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Seasonal export fluxes of particulate organic carbon from 234Th/238U disequilibrium measurements in the Ulleung Basin1 (Tsushima Basin) of the East Sea1 (Sea of Japan)

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Abstract

Export fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) were estimated from the 234Th/238U disequilibrium in the Ulleung Basin1 (UB) of the East/Japan Sea1 (EJS) over four seasons. The fluxes were calculated by multiplying the average POC/234Th ratio of sinking particles larger than 0.7 μm at 100- and 200-m water depths to 234Th fluxes by the integrated 234Th/238U disequilibrium from the surface to 100-m water depth. In spring, the 234Th profiles changed dramatically with sampling time, and hence a non-steady-state 234Th model was used to estimate the 234Th fluxes. The 234Th flux estimated from the non-steady-state model was an order of magnitude higher than that estimated from the steady-state model. The 234Th fluxes estimated using the steady-state model showed distinct seasonal variation, with high values in summer and winter and low values in autumn. In spring, the phytoplankton biomass had the highest value, and primary production was higher than in summer and autumn, but the 234Th fluxes were moderate. However, these values might have been significantly underestimated, as the 234Th fluxes were estimated using the steady-state model. The POC export fluxes estimated in autumn were about four times lower than those in other seasons when they were rather similar. The annually averaged POC flux was estimated to be 161 ± 76 mgC m−2 day−1, which was somewhat lower than that in highly productive coastal areas, and higher than that in oligotrophic regions. The export/primary production (ThE) ratios ranged from 7.0 to 56.1%, with higher values in spring and summer and lower values in autumn and winter. In summer, a high ThE ratio of 48.4 ± 7.0% was measured. This may be attributed to the mass diatom sinking event following nitrate depletion. In the UB1, the annually averaged ThE ratio was estimated to be 34.4 ± 12.9%, much higher than that in oligotrophic oceans. The high ThE ratio may have contributed to the high organic carbon accumulation in the UB1.

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Notes

  1. The Editor-in-Chief recommends the usage of term “Tsushima Basin” in place of “Ulleung Basin”, and “Sea of Japan” or “Japan Sea” in place of “East Sea” , “East/Japan Sea” or “Japan/East Sea”.

  2. The Editor-in-Chief recommends the usage of term “Takeshima” in place of “Dok island”.

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Acknowledgments

This work was primarily supported by an endowment project of the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (PE98563 & PE98564). We are indebted to the captain and crew of the R/V “Eardo”, who were very helpful with all our shipboard operations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Climate and Coastal Disaster Research Department, KORDI, P.O. Box 29, Ansan, Seoul, 425-600, Korea

    Dongseon Kim & Kyung Hee Kim

  2. Department of Ocean Environmental Science and Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Taejon, 305-764, Korea

    Man-Sik Choi, Hae-Young Oh & Yun-Ho Song

  3. Living Resources Research Department, KORDI, P.O. Box 29, Ansan, Seoul, 425-600, Korea

    Jae-Hoon Noh

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  1. Dongseon Kim
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Correspondence to Man-Sik Choi.

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Kim, D., Choi, MS., Oh, HY. et al. Seasonal export fluxes of particulate organic carbon from 234Th/238U disequilibrium measurements in the Ulleung Basin1 (Tsushima Basin) of the East Sea1 (Sea of Japan). J Oceanogr 67, 577–588 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-011-0058-8

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