Possible mechanisms of decadal-scale variation in PO4 concentration in the western North Pacific

We suggest possible mechanisms of decadal‐scale variation in PO4 concentration in the Oyashio and Kuroshio‐Oyashio transition waters, western North Pacific. Significant decreasing and increasing trends in PO4 have been observed in the surface and mid‐layers of the ocean in this region, respectively....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2009-05, Vol.36 (8), p.n/a
Main Authors: Tadokoro, Kazuaki, Ono, Tsuneo, Yasuda, Iichiro, Osafune, Satoshi, Shiomoto, Akihiro, Sugisaki, Hiroya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological oceanography
Chemical oceanography
Climate change
Earth
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Intermediate water
Marine
nutrient
Oceanography
Primary production
Tides
Water exchange
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Summary:We suggest possible mechanisms of decadal‐scale variation in PO4 concentration in the Oyashio and Kuroshio‐Oyashio transition waters, western North Pacific. Significant decreasing and increasing trends in PO4 have been observed in the surface and mid‐layers of the ocean in this region, respectively. Synchronous bidecadal‐scale oscillations in PO4 were also found between the two layers. Differences in the relationship of the trends and the oscillation in these layers suggest that they are driven by separate processes. The trend component may be induced by attenuation of water exchange between the two layers. In contrast, the influence of the 18.6‐yr period nodal tidal cycle on the formation rate of intermediate water in the Okhotsk Sea may cause the bidecadal‐scale oscillation. The PO4 concentration showed a significant positive correlation with Neocalanus plumchrus biomass, the dominant mesozooplankton species in the Oyashio and Kuroshio–Oyashio Transition waters. These relationships suggest that the variation in PO4 affected production of N. plumchrus due to changes in primary production.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2009GL037327