a section in front of the Amery Ice Shelf. The dissipation rates and diapycnal diffusivities were spatially non-uniform, with higher values found in the western half of the section where E reached 10.7 W/kg and Kz reached 10.2 mVs, about two and three orders of magnitude higher than those in the open ocean, respectively. In the western half of the section both the dissipation rates and diffusivities showed a high-low-high vertical structure. This vertical structure may have been determined by internal waves in the upper layer, where the ice shelf draft acts as a possible energy source, and by bottom-generated internal waves in the lower layer, where both tides and geostrophic currents are possible energy sources. The intense diapycnal mixing revealed in our observations could contribute to the production of Antarctic Bottom Water in Prydz Bay.

Upper layer waters and their northward extension from Prydz Bay in summer

In this paper, CTD observational data obtained during the 15th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-15) in the Southern Ocean are used to analyse and study water mass distribution in the Prydz Bay and its adjacent seas. The area, depth, and the thermohaline characteristics are identified for the Prydz Bay summer coastal surface water, the Prydz Bay winter water, the Prydz Bay shelf water, and the circumpolar deep water. Based on the above discussion, the northward extention of the Prydz Bay shelf water are found. Then the thermodynamic and the dynamic characteristics are further discussed, dealing with the inversion layer depth of the water temperature, the locations of the minima of the vertical temperature distribution and the temperature vertical gradient in the water column, the baraclinicity, and the effect of Coriolis deflection force.

Population dynamics of four dominant copepods in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during austral summer from 1999 to 2006

Population dynamics of four dominant Antarctic copepods, Calanoides acutus, Calanus propinquus, Metridia gerlachei and Rhincalanus gigas were studied based on zooplankton samples collected in the Prydz Bay during austral summer from 1999 to 2006. We found that C. acutus was the most abundant species among these four copepods, followed by C. propinquus, M. gerlachei and R. gigas. R. gigas occurred mainly in the warmer oceanic regions and showed distribution patterns discrete from the other three species, whose distribution in the whole survey area overlapped. By December 15th （about one month before our sampling） of the years 1999, 2003 and 2006, sea ice retreated earlier and polynyas existed in the neritic region one month before sampling. These periods were characterized by numerical dominance of C. acutus, C. propinquus and M. gerlachei, elevated proportions of Copepodite I and Copepodite II stages especially in the neritic region. While for the years 2000, 2002, and 2005, the ice edge located more northerly and polynyas did not exist in the neritic region, the copepods abundance was lower, indicating poor recruitment. Population structure of R. gigas was mainly composed of advanced stages Copepodite V and female during all cruises. Log10 （x＋l） transformed densities of C. acutus, C. propinquus and M. gerlachei showed positive correlation with temperature and chlorophyll a concentration, while mean population stages of these copopods were negatively correlated with these environmental variables. Younger copepodite stages of C. acutus, C. propinquus and M. gerlachei appeared more often in neritic regions. We confirmed that the polynyas had a great contribution to phytoplankton blooms, which promote copepods reproduction and recruitment success. The study suggested that population dynamics of the four copepods have good correspondence with sea ice and polynya variations during all cruises of the Prydz Bay.

Short-and Long-Term Response of Phytoplankton to ENSO in Prydz Bay, Antarctica: Evidences from Field Measurements, Remote Sensing Data and Stratigraphic Biomarker Records

The study provides one of the first lines of evidence showing linkages between Antarctic phytoplankton abundance and composition in response to ENSO, based on historical reconstruction of sediment biomarkers. In addition to sediment biomarkers, field measured and remote sensing data of phytoplankton abundance were also recorded from Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica. Com-munity structure of field measured phytoplankton showed significant El Ni？o/La Ni？a-related succession during 1990 to 2002. In general, the number of algae species decreased during El Ni？o and La Ni？a years compared to normal years. Austral summer monthly variation of remotely sensed chlorophyll-a （Chl-a）, particulate organic carbon （POC）, and sea surface temperature （SST） indicated that ENSO impacted the timing of phytoplankton blooms during 2007 to 2011. Phytoplankton blooms （indicated by Chl-a and POC） preceded the increases in SST during El Ni？o years, and lagged behind the SST increases during La Ni？a years. Stratigraphic record of marine sedimentary lipid （brassicasterol, dinosterol and alkenones） biomarkers inferred that the proportions of different algae （diatoms, dinoflagellates and haptophytes） changed significantly between El Ni？o and La Ni？a events. The relative proportion of diatoms increased, with that of dinoflagellates being decreased during El Ni？o years, while it was reversed during La Ni？a years.

