We investigated the spatial distribution of heterotrophic bacteria associated with different water masses in the northern East China Sea (ECS) in summer. The surface water masses were divided into the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) and high salinity water (HSW). In the CDW region, the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and micro Chl-a contribution were high; and bacterial abundance (BA) and ciliate abundance (CA) were also high. In the HSW region with relatively low DIN concentrations, Chl-a concentration and micro Chl-a contribution were low, but pico Chl-a contribution was increased compared to those in the CDW region. BA did not show any significant difference from the CDW region, but CA was decreased. BA showed a positive correlation with Chl-a concentration in the CDW region; however, it did not show a significant correlation with Chl-a concentration in the HSW region. The ratio of bacterial carbon biomass/phytoplankton carbon biomass was exponentially increased with a decrease in the Chl-a concentration. Compared to the past (1990-2000s), the surface phosphate concentrations and the size of dominant phytoplankton have recently decreased in the ECS. Considering this trend of nutrient decrease and miniaturization of the phytoplankton, our results indicate that changes in the strength of the oligotrophic water mass could alter the function of the microbial food web.

여름 동중국해 북부해역 (32°N~33°N, 124°E~127° 30ʹE)에서 수괴에 따른 미소플랑크톤에 속하는 식물플랑크톤 군집 및 섬모충류 현존량의 공간분포 및 저차영양단계의 생태구조 특성을 파악하기 위한 현장조사를 2019년 8월 3일부터 8월 6일까지 21개 정점의 표층과 Chl-a 최댓 층 (CML)을 대상으로 채수하였다. 결과 북부해역의 수괴는 크게 중국연안수 (CCW) 및 쓰시마난류 (TWC)로 구분 되었다. CCW는 고온, 저염의 환경특성을, 그리고 TWC는 고온, 고염의 환경특성을 나타내었다. 수괴에 따른 식물플랑크톤 군집특성은 CCW가 중국의 대형하천에서 공급되는 영양염류에 의해 다양한 군집구조를 보인 반면, TWC는 남방의 빈영양 외해역에서 발원하여 북상하고 있어 단조로운 군집특성을 나타내었다. 식물플랑크톤과 섬모충류의 현존량은 CCW에서 매우 높았고, TWC에서 낮은 특성을 보였다. 특히 TWC에서 식물플랑크톤에 비해 높은 섬모충류의 현존량을 보이는 것에서 세균 등을 먹이원으로 하는 미세먹이망에 의한 저차영양단계의 에너지흐름 이 자원생물 생산에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 판단되었다. 즉 여름 동중국해의 생태구조는 수괴에 따라 CCW가 bottom-up system 구조라면, TWC는 top-down system 구조를 갖는 것으로 추정되었다.

To investigate the temporal-spatial distribution of picophytoplankton in relation to different water masses in the northern East China Sea (ECS), picophytoplankton abundance were investigated using flow cytometry with environmental factors in 2016–2017. The results from the analysis of flow cytometer data showed that Synechococcus appeared across all seasons, exhibiting its minimum abundance in winter and maximum abundance in summer. Furthermore, high abundance was detected in the surface mixed layer during spring and summer when vertical stratification occurs; in particular, Synechococcus exhibited maximum abundance in thermocline layer, indicating a close correlation to water temperature and thermocline formation. In addition, the abundance of Synechococcus indicated a decrease in the western seas in 2017 compared to 2016 under the strong influence of the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW). This was determined by the significant influence of the CDW on the abundance of Synechococcus during summer in the northern waters of the ECS. In contrast, Prochlorococcus did not appear during winter and spring, and its distribution was limited during summer and autumn in the eastern seas under the influence of the Kuroshio current. The largest range of Prochlorococcus distribution was confirmed during autumn without the influence of the CDW. Thus, the distribution pattern of each picophytoplankton genus was found to be changing in accordance to the extension and reduction of sea current in different seasons and periods of time. This is anticipated to be a useful biological marker in understanding the distribution of sea currents and their influence in the northern waters of the ECS.

In order to investigate the effect of inflow of Yangze river on the distribution of chlorophyll-a, the results of serial oceanographic observation during 2000-2005 were used. The oceanographic conditions in the northern East China Sea is influenced by the Tsushima Warm Current and low saline water derived from the Yangze river. The distributions of these water masses vary significantly by the season in the northern East China Sea. The sea surface temperature and salinity were stable and concentrations of chlorophyll-a were low in the eastern part of 126°E. On the contrary, the salinity was significantly influenced by the low saline water derived from Yangze river with the high concentrations of chlorophyll-a. It is suggested that the low saline water inflowed from the Yangze river affects high concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the northern East China Sea in summer.

Temporal and spatial variabilities of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) in the northern East China Sea (ECS) are described, using both 8-day composite images of the SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor) and in-situ data investigated in August and September during 2000-2005. Ocean color imagery showed that Chl-a concentrations on the continental shelf within the 50 m depth in the ECS were above 10 times higher than those of the Kuroshio area throughout the year. Higher concentrations (above 5 mg/m3) of yearly mean Chl-a were observed along the western part of the shelf near the coast of China. The standard deviation also showed the characteristics of the spatial variability near 122-124°E, where the western region of the East China Sea was grater than that of the eastern region. Particularly the significant concentration of Chl-a, up to 9 mg/m3, was found at the western part of 125°E in the in-situ data of 2002. The higher Chl-a concentrations of in-situ data were consistent with low salinity waters of below 30 psu. It means that there were the close relationship between the horizontal distribution of Chl-a and low salinity water.