Pub Date : 2025-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103614
C. Yoshikawa , H. Yamaguchi , N.O. Ogawa , A. Makabe , M. Sato , Y. Mino , K. Matsumoto , Y. Nakano , S. Kawagucci , T. Fujiki , N. Harada , M. Kawachi , N. Ohkouchi
Nitrogen isotope compositions (δ15N) of phytoplankton, nitrate, and ammonium can reveal the fraction of nitrate versus ammonium utilization by phytoplankton. The δ15N values of ammonium in the open ocean has been rarely determined because of its low concentration. However, interpretations of phytoplankton nitrogen sources using δ15N values has required the ammonium δ15N values. Here, we determined the δ15N values of phytoplankton, nitrate, and ammonium in the summertime of 2012–2016 at contrasting stations in the subarctic and subtropical western North Pacific. We also developed a nitrogen isotope model to constrain the nitrogenous sources of the phytoplankton and compensate for the lack of observations. At the subarctic station, the δ15N values of nitrate and phytoplankton in the surface waters were 8.5 ‰ and − 5.9 ± 0.5 ‰ to − 3.3 ± 0.5 ‰, respectively. At the subtropical station, the δ15N values of nitrate and phytoplankton were 6.8 ‰ and1.0 ± 0.7 ‰, respectively. The differences in δ15N values between phytoplankton and nitrate were as large as 11.8 ‰ to 14.4 ‰ at the subarctic station and as small as 5.8 ‰ at the subtropical station. Although the ammonium concentration was below the detection limit at the subtropical station, it was 0.4 μM at the subarctic station and the δ15N value was 4.5 ± 1.9 ‰, much lower than that of nitrate. A model constrained by the nitrogen isotope measurements revealed that, during summer, the phytoplankton at the subarctic station assimilated more than half of their nitrogen from ammonium. At the subtropical station, ammonium assimilation was dominant.
{"title":"Nitrogenous sources for summertime phytoplankton at two contrasting stations in the subarctic and subtropical western North Pacific","authors":"C. Yoshikawa , H. Yamaguchi , N.O. Ogawa , A. Makabe , M. Sato , Y. Mino , K. Matsumoto , Y. Nakano , S. Kawagucci , T. Fujiki , N. Harada , M. Kawachi , N. Ohkouchi","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen isotope compositions (<em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N) of phytoplankton, nitrate, and ammonium can reveal the fraction of nitrate versus ammonium utilization by phytoplankton. The <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values of ammonium in the open ocean has been rarely determined because of its low concentration. However, interpretations of phytoplankton nitrogen sources using <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values has required the ammonium <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values. Here, we determined the <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values of phytoplankton, nitrate, and ammonium in the summertime of 2012–2016 at contrasting stations in the subarctic and subtropical western North Pacific. We also developed a nitrogen isotope model to constrain the nitrogenous sources of the phytoplankton and compensate for the lack of observations. At the subarctic station, the <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values of nitrate and phytoplankton in the surface waters were 8.5 ‰ and − 5.9 ± 0.5 ‰ to − 3.3 ± 0.5 ‰, respectively. At the subtropical station, the <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values of nitrate and phytoplankton were 6.8 ‰ and1.0 ± 0.7 ‰, respectively. The differences in <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N values between phytoplankton and nitrate were as large as 11.8 ‰ to 14.4 ‰ at the subarctic station and as small as 5.8 ‰ at the subtropical station. Although the ammonium concentration was below the detection limit at the subtropical station, it was 0.4 μM at the subarctic station and the <em>δ</em><sup>15</sup>N value was 4.5 ± 1.9 ‰, much lower than that of nitrate. A model constrained by the nitrogen isotope measurements revealed that, during summer, the phytoplankton at the subarctic station assimilated more than half of their nitrogen from ammonium. At the subtropical station, ammonium assimilation was dominant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103614"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145404690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103611
Cassandra Santos-Pacheco , Issah N. Suleiman , Erdal Tokat , Ana Martins
Understanding the implications of climate change is especially critical for the Cape Verde Islands, which are acutely vulnerable to climate variability and its associated impacts. This study characterised the temporal variability of surface and near-surface biophysical properties around Santo Antão using 20 years of MODIS-Aqua Level-2 imagery at 1 km resolution for Ocean Colour and Thermal Infrared parameters. The results of this study show that the waters around this island exhibited stable Sea Surface Temperature conditions with a pronounced seasonal cycle and no long-term warming over two decades, contrasting with global trends. Bio-optical parameters (Chlorophyll a, Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient and Particulate Organic Carbon) reflected the oligotrophic nature of the waters, with slight positive trends hinting at increasing concentrations of primary productivity. Consistently high levels of Photosynthetically Available Radiation affirmed light is not a limiting factor, with nutrient dynamics likely playing a dominant role. Particulate Inorganic Carbon displayed distinct variability, with no significant trends, underscoring the need for further research into its unique drivers. Based on ocean surface temperature cycles, the newly proposed seasonal classification successfully captured the dynamics of key parameters and demonstrated the value of satellite-derived data for long-term ecosystem monitoring. These findings enhanced the understanding of Santo Antão’s oceanographic dynamics and highlight the importance of regionally specific studies to complement global assessments. The results also provide a valuable baseline to support future research and inform conservation strategies and sustainable marine resource management in the Cape Verde region.
{"title":"Satellite-derived ocean climatology around Santo Antão Island: 20 years of surface and near-surface observations","authors":"Cassandra Santos-Pacheco , Issah N. Suleiman , Erdal Tokat , Ana Martins","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103611","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the implications of climate change is especially critical for the Cape Verde Islands, which are acutely vulnerable to climate variability and its associated impacts. This study characterised the temporal variability of surface and near-surface biophysical properties around Santo Antão using 20 years of MODIS-Aqua Level-2 imagery at 1 km resolution for Ocean Colour and Thermal Infrared parameters. The results of this study show that the waters around this island exhibited stable Sea Surface Temperature conditions with a pronounced seasonal cycle and no long-term warming over two decades, contrasting with global trends. Bio-optical parameters (Chlorophyll <em>a</em>, Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient and Particulate Organic Carbon) reflected the oligotrophic nature of the waters, with slight positive trends hinting at increasing concentrations of primary productivity. Consistently high levels of Photosynthetically Available Radiation affirmed light is not a limiting factor, with nutrient dynamics likely playing a dominant role. Particulate Inorganic Carbon displayed distinct variability, with no significant trends, underscoring the need for further research into its unique drivers. Based on ocean surface temperature cycles, the newly proposed seasonal classification successfully captured the dynamics of key parameters and demonstrated the value of satellite-derived data for long-term ecosystem monitoring. These findings enhanced the understanding of Santo Antão’s oceanographic dynamics and highlight the importance of regionally specific studies to complement global assessments. The results also provide a valuable baseline to support future research and inform conservation strategies and sustainable marine resource management in the Cape Verde region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103611"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145396376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103613
Anindya Wirasatriya , Arthur Mattews Basana , Elis Indrayanti , Agus Anugroho Dwi Suryoputro , R. Dwi Susanto , Retno Hartati , Nur Taufiq-SPJ , Jahved Ferianto Maro , Parichat Wetchayont , Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra , Achmad Sahri
An Extreme Upwelling Event (EUE), denoted by the sudden drop of sea surface temperature to less than 15 °C in a relatively short period, is a unique and recently reported oceanographic phenomenon. One and possibly the only place with confirmed EUE is the Mulut Kumbang Strait, Alor Kecil Village, Alor Island, Indonesia, since the phenomenon has never been reported in other tropical seas. The EUE occurred from August to November and lasted for 1 to 4 days, with a duration of only about an hour. The dramatic temperature drops during EUE caused small fish to become unconscious and attracted dolphins to come and feed. This is the first study to observe and quantify the dolphin sighting during EUE using closed-circuit television (CCTV). Full month observations were initially conducted in May and September 2022, which represented the months without and with EUE, respectively. In May 2022, the daytime minimum temperature was 24 °C (on May 19, 2022), with a total of 54 dolphin occurrences. In September 2022, the temperature reached 17.34 °C (on September 13, 2022), and the total dolphin occurrences increased to 87. With prior knowledge from 2022 EUEs, we conducted two additional EUE observations in 2023, focused around September: 2–4 September 2023 (period 1) and 30 September – 2 October 2023 (period 2). The temperatures in September and October 2023 were much lower than those in September 2022, with a minimum temperature of ∼ 12 °C. The total dolphin sightings in periods 1 and 2 of 2023 increased to 105 and 90, respectively, and both occurred within one hour during the peak of EUE. The frequent dolphin sightings during EUE have a potential to be developed as sustainable marine wildlife tourism, since people can watch dolphin occurrences only from the seashore along the Alor Kecil Village.