Fish diversity and molecular taxonomy in the Prydz Bay during the 29th CHINARE

In 2013, the 29th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition（CHINARE） prospected the Prydz Bay on the Antarctic continental shelf, and the Chinese R/V Xuelong icebreaker sampled all of the examined locations. The nature of Antarctic fish diversity in the high-latitude Prydz Bay is virtually unknown, and the accuracy of relevant estimates has not been established. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate this diversity and propose protective measures. In total, ninety-nine specimens were collected from various locations. To overcome uncertainties associated with identifying species based on morphology, DNA barcoding（COI gene） was employed to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships with delimited references from NCBI. Twenty-two species representing six families were unambiguously identified from a neighbor-joining（NJ） tree and barcoding gaps. With the morphological identification, thirteen species were identified correctly, five species were identified correctly at the genus level, and four species were identified at the close sister species level. Notothenioid dominance was not evident in the Prydz Bay, in contrast to other published studies. The low species diversity and catch biomass during this CHINARE were severely constrained by limited fishing methods and localized sites, which led to biased underestimation. Our analyses indicate that DNA barcoding is an effective tool for the identification of fish species in the Prydz Bay. The identification and distribution of Antarctic fish should be an integral component of understanding Antarctic fish biodiversity and biogeography, and large-scale studies are necessary for the further taxonomic identification of Antarctic fish.

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.

Study on the distribution,abundance and growth condition of Antarctic Krill(Euphausia superba)in the Prydz Bay region,Antarctica during the Austral summer of 1999/2000

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) were collected from the Prydz Bay region during the austral summer of 1999/2000. The sample - collection was made at 15 sites in 3 longitudinal transects. Although krill were encountered at 14 sites, the abundance was comparatively low in general. The main component of the krill population was of post -larval stages. The mean numerical and weight density of krill integrated for all sampling stations in the survey area were 16. 17 ind. 1000 m -3and 12.02 g 1000 m -3 , respectively. In the survey area, stations with larger krill density are mainly located in the slope zone, except that the largest sample was collected in the open sea zone. No krill occurred in the only station of the shelf zone during our investigation. Krill collected from the slope zone were under better growth condition than those from the open sea zone, but when the survey area is considered as a whole, the growth condition is normal. The results of the comprehensive analysis of the environmental factors show that the three large sample stations seem to be related with the cold water mass at 75 m depth and the confluence area between the high and low Chla centers at the depth of 25 m.

Distribution of dissolved organic carbon in and near the Prydz Bay, Antarctica

During the 16th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) (from November 1999 to April 2000) seawater samples were collected for (DOC) determination in the Prydz Bay and its nearby sea areas. DOC concentrations were determined-by high temperature catalytic oxidation (HTCO) method. The results shows that DOC concentrations, in the upper water column (0 similar to 100 in) range from 14.3 to 181.1 mumol/dm(3), with averaging 52.5 mumol/dm(3) (n = 55). These values are slightly higher than those reported for the Ross Sea, the Pacific Ocean and others. Profiles of DOC concentration in the study areas show a decreasing concentration with increasing depth in the upper 100 m, which is related to biological activities in the water column. DOC concentrations below 100 in are relatively constant with a mean of 40.4 gammamol/dm(3). These DOC are unactive for physical and biological activities and are called refractory DOC. Concentration of the refractory DOC in the study area is consistent with the previous reported values for the Southern Ocean, which is about 41 mumol/dm(3). Based on the difference between the measured DOC concentration and the refractory concentration, the excess DOC concentration in the upper column can be calculated at every station. The excess DOC shows a spatial variability with a higher excess in the north of 64degreesS and little excess in the south of 64degreesS. In conclusion, DOC concentrations in the Prydz Bay and its nearby sea areas,are, consistent with the previous reported values in the Southern Ocean, which show a low DOC concentration with respect to the other oceans. Distribution of surface DOC concentrations in the study areas shows an increase from the southwestern to the northeastern, which is ascribed to the northern spread of continental shelf water from the Prydz Bay in summer. Contents of DOC and their distribution in the Prydz Bay and its nearby sea areas are mainly controlled by physical and biological processes.

