Quantification on the biological carbon pump in the Beaufort Sea in Canadian Arctic

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25340009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Sampei Makoto 広島大学, 生物圏科学研究科, 特任講師 (60643103)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YAMAMOTO TAMIJI 広島大学, 大学院生物圏科学研究科, 教授 (40240105) ; HATTORI HIROSHI 東海大学, 生物学部, 教授 (60208543)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 生物ポンプ / 物質循環 / 北極圏海域 / プランクトン / 沈降粒子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on quantification of biological carbon pump, especially on direct contribution of zooplankton to it. Sampling was mainly done with mooring observatories such as sediment traps.As a results, we found that fresh zooplankton carcasses contributed significantly to export flux from the surface mixed layer (ca. 100 m). However, those exported carcasses were rapidly consumed by heterotroph in the twilight zone (above 200 m). This suggests that fresh carcasses make important contribution as a food resource to marine ecosystem in the twilight zone, especially in autumn and winter.

Free Research Field

生物海洋学