Seasonal Distribution of Observed Colored Dissolved Organic Matter(CDOM)in the Eastern Indian Ocean

Colored dissolved organic matter(CDOM)is a crucial constituent that affects the optical absorption properties of seawater.Owing to the relatively limited measured data on the spatial distribution characteristics of CDOM in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean,this study analyzes the optical absorption characteristics of CDOM in the southeast Indian Ocean using the data collected during four seasons from 2013 to 2017.This work also systematically describes the seasonal horizontal and vertical distribution characteristics of CDOM in this area and conducts a preliminary analysis of the relevant factors affecting CDOM absorption characteristics in this region.Results indicate that the CDOM ag(440)during summer was remarkably lower than that in the coastal waters of Europe and coastal waters of China but slightly higher than that in the western and southeast Pacific.The spatial distribution of surface CDOM shows remarkable seasonal differences,and the spatial distribution characteristics of CDOM in the 5°S,92°E region differ between spring/summer and autumn/winter.The values of ag(400)and ag(440)are weak/strong at a surface/subsurface level of 100 m,with differences found between summer and winter.The correlation of CDOM with temperature,salinity,and chlorophyll-a concentration is relatively low,indicating that CDOM is an independent driving mechanism influenced by phytoplankton degradation,photobleaching,and water mixing.

The distribution of chlorophyll a in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean in austral summer

To study the effect of hydrographic factors on the spatial distributions of chlorophyll a （Chl a）, an investigation was carried out in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean （80 –100 E along 7 S, and 7 –18 S along 80 E） in December 2010. The fluorescent method was used to obtain total Chl a and size-fractioned Chl a at the 26 stations. The results show that surface Chl a concentration averaged at （0.168 ± 0.095） mg/m 3 s.d. （range： 0.034–0.475 mg/m 3 ）, concentrations appeared to be higher in the west for longitudinal variations, and higher in the north for latitudinal variations. Furthermore, the surface Chl a concentration was lower （0.034–0.066 mg/m 3 ） in the region to the south of 16 S. There was a strong subsurface Chl a maximum layer at all stations and the depth of the Chl a maximum increased towards to the east and south along with the respective nitracline. The spatial variation of Chl a was significant： correlation and regression analysis suggests that it was primarily affected by PO 3 4 , N（NO 3 –N＋NO 2 –N） and temperature. Size-fractionated Chl a concentration clearly showed that the study area was a typical oligotrophic open ocean, in which picophytoplankton dominated, accounting for approximately 67.8% of total Chl a, followed by nanophytoplankton （24.5%） and microphytoplankton （7.6%）. The two larger fractions were sensitive to the limitation of P, while picophytoplankton was primarily affected by temperature.

A snapshot on spatial and vertical distribution of bacterial communities in the eastern Indian Ocean

Besides being critical components of marine food web,microorganisms play vital roles in biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and elements in the ocean.Currently little is known about microbial population structure and their distributions in the eastern Indian Ocean.In this study,we applied molecular approaches including polymerase chain reaction-denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis（PCR-DGGE） and High-Throughput next generation sequencing to investigate bacterial 16S rRNA genes from the equatorial regions and the adjacent Bay of Bengal in the eastern Indian Ocean.In general,Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria（mainly Alpha,and Gamma）,Actinobacteria,Cyanobacteria and Planctomycetes dominated the microbial communities.Horizontally distinct spatial distribution of major microbial groups was observed from PCR-DGGE gel image analyses.However,further detailed characterization of community structures by pyrosequencing suggested a more pronounced stratified distribution pattern：Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria were more predominant at surface water（25m）;Bacteroidetes dominated at 25m and 150m while Proteobacteria（mainly Alphaproteobacteria） occurred more frequently at 75m water depth.With increasing water depth,the bacterial communities from different locations tended to share high similarity,indicating a niche partitioning for minor groups of bacteria recovered with high throughput sequencing approaches.This study provided the first ＂snapshot＂ on biodiversity and spatial distribution of Bacteria in water columns in the eastern Indian Ocean,and the findings further emphasized the potential functional roles of these microbes in energy and resource cycling in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Modern planktonic foraminifera from the eastern Indian Ocean

