Stable C and N isotopic composition of sinking particles and zooplankton over the southeastern Bering Sea shelf
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of zooplankton, suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), and sinking particles collected using sediment traps were measured for samples obtained from the southeastern Bering Sea middle and outer shelf during 1997–1999. The quantity of material coll...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.583.4864 http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/foci/publications/2002/smitS431.pdf |
| Summary: | Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of zooplankton, suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), and sinking particles collected using sediment traps were measured for samples obtained from the southeastern Bering Sea middle and outer shelf during 1997–1999. The quantity of material collected by the middle shelf sediment trap was greater in both spring and late summer and fall than in early and mid-summer. The d15N of SPOM, sinking material and zooplankton showed greater inter-annual variability at the middle shelf site (M2) than at the outer shelf site (M3). Zooplankton and sinking organic matter collected by M2 sediment traps became more depleted in 15N from 1997 through 1999, associated with a change from unusually warm to unusually cold conditions. Suspended and sinking organic matter and zooplankton collected from M3 decreased only slightly in d15N from 1998 to 1999. SPOM, zooplankton, and sediment trap samples collected at M2 were usually enriched in d15N and d13C over those from M3. However, in 1999 sediment trap samples from the middle shelf were enriched in 13C over M3 material, but the d15N of samples from the two sites was similar. The geographic pattern could be explained greater productivity over the middle shelf, associated with either isotopically heavy nitrogen being regenerated from sediments, or with utilization of a greater fraction of the available inorganic nitrogen pool during most years. |
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