Variations in Phytoplankton Primary Production Driven by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in the East/Japan Sea

Abstract

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) regime is a major factor not only for the physical properties of the ocean but also for fishery and water resources. However, only a few studies have examined the impact of the PDO on the marine ecosystem in the East/Japan Sea. Therefore, in this study, the relationship between PDO and primary production (PP), and subsequent effects on the marine ecosystem were investigated in the East/Japan Sea using satellite data sets. PDO index showed a negative relationship with sea surface temperature (SST) and the contribution of the small phytoplankton to the total PP during the study period, whereas the mixed layer depth (MLD) and the PP showed a positive relationship with PDO index. The shallower MLD during the negative PDO phase indicates that vertical mixing may be weakened due to the stronger stratification caused by the higher SST than observed during the positive PDO phase. Consequently, we hypothesized that weakened vertical mixing may reduce nutrient supply to the euphotic layer, providing small-sized phytoplankton favored environmental conditions during the negative PDO. It is noteworthy that PDO-induced shoaling of the MLD was mainly observed in winter, which may influence the annual PP of the following year. This study shows that the annual PP in the East/Japan Sea can be largely affected through interactions between SST, MLD and subsequent changes in nutrient regime according to the PDO regime, which subsequently affects potential fishery resources in the East/Japan Sea.