Dataset Information

Temporal and spatial trends in marine carbon isotopes in the Arctic Ocean and implications for food web studies.

ABSTRACT: The Arctic is undergoing unprecedented environmental change. Rapid warming, decline in sea ice extent, increase in riverine input, ocean acidification and changes in primary productivity are creating a crucible for multiple concurrent environmental stressors, with unknown consequences for the entire arctic ecosystem. Here, we synthesized 30 years of data on the stable carbon isotope (?13 C) signatures in dissolved inorganic carbon (?13 C-DIC; 1977-2014), marine and riverine particulate organic carbon (?13 C-POC; 1986-2013) and tissues of marine mammals in the Arctic. ?13 C values in consumers can change as a result of environmentally driven variation in the ?13 C values at the base of the food web or alteration in the trophic structure, thus providing a method to assess the sensitivity of food webs to environmental change. Our synthesis reveals a spatially heterogeneous and temporally evolving ?13 C baseline, with spatial gradients in the ?13 C-POC values between arctic shelves and arctic basins likely driven by differences in productivity and riverine and coastal influence. We report a decline in ?13 C-DIC values (-0.011‰ per year) in the Arctic, reflecting increasing anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in the Arctic Ocean (i.e. Suess effect), which is larger than predicted. The larger decline in ?13 C-POC values and ?13 C in arctic marine mammals reflects the anthropogenic CO2 signal as well as the influence of a changing arctic environment. Combining the influence of changing sea ice conditions and isotopic fractionation by phytoplankton, we explain the decadal decline in ?13 C-POC values in the Arctic Ocean and partially explain the ?13 C values in marine mammals with consideration of time-varying integration of ?13 C values. The response of the arctic ecosystem to ongoing environmental change is stronger than we would predict theoretically, which has tremendous implications for the study of food webs in the rapidly changing Arctic Ocean.

SUBMITTER: de la Vega C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6899536 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Temporal and spatial trends in marine carbon isotopes in the Arctic Ocean and implications for food web studies.

de la Vega Camille C Jeffreys Rachel M RM Tuerena Robyn R Ganeshram Raja R Mahaffey Claire C

Global change biology 20191010 12

The Arctic is undergoing unprecedented environmental change. Rapid warming, decline in sea ice extent, increase in riverine input, ocean acidification and changes in primary productivity are creating a crucible for multiple concurrent environmental stressors, with unknown consequences for the entire arctic ecosystem. Here, we synthesized 30 years of data on the stable carbon isotope (δ<sup>13</sup> C) signatures in dissolved inorganic carbon (δ<sup>13</sup> C-DIC; 1977-2014), marine and riverine ...[more]

PMID: 31498935

Similar Datasets

Project description:The biological and ecological integrity of marine ecosystems in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) has been compromised due to overfishing and water pollution. Fishing moratorium and artificial reef construction have been implemented in Wanshan and Miaowan for resource protection and restoration. Therefore, food web structure and trophic pathways of Wanshan, Miaowan, and Wailingding in different temporal and spatial situation will be determined using the Ecopath model, as well as the keystone species affecting these ecosystems, which can provide a basis for fishery management. The results showed that the energy transfer efficiency of IV and V trophic levels (TL) was higher than that of II and III-TL before and after fishing moratorium, and the energy transfer efficiency of artificial reefs II and III-TL was only slightly higher than that of nonartificial reefs in Wanshan. In addition, the mean values of ecosystem property indicators (consumption, respiration flow, total system throughput, and total biomass) after the fishing moratorium were significantly higher than those before the fishing moratorium. The average value of the ecosystem attribute indicators (consumption, respiration flow, total system throughput, and total biomass) of artificial reefs is lower than those of nonartificial reef areas, which may be related to the differences in community composition between artificial reefs and non-artificial reefs. Finally, Nemipterus japonicus and Gastrophysus spadiceus are keystone species that distinguish the Wanshan and Miaowan artificial reefs from other areas. Overall, the fishing moratorium has a positive effect on the short-term restoration of fishery resources, mainly restoring short-life cycle organisms. However, the construction of artificial reefs will be more conducive to the persistence of ecosystem restoration. In addition, reasonable proliferation, release and fishing of N. japonicus and G. spadiceus will be beneficial to the sustainable utilization of fishery resources.

Dataset Information

Temporal and spatial trends in marine carbon isotopes in the Arctic Ocean and implications for food web studies.

Publications

Temporal and spatial trends in marine carbon isotopes in the Arctic Ocean and implications for food web studies.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets