Study on long-term variability of Antarctic marine environments

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Variability of Antarctic marine environments is thought to be greatly related to the global environmental change. The Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE) has been conducting the routine observations on marine environments in the Indian sector of the Antarctic Ocean. The present project focuses on the long-term variability of marine environments in this sector based on the data accumulated by the JARE observations as well as those by the foreign countries from this sector. We have firstly discovered the long-term tendency of increasing in water temperature in upper layer of the Indian sector. Also. the standing stock of surface phytoplankton fluctuated greatly year to year. Zooplankton variability was analyzed based on data collected by the CPR method (Continuous Plankton recorder). The CPR samplings were carried out jointly with the ANARE program (Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition) and is now accepted as a good method for long-term monitoring program among the … More international society. Variability of nutrient salts is an important component to link the physical and biological variability. Surface silicate concentration in the Indian sector distributes heterogeneously, namely silicate rich water and silicate poor water locate side by side. The pattern of heterogeneous distribution is closely related to the recently discovered phenomena of ACW (Antarctic Circumpolar Wave), which is thought to closely link to the atmospheric oscillation. In order to understand the relation between the long-term variability and ACW phenomena. the process oriented information is necessary. To acquire such information, the international joint program of time-series observation was carried out in 2001/2002 summer season. Four research vessels were employed to repeat the core measurements, which are important parameters to analyze the long-term variability. Full coverage of summer season from November to March was firstly accomplished. Throughout the process of data analysis of long-term variability as well as time series observation, the basis of international collaboration for the multi and inter disciplinary approach has been constructed. This fundamental structure is essential for furth er development of the long-term data analysis. Less