{"title":"Increasing dolphin occurrences during Extreme Upwelling Events: Potential nonharmful and sustainable marine wildlife tourism at Mulut Kumbang Strait, Alor Kecil Village, Alor Island, Indonesia","authors":"Anindya Wirasatriya , Arthur Mattews Basana , Elis Indrayanti , Agus Anugroho Dwi Suryoputro , R. Dwi Susanto , Retno Hartati , Nur Taufiq-SPJ , Jahved Ferianto Maro , Parichat Wetchayont , Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra , Achmad Sahri","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103613","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103613","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An Extreme Upwelling Event (EUE), denoted by the sudden drop of sea surface temperature to less than 15 °C in a relatively short period, is a unique and recently reported oceanographic phenomenon. One and possibly the only place with confirmed EUE is the Mulut Kumbang Strait, Alor Kecil Village, Alor Island, Indonesia, since the phenomenon has never been reported in other tropical seas. The EUE occurred from August to November and lasted for 1 to 4 days, with a duration of only about an hour. The dramatic temperature drops during EUE caused small fish to become unconscious and attracted dolphins to come and feed. This is the first study to observe and quantify the dolphin sighting during EUE using closed-circuit television (CCTV). Full month observations were initially conducted in May and September 2022, which represented the months without and with EUE, respectively. In May 2022, the daytime minimum temperature was 24 °C (on May 19, 2022), with a total of 54 dolphin occurrences. In September 2022, the temperature reached 17.34 °C (on September 13, 2022), and the total dolphin occurrences increased to 87. With prior knowledge from 2022 EUEs, we conducted two additional EUE observations in 2023, focused around September: 2–4 September 2023 (period 1) and 30 September – 2 October 2023 (period 2). The temperatures in September and October 2023 were much lower than those in September 2022, with a minimum temperature of ∼ 12 °C. The total dolphin sightings in periods 1 and 2 of 2023 increased to 105 and 90, respectively, and both occurred within one hour during the peak of EUE. The frequent dolphin sightings during EUE have a potential to be developed as sustainable marine wildlife tourism, since people can watch dolphin occurrences only from the seashore along the Alor Kecil Village.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103613"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103612
Ping Du , Xiao Ma , Yuanli Zhu , Ruijie Ye , Shenran Zhang , WNC Priyadarshani , P.A.K.N. Dissanayake , Haifeng Zhang , Yibo Liao , Yanbin Tang , Zhibing Jiang , Hongliang Li , Feng Zhou , Lu Shou
The organic carbon produced by photosynthesis can only be stored over centennial time scales when it is transported to the meso- and bathypelagic zones. The increase in chlorophyll-a (Chla) influenced by positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) events and cold-core eddies, and the higher mesozooplankton biomass and abundance around cold-core eddies have been reported in the mixed layer. However, there is a gap in understanding the response of deep-sea mesozooplankton to pIOD events and eddies. Mesozooplankton communities within 0–3000 m were sampled in the eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO) and southern Bay of Bengal (BOB) between December 2019 and January 2020, and were used to analyze the responses of communities in epi- (0–100 m), meso- (100–1000 m), and bathypelagic (1000–3000 m) layers to the anomalous Chla in the upper water column caused by the pIOD event and eddies. The results found the higher mesozooplankton biomass in the epipelagic layer existed in the eastern EIO and south-central and south-eastern BOB, coinciding well with the higher surface and subsurface Chla concentration influenced by both the pIOD event and cold-core eddies. Meanwhile, cold-core eddies that lasted longer-time and caused a stronger upwelling process increased biomass and affected composition of mesozooplankton community in the mesopelagic layer. However, the pIOD event had little effect on the biomass and composition of mesopelagic mesozooplankton community. The study did not detect obvious effects of the pIOD event and eddies on the bathypelagic mesozooplankton community. This study highlights the important role of long-time lasting and strong cold-core eddies on carbon export and sequestration in the BOB.
