Abstract
The identities and origins of water masses in mixed seawater can be effectively traced by comprehensively analyzing physicochemical and biological data. In this study, distribution of an indicator species of the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water, Tintinnidium primitivum, was monitored to trace vertical mixing across seasons along the 35 °N line from 2019 to 2022. A bottom-oriented distribution was observed in every season except for winter. Winter vertical mixing was supported by water temperature and salinity profiles and the homogenous distribution of T. primitivum throughout the water column at Stns. 35-11 and 35-13. The absence of this species in response to the difference in the low-salinity surface water mass at Stn. 35-15 during winter indicated the invasion of shallow water mass from China. The sensitivity of this species to such hydrological changes provides a valuable insight into the vertical migration of the YSBCW.
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Data availability
Raw data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the scientists and crew members of R/V Onnuri and R/V Isabu of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology. This study was supported by Korea Institute of Marine Science and Technology Promotion (KIMST) and was funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (20210696) and by the research projects of KIOST (PE99913). The authors appreciate the kind comments from anonymous reviewers.
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Kim, Y.O., Choi, J., Choi, D.H. et al. A Biological Indication of Vertical Mixing of the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water. Ocean Sci. J. 58, 7 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-022-00100-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-022-00100-z