A brief morphometric study of the recent planktonic foraminifera in the eastern Indian Ocean was provided with the taxonomic key to species, synonyms, SEM microphotographs of shells and chamber arrays. By recent classification, currently 20 species representing 13 genera and 6 families （Canderinidae, Heterohelicoidae, Hedbergellidae, Higerigerinoidae, Globigerinoidae, and Globorotaloidae） identified from the planktonic material of the eastern Indian Ocean up to a depth of 200 m. Their distribution in water （0-200 m） also reports on the new range of expansion in the eastern Indian Ocean, with Dentigloborotalia anfracta, Hastigerina pelagica, Streptochilus globigerus, Globigerinella calida, Globigerinella adamsi, Orcadia reidelii, Tenuitella parkerae, Tenuitella compressa, reported for the first time in this study area. In general, only around 50 planktonic species are valid worldwide, more specifically the species, e.g., H. pelagica, G. calida, G. adamsi, S. globigerus, O. riedeli, T. parkerae, T. compressa, which occur in the eastern Indian Ocean to fill the the paucity of the recent regional taxonomic literature and the problematic identification from the eastern Indian Ocean. This work aims to bridge this gap and help scientists, managers, educators and students to identify plankton foraminifers by using species notes and images.

The first snapshot study on horizontal distribution and identification of five peritrich ciliates (Genus Vorticella Linnaeus and Zoothamnium Bory de St. Vincent) from the eastern Indian Ocean

Epipont peritrich ciliates are one of the most sessilie protists that attached to the substrate of zooplankton communities especially copepods and crustaceans. Peritrich ciliates can be solitary or colonial form found from the coastal zones and embayment around the world. Present research report is the first snapshot study of the peritrich ciliates and the horizontal distribution in open waters from surface to 200 m depth in the eastern Indian Ocean. Recently, five peritrich ciliates, e.g., Vorticella oceanica, Zootharnnium alternans, Z. alrasheidi, Z. pelagicum, and Z. marinum were collected from plankton net tow samples during the cruise from April 10 to May 13, 2014. The characteristics of the peritrich ciliate were determined according to the shape of the zooids, the ciliary structure and the stalks. The morphometric shape, sizes and characters also explained by examination under light/scanning electron microscopy. Vorticella oceanica and Z. pelagicum showed their association with host such as diatom （i.e, Chaetoceros coarctatus） and copepod （Oithona brevicornis） including some individuals around the dinoflagellate species （Ceraitum tripose）. The distribution of these sessilid ciliates was dominated by the V. oceanica, Z. pelagicum and Z. rnarinurn at the southeast zone while the large colonies of Z. alrasheidi observed at the Bay of Bengal. This distribution can be influenced by substrate availability like diatom （Ch. coarctatus） and copepods （O. brevicornis）.

Bottom water temperature measurements in the South China Sea,eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean

文章报道了一批新的海底底水温度(BWT)数据,其中南海(SCS)158个站位、东印度洋(EIO)30个站位及西太平洋(WPO)37个站位。基于这批新的BWT数据,获得南海和西太平洋海域底水温度与水深经验关系,可为地球物理和物理海洋提供准确、可靠的海底温度边界。这将有助于海底油气资源调查与评估。同时,这批实测数据表明:1)水深超过3500m的海域,其底水温度在南海约为2.47℃,比东印度洋(～1.34℃)和西太平洋(～1.60℃)稍微偏高。这与大洋传送带模式所预测的情况比较吻合。该模式认为:低温高盐的海水,从北大西洋格陵兰岛和冰岛附近海域下沉到深层,然后向南流动,再与南极洲周围海域的低温高盐海水一同向北进入印度洋和太平洋。而南海是一个相对比较封闭的热带边缘海,其内部海水与印度洋和菲律宾海交换有限,导致海水温度整体高于印度洋和太平洋。2)台西南盆地水深在2700～3000m的部分站位,其底水温高达约3.00℃,明显高于其周边同水深海域底水温度(平均值约为2.33℃)。这可能是台西南盆地海底水热活动导致的结果。3)在东印度洋和西太平洋水深超过4800m海域,底水温度随着水压增大稍有升高,其升高率分别为10.6mK·MPa^(-1)和12.0mK·MPa^(-1)。这与理论估算的深层底水绝热压力温度梯度范围较为吻合。这也意味着东印度洋和西太平洋深层底水,主要由绝热自压作用导致其温度随着深度的增大而升高。

Analysis of Equatorial Currents Observed by Eastern Indian Ocean Cruises in 2010 and 2011

