Southward Migration of Arctic Ocean Species During the Last Glacial Period

• Published in: Geophysical research letters 2022-12, Vol.49 (23), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Zhang, Penghui, Huang, Huai‐Hsuan M., Hong, Yuanyuan, Tian, Skye Yunshu, Liu, Jian, Lee, Yong Il, Chen, Jianwen, Liang, Jie, Wang, He, Yasuhara, Moriaki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropogenic climate changes; Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic crustaceans; Biota; Climate change; Climatic conditions; Cold; Cold water; Cores; Distribution; East Asian monsoon; Economic activities; Fossils; Geographical distribution; Glacial periods; Human influences; Ice ages; Isotopes; Livestock; Marine ecosystems; Marine organisms; Migrations; Monsoons; Oceans; Ostracoda; Quaternary; Records; Species; Surface wind; Water temperature; Wind; Winds; Winter; Winter monsoon; Winter temperatures
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2022GL100818

The East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) is associated with northerly surface winds affecting crop and livestock productivity and social and economic activities across East Asia. However, the relationship between EAWM dynamics and marine biota remains poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed fossil ostracods from sediment cores collected in the northwestern Pacific Ocean to detect the appearance/disappearance of circumpolar species during the late Quaternary. We compared our ostracod records, including dating results, with ice‐rafted debris records from the Sea of Japan, and identified two southward migration events of Arctic ostracods at 120–100 ka (Marine Isotope Stage [MIS] 5d stadial) and 30–15 ka (MIS 3 and 2, peak Last Glacial), which corresponded to a strengthened EAWM system. Our results indicate that an intensified EAWM influenced the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water formation, lowered the winter water temperatures, and allowed Arctic ostracods to migrate southward into the Yellow Sea. Plain Language Summary The impacts of climatic conditions on marine ecosystems and the distribution of marine species are major concerns due to ongoing anthropogenic climate change. Fossil records can provide direct evidence of past climate impacts, and the Yellow Sea (YS) is an important location to track changes in cold‐adapted marine species, as it is located at the southern end of the distribution of Arctic circumpolar species. In this study, we found that circumpolar ostracod species dominated the YS during distinct stadial and peak glacial periods—120 to 100 and 30 to 15 thousand years ago—intervals that are consistent with the periods of a strengthened East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) during the Last Glacial Period. We suggest that the stronger EAWM during these periods enhanced the formation of Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water and/or lowered the winter temperatures of the YS, allowing Arctic ostracods to inhabit more southern regions of the YS. Key Points Arctic ostracods inhabited the Yellow Sea between 120 and 100 ka (Marine Isotope Stage [MIS] 5d stadial) and 30–15 ka (MIS 3–2, peak Last Glacial) The presence of Arctic ostracods indicates the enhancement of Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water formation The East Asian winter monsoon controlled the southward and northward migrations of Arctic marine species