Multiple processes affecting surface seawater N_2O satura-tion anomalies in tropical oceans and Prydz Bay, Antarc-tica

We analyzed the N20 content of surface seawater sampled from Prydz Bay, Antarctica, on a cruise track between 30°S and 30°N during the twenty-second Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition during austral summer, 2006. The surface water showed an average pN20 value of 311.9a：7.6 nL.L-1 （14.1：t：0.4 nmol-Ll）, which was slightly undersaturated. The air-sea N2O flux in the region was -0.3±0.8 p.mol.mE,dl; howeveh N20 in the surface water was oversaturated in most stations along the cruise track. Saturation anomalies were greater than 10%, with a maximum of 54.7% being observed at the Eqaator, followed by 31% at 10°N in the Sulu Sea. The air-sea fluxes at these locations were 12.4 and 4 μmol-mLd-1, respectively. Overall, the results indicated that surface water in Prydz Bay was near equilibrium with atmospheric N20, and that ocean waters in lower latitudes acted as a N20 source. Physical processes such as stratification, ice-melt water dilution, and solar radiation dominate the factors leading to N20 saturation of surface water of Prydz Bay, while biological production and upwelling are primarily responsible for the N20 oversaturation of surface water observed in subtropical and tropical regions along the cruise track.

Concentrations and distribution of biogenic barium in surface sediments of Prydz Bay,Antarctica

Concentrations ofbiogenic barium were investigated in surface sediments of Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during the 21st and 27th CHINARE cruises. Factors controlling the observed distribution are explored. Biogenic barium concentrations obtained from a sequential extraction procedure are compared with total concentrations obtained from the normative calculation based on a total digestion, and differences in the results are examined. Concentrations of biogenic barium, calculated by the normative calculation, were much higher than the concentrations obtained through sequential extraction; this discrepancy is the result of the occurrence of barium associated with Mn/Fe oxides, which represents an important component of total barium in these sediments. Concentrations of biogenic barium obtained from the sequential extraction range from 104 to 445 ktg.g1, and the average concentration was 227 p.g.g-~. The highest concentrations of biogenic barium occur in the central area of the bay, where the seawater is more stable, while lower values occur in the bank and the ice shelf. Biogenic barium is significantly linearly correlated with biogenic barium and organic carbon, and similar in distribution of Chl a, which may indicate that primary productivity of phytoplankton in the surface water column is the main environmental factor regulating barium concentration and distribution.

Particle dynamics revealed by^(210)Po/^(210)Pb disequilibria around Prydz Bay,the Southern Ocean in summer

Seawater samples were collected around Prydz Bay in summer of 2014,dissolved and particulate^(210)Po and^(210)Pb were measured to reveal the disequilibrium characteristics and particle dynamics.Our results show that the distribution of^(210)Po and^(210)Po/^(210)Pb activity ratio in the upper water is mainly affected by biological absorption or particle adsorption.An abnormal excess of^(210)Po relative to^(210)Pb was observed in the surface water at stations P1-2 and P2-2,which is likely to be the horizontal transport of water mass with high DPo/DPb)_(A.R.)and TPo/TPb)_(A.R.).In this study,the removal of particulate^(210)Po is mainly controlled by the scavenging of dissolved^(210)Po and the two have a linear positive correlation with the salinity,a negative linear correlation with the content of dissolved oxygen and a reciprocal relationship with the content of POC.The export flux of POC at 100 m is estimated to be 1.8-4.4 mmol·m^(−2)·d^(−1)(avg.2.9 mmol·m^(−2)·d^(−1))based on^(210)Po/^(210)Pb disequilibria,with the highest value in the shelf,which is consistent with the distribution of biological productivity.

Biogenic silica in surficial sediments of Prydz Bay,Antarctica

The content and distribution of biogenic silica were investigated in sediment cores from Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during the CHINARE-18/2L cruise. The results show that the content of biogenic silica（ BSiO2 ） is ranged from 4.89% to 85. 41% , and the average content of biogenic silica is 30.90%, the highest value oc- curred at the IV-10 station. The profile of BSiO2 in sediment is contrast to that of sili- cate in the interstitial water. The content of biogenic silica and organic carbon in the surface sediments in the central area of Prydz Bay gyre were much higher than those in other area, and closely related to the Chla content and primary productivity of phyto- plankton in the surface water column.