Hydrographic and direct current measurements were made in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean in May 2010 and April 2011 as part of the Eastern Indian Ocean Cruises(EIOC) organized by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology(SCSIO).Analyses of the shipdrift Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) data indicate that the equatorial currents observed in May 2010 are characterized by a strongly eastward surface current(Wyrtki Jets,WJs) with a maximum velocity of 0.9 m s 1,while that observed in April 2011 is weak and without a consistent direction.The strongly eastward WJ transports the surface water eastward,resulting in a deeper upper mixed layer,as shown in the temperature and salinity profiles.However,it was found that the Equatorial Undercurrent(EUC) in the Eastern Indian Ocean is strong in April 2011 and weak in May 2010.The EUC was located approximately at the position of the thermocline,and it had higher salinity(up to approximately 35.5 psu) than the upper and lower waters.

Comparisons of the temperature and humidity profiles of reanalysis products with shipboard GPS sounding measurements obtained during the 2018 Eastern Indian Ocean Open Cruise

本研究利用2018年春季东印度洋科学考察航次采集的GPS探空数据集,分析了三套再分析资料(JRA-55、MERR2和FGOALS-f2)对赤道东印度洋对流层中低层大气温湿廓线的模拟能力。结果表明:JRA-55和MERRA2能合理地再现850-600hPa之间的温度廓线的特征,最大偏差小于0.5度,但在850hPa以下的偏差增大,最底层的偏差分别达到了2和1.5度;两套再分析资料对850-600hPa之间的湿度扩线也具备较好的再现能力,但在850hPa以下JRA55和MERRA2再分析资料高估了相对湿度,最大湿度偏差可达15%。相对而言,FGOALS-f2分析资料对温度廓线再现能力最好,边界层内的温度偏差明显小于其它两套再分析资料;但FGOALS-f2也存在整层偏湿的问题,最大偏差在600hPa附近,误差接近20%。

Comparisons of surface Chl a and primary productivity along three transects of the southern South China Sea, northern Java Sea and eastern Indian Ocean in April 2011

Results are presented about the changes in chlorophyll a density, carbon fixation and nutrient levels in the surfacewaters of three transects of the southern South China Sea （SCS）, northern Java Sea （JS） and eastern Indian Ocean （IO） duringApril 5-16 of 2011. The in situ Chl a concentration and carbon fixation showed decreasing trends from high to low latitudealong the three transects, while the photosynthetic rate of phytoplankton estimated from 14C incorporation displayed no simplevariation with latitude. Chl a concentration and carbon fixation in the IO water was lower than that in the JS water. Highersalinity and lower contents of dissolved inorganic nitrogen （DIN） and silicate （SiO3^2-） characterized the IO water as comparedto the SCS or JS water, and the PO4^3- content was lower in the IO water than in the SCS or JS water in most cases. Our resultsalso indicate the importance of DIN and SiO3^2- concentrations for the geographical changes in phytoplankton biomass andprimary productivity among the three regions.

Influence of the Eastern Indian Ocean Warm Pool Variability on the Spring Precipitation in China

The relationship between the variability of the Eastern India Ocean Warm Pool (EIWP) and the spring precipitation in China is studied in the paper based on an analysis of the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data, the reanalysis data of monthly grid wind field at 925 hPa with a resolution of 2.5° latitude and longitude from the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR),and the monthly mean rainfall data from 160 observational stations in China. The results show that there is a strong correlation between the EIWP variability and the spring precipitation in China. The area, volume and intensity indices of the EIWP are negatively correlated with the spring precipitation in southwestern China, while they are positively correlated with the spring precipitation in the rest of China, especially in the northeast. For this correlation between the EIWP variability and the spring precipitation in China, it is found that the correlative relationship is mainly connected with the variations of the moisture transport by the warm air flow, which is under the influence of the EIWP variability, into the inland of China in spring. Two causative factors may influence this transport. One is the variation of the moisture transport carried by the warm air flow from the Arabian Sea influenced by the EIWP variability. The other is the variation of the equator-crossing flow (70°-90°E) influenced by the EIWP anomaly in the previous winter which exerts its effect on the moist warm air transported from the Southern Hemisphere. The position and intensity of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH)variability caused by EIWP variation also influence the spring precipitation in China.

