East Siberian Sea:Interannual heterogeneity of the suspended particulate matter and its biogeochemical signature

• Published in: Progress in Oceanography
• Main Authors: Dudarev, Oleg, Charkin, Alexander, Shakhova, Natalia, Ruban, Aleksey, Chernykh, Denis, Vonk, Jorien, Tesi, Tommaso, Martens, Jannik, Pipko, Irina, Pugach, Svetlana, Gershelis, Elena, Leusov, Andrey, Grinko, Andrey, Gustafsson, Örjan, Semiletov, Igor
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Arctic; East Siberian Sea; Organic matter; Spatial and interannual variability; Suspended particulate matter transport; /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water; name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/1387c038-7eb4-49bc-9011-5c1395822316; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102903; https://hdl.handle.net/1871.1/1387c038-7eb4-49bc-9011-5c1395822316; https://research.vu.nl/ws/files/213517672/East_Siberian_Sea.pdf; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139283823&partnerID=8YFLogxK; http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85139283823&partnerID=8YFLogxK

The East Siberian Sea (ESS) is the largest, shallowest and most icebound Arctic marginal sea. It receives substantial input of terrigenous material and climate-vulnerable old organic carbon from both coastal erosion and rivers draining the extensive permafrost-covered watersheds. This study focuses on the interannual variability and spatial distribution of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the surface and bottom waters of the ESS during the ice-free period in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008. We report on the composition and variability of particulate organic carbon (POC), total nitrogen (TN), POC/TN ratios, carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) and provide estimates of the contribution of terrestrial organic carbon (terrOC) based on the δ 13 C isotopic values. The results show that interannual SPM distribution and elemental-isotopic characteristics of POC differ significantly between the western biogeochemical province (WBP; West of 165 o E) and the eastern biogeochemical province (EBP; East of 165 o E) of the ESS. The SPM mean concentration in the WBP is almost an order of magnitude higher than in the EBP. From west-to-east of the ESS, SPM tends to become more depleted in δ 15 N, while the δ 13 C becomes isotopically heavier. This trend can be explained by a shift in organic matter sources from terrigenous origin (erosion of the coastal ice complex and riverine POC) to becoming dominantly from marine plankton. The maximum contribution of terrOC to POC reached 99% in parts of the WBP, but accounts for as low as 1% in parts of the EBP. At the same time, the type of atmospheric circulation and its associated regime of both water circulation and ice transport control a displacement of the semi-stable biogeochemical border between WBP and EBP to the east or to the west if compared to its long-term average position near 165 o E. Our multi-year investigation provides a robust observational basis for better understanding of the transport and fate of terrigenous material upon entering the ESS shelf waters. ...