Spatial Distribution and Seasonal Variation of Hypoxic Zone in the Eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean

The spatial distribution and seasonal variations of the hypoxic zone in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean were investigated using survey data collected from four cruises from 2013 to 2018.Results showed that hypoxic zone occurred all year round in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean,and it spread southward in the shape of a double tongue at two depths with one at subsurface centered at a depth of 150 m and the other in intermediate water centered at a depth of 800 m.The southward expansion and maximum thickness of the hypoxic zone were greatest in the spring inter-monsoon and least in the summer monsoon.The hypoxic zone originated from the southward expansion of the hypoxic water in the Bay of Bengal and its spatial distribution was driven by southward output flux of mid-deep(100–1000 m)hypoxic water from the Bay of Bengal.The hypoxia southward expansion was blocked near the equator in the subsurface layer,because of mixing with multiple zonal circulations(e.g.,Wyrtki Jets and the equatorial undercurrent),which meant that the hypoxic zone extended over a smaller area than in the intermediate water.These new findings will contribute to an improved understanding of the hypoxic zone and will contribute to circulation research,particularly about intermediate circulation in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean.

Hydrography and Circulation in the Eastern Tropical Indian Ocean during April-May 2011

The distribution of hydrography and circulation in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean(ETIO) during April-May 2011 were analyzed using cruise observations,satellite observations,and historic hydrographic data.It was observed that warm water(>28℃) occupies the upper 50-m layer in the ETIO.Low-salinity surface water was observed at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal(BOB),which further extends to the Arabian Sea and off Sumatra via the Sri Lanka coast and the eastern bay mouth.Arabian Sea high-salinity water(ASHSW) is carried eastward along the equator to around 90°E by the equatorial undercurrent(EUC).It also runs south of Sri Lanka(north to 3°N) and in the western bay mouth(west to 87°E) but is much shallower than its counterpart at the equator.It is suggested to be the residual of the ASHSW,which intrudes into the BOB during the preceding southwest monsoon.Our results also show that,in the south of Sri Lanka,just below this subsurface high-salinity water,very-low-salinity water(about 34.8) occurs at depths of 100-200 m.Further analysis suggests that this low-salinity water comes from the BOB.

Spatiotemporal variation and mechanisms of temperature inversion in the Bay of Bengal and the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean

In the northern Bay of Bengal,the existence of intense temperature inversion during winter is a widely accepted phenomenon.However,occurrences of temperature inversion during other seasons and the spatial distribution within and adjacent to the Bay of Bengal are not well understood.In this study,a higher resolution spatiotemporal variation of temperature inversion and its mechanisms are examined with mixed layer heat and salt budget analysis utilizing long-term Argo(2004 to 2020)and RAMA(2007 to 2020)profiles data in the Bay of Bengal and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean(EEIO).Temperature inversion exists(17.5%of the total 39293 Argo and 51.6%of the 28894 RAMA profiles)throughout the year in the entire study area.It shows strong seasonal variation,with the highest occurrences in winter and the lowest in spring.Besides winter inversion in the northern Bay of Bengal,two other regions with frequent temperature inversion are identified in this study for the first time:the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal and the eastern part of the EEIO during summer and autumn.Driving processes of temperature inversion for different subregions are revealed in the current study.Penetration of heat(mean~25 W/m;)below the haline-stratified shallow mixed layer leads to a relatively warmer subsurface layer along with the simultaneous cooling tendency in mixed layer,which controls more occurrence of temperature inversion in the northern Bay of Bengal throughout the year.Comparatively lower cooling tendency due to net surface heat loss and higher mixed layer salinity leaves the southern part of the bay less supportive to the formation of temperature inversion than the northern bay.In the EEIO,slightly cooling tendency in the mixed layer along with the subduction of warm-salty Arabian Sea water beneath the cold-fresher Bay of Bengal water,and downwelling of thermocline creates a favorable environment for forming temperature inversion mainly during summer and autumn.Deeper isothermal layer depth,and thicker barrier layer thickness intensify the temperature inversion both in the Bay of Bengal and EEIO.

A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF SPRING INDIAN OCEAN SSTA ON SUMMER EXTREME PRECIPITATION EVENTS OVER THE EASTERN NW CHINA

Based on monthly mean wind,geopotential height,specific humidity,and surface pressure of NCAR/NCEP reanalysis,NOAA-reconstructed sea surface temperature (SST) of the Indian Ocean,and daily precipitation data at 97 meteorological stations over the eastern NW China in the past 47 years,the threshold values for extreme precipitation events (EPE) are defined using the percentile method.Singular Value Decomposition and synthetic analysis methods are used to analyze the relationship between summer EPE in the eastern NW China and SSTA in the preceding fall,winter,spring,and the concurrent summer.The result shows that preceding spring SST anomalies (SSTA) in the Indian Ocean are clear indicators for the forecast of summer EPE in the eastern NW China,and a key area of impact is located in the equatorial Indian Ocean.When spring SST is anomalously high in the equatorial Indian Ocean,the meridional circulation averaged over 100°E-110°E will be anomalously ascending near the equator but anomalously descending near 30°N in the middle and upper troposphere from the concurrent to the subsequent summer.In the meantime,the Southwest Monsoon from the Indian Ocean will be anomalously weak and there will be no anomalous water vapor transport to the eastern NW China,resulting in a lack of EPE in the subsequent summer,and vice versa.In addition,in response to anomalously high SST in the equatorial Indian Ocean in spring,the South Asia high pressure tends to be strong in the subsequent summer and more to the west.In the anomalously low SST year,however,the South Asia high tends to be weak in the subsequent summer and more to the east.This is another possible cause of the variation of summer EPE in the eastern NW China.

Contributions of shortwave radiation to the formation of temperature inversions in the Bay of Bengal and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean:A modeling approach

Variations in incoming shortwave radiation influence the net surface heat flux,contributing to the formation of a temperature inversion.The effects of shortwave radiation on the temperature inversions in the Bay of Bengal and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean have never been investigated.Thus,a high-resolution(horizontal resolution of 0.07°×0.07° with 50 vertical layers) Regional Ocean Modeling System(ROMS) model is utilized to quantify the contributions of shortwave radiation to the temperature inversions in the study domain.Analyses of the mixed layer heat and salt budgets are performed,and different model simulations are compared.The model results suggest that a 30% change in shortwave radiation can change approximately 3% of the temperature inversion area in the Bay of Bengal.Low shortwave radiation reduces the net surface heat flux and cools the mixed layer substantially;it also reduces the evaporation rate,causing less evaporative water vapor losses from the ocean than the typical situation,and ultimately enhances haline stratification.Thus,the rudimentary outcome of this research is that a decrease in shortwave radiation produces more temperature inversion in the study region,which is primarily driven by the net surface cooling and supported by the intensive haline stratification.Moreover,low shortwave radiation eventually intensifies the temperature inversion layer by thickening the barrier layer.This study could be an important reference for predicting how the Indian Ocean climate will respond to future changes in shortwave radiation.

Interannual variability in the barrier layer and forcing mechanism in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal

Interannual variability(IAV)in the barrier layer thickness(BLT)and forcing mechanisms in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean(EEIO)and Bay of Bengal(BoB)are examined using monthly Argo data sets during 2002–2017.The BLT during November–January(NDJ)in the EEIO shows strong IAV,which is associated with the Indian Ocean dipole mode(IOD),with the IOD leading the BLT by two months.During the negative IOD phase,the westerly wind anomalies driving the downwelling Kelvin waves increase the isothermal layer depth(ILD).Moreover,the variability in the mixed layer depth(MLD)is complex.Affected by the Wyrtki jet,the MLD presents negative anomalies west of 85°E and strong positive anomalies between 85°E and 93°E.Therefore,the BLT shows positive anomalies except between 86°E and 92°E in the EEIO.Additionally,the IAV in the BLT during December–February(DJF)in the BoB is also investigated.In the eastern and northeastern BoB,the IAV in the BLT is remotely forced by equatorial zonal wind stress anomalies associated with the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO).In the western BoB,the regional surface wind forcing-related ENSO modulates the BLT variations.

Photosynthetic physiologies of phytoplankton in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the spring inter-monsoon

Phytoplankton physiologies are dynamic and have sensitive responses to the ambient environment. In this paper, we examine photosynthetic physiologies of phytoplankton communities with Phyto-PAM in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the spring inter-monsoon. Environmental parameters were measured to investigate the coupling between phytoplankton photosynthetic physiologies and their habitats. During the cruise, the water column was highly stratified. The mixed layer extended to about 75 m and was characterized by high temperature (>28°C) and low nutrient level. The Fv/Fm values and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations were lower at the surface, as consequences of nutrient depletion and photo-inhibition. Subsurface Chl a maximum (SCM) occurred between 75 and 100 m, and had the highest Fv/Fm values. The formation of SCM was a balance between nutrient availability and light limitation. The SCM may contribute significantly to pelagic food web and primary production in the water column. Phytoplankton in different layers encountered different light, trophic and hydrographic dynamics and evolved distinct photosynthetic characteristics. Despite of co-limitation of nutrient limitation and photo-inhibition, phytoplankton in the surface layer showed their acclimation to high irradiance, had lower light utilization efficiencies (α: 0.061±0.032) and could exploit a wide range of light irradiance. Whereas, phytoplankton in the SCM layers presented the highest light utilization efficiencies (α: 0.146±0.48), which guaranteed higher photosynthetic capacities under low light level. These results provide insights into phytoplankton photo-adaption strategies in this less explored region.

Characteristics of change of the SST in the tropical western Pa-cific and the tropical Indian Ocean and its response to thechange of the Antarctic ice area

In this paper, by using ocean surface temperature data(COADS), the study is made of the characteristics of the monthly and annual changes of the SST in the tropical western Pacific and Indian Oceans, which have important influences on the climate change of the whole globe and the relation between ENSO(El Nio Southern Oscillation) and the Antarctic ice area is also discussed. The result indicates that in the tropical western Pacific and the Indian Oceans the change of Sea Surface Temperture(SST) is conspicuous both monthly and annaully, and shows different change tendency between them. This result may be due to different relation in the vibration period of SST between the two Oceans. The better corresponding relationship is obvious in the annual change of SST in the tropical Indian Ocean with the occurrence El Nio and La Nia. The change of the SST in the tropical western Pacific and the tropical Indian Oceans has a close relation to the Antarctic ice area, especially to the ice areas in the eastern south Pole and Ross Sea, and its notable correlative relationship appears in 16 months when the SST of the tropical western Pacific and the Indian Oceans lag back the Antarctic ice area.

基于印度洋海温信号的我国西北地区东部夏季降水组合降尺度预测方法研究

利用国家气候中心第二代气候模式预测业务系统(BCC-CPSv2)预测产品,引入印度洋海温信号,采用组合降尺度方法建立了西北地区东部汛期降水预测模型。该预测模型对1991—2017年西北地区东部夏季降水的回报技巧较BCC-CPSv2预测技巧显著提高,空间相关系数由0.42提高到0.75,均方根误差明显减小,最多下降达80%。预测模型对降水空间分布型的预测能力较好,很好地回报了典型年份(1987年和2010年)夏季的降水距平百分率分布。通过抓住气象变量的空间分布特征,组合降尺度方法可以修正动力模式产品的预测误差,为西北地区东部夏季降水预测提供科学依据和技术支持,具有较好的应用前景。

The ecological response of natural phytoplankton population and related metabolic rates to future ocean acidification

Ocean acidifi cation(OA)and global warming-induced water column stratification can signifi cantly alter phytoplankton-related biological activity in the marine ecosystem.Yet how these changes may play out in the tropical Indian Ocean remains unclear.This study investigated the ecological and metabolic responses of the different phytoplankton functional groups to elevated CO_(2) partial pressure and nitrate deficiency in two different environments of the eastern Indian Ocean(EIO).It is revealed that phytoplankton growth and metabolic rates are more sensitive to inorganic nutrients rather than CO_(2).The combined interactive effects of OA and N-limitation on phytoplankton populations are functional groupspecific.In particular,the abundance and calcification rate of calcifying coccolithophores are expected to be enhanced in the future EIO.The underlying mechanisms for this enhancement may be ascribed to coccolithophore’s lower carbon concentrating mechanisms(CCMs)efficiency and OA-induced[HCO^(-)_(3)]increase.In comparison,the abundance of non-calcifying microphytoplankton(e.g.,diatoms and dinoflagellates)and primary productivity would be inhibited under those conditions.Diff erent from previous laboratory experiments,interspecifi c competition for resources would be an important consideration in the natural phytoplankton populations.These combined factors would roughly determine calcifying coccolithophores as“winners”and non-calcifying microphytoplankton as“losers”in the future ocean scenario.Due to the large species-specific differences in phytoplankton sensitivity to OA,comprehensive investigations on oceanic phytoplankton communities are essential to precisely predict phytoplankton ecophysiological response to ocean acidification.