{"title":"Responses of mesozooplankton to extreme positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) and cold-core eddy in the eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean and southern Bay of Bengal during 2019/2020 winter","authors":"Ping Du , Xiao Ma , Yuanli Zhu , Ruijie Ye , Shenran Zhang , WNC Priyadarshani , P.A.K.N. Dissanayake , Haifeng Zhang , Yibo Liao , Yanbin Tang , Zhibing Jiang , Hongliang Li , Feng Zhou , Lu Shou","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The organic carbon produced by photosynthesis can only be stored over centennial time scales when it is transported to the meso- and bathypelagic zones. The increase in chlorophyll-<em>a</em> (Chl<em>a</em>) influenced by positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) events and cold-core eddies, and the higher mesozooplankton biomass and abundance around cold-core eddies have been reported in the mixed layer. However, there is a gap in understanding the response of deep-sea mesozooplankton to pIOD events and eddies. Mesozooplankton communities within 0–3000 m were sampled in the eastern Equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO) and southern Bay of Bengal (BOB) between December 2019 and January 2020, and were used to analyze the responses of communities in epi- (0–100 m), meso- (100–1000 m), and bathypelagic (1000–3000 m) layers to the anomalous Chl<em>a</em> in the upper water column caused by the pIOD event and eddies. The results found the higher mesozooplankton biomass in the epipelagic layer existed in the eastern EIO and south-central and south-eastern BOB, coinciding well with the higher surface and subsurface Chl<em>a</em> concentration influenced by both the pIOD event and cold-core eddies. Meanwhile, cold-core eddies that lasted longer-time and caused a stronger upwelling process increased biomass and affected composition of mesozooplankton community in the mesopelagic layer. However, the pIOD event had little effect on the biomass and composition of mesopelagic mesozooplankton community. The study did not detect obvious effects of the pIOD event and eddies on the bathypelagic mesozooplankton community. This study highlights the important role of long-time lasting and strong cold-core eddies on carbon export and sequestration in the BOB.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103612"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-27DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103601
Joanna Zanker , Emma F. Young , Paul Brickle , Ivan Haigh
Climate change is impacting high-latitude fjord circulation with consequences for the transport of marine biota essential for supporting local ecosystems. Currently, little is understood about oceanographic variability in sub-Antarctic island fjords such as Cumberland Bay, the largest fjord on the island of South Georgia in the Southern Ocean. Cumberland Bay is split into two arms, West Bay and East Bay, and is a key spawning site for the ecologically and commercially important mackerel icefish. Through the use of a high-resolution three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, the seasonal cycle in Cumberland Bay is found to be driven by a combination of boundary forcing influencing shelf exchange and deep inflow, atmospheric forcing influencing near surface temperatures and flows and freshwater forcing via subglacial discharge driving upwelling and strong outflow. There is a complex three-dimensional flow structure with a high degree of variability on short timescales due to wind forcing. Using model flow fields to drive an individual-based model parameterised for mackerel icefish larvae spawned in Cumberland Bay, we identify West Bay as a key retention zone. Successful retention of mackerel icefish larvae is found to be sensitive to complex circulation patterns driven by winds, freshwater and fjord-shelf exchanges and to changes in physical processes linked to climate change such as meltwater runoff and föhn wind events. This study highlights the importance of oceanographic variability in influencing ecological processes in fjords in our changing climate.
{"title":"Sub-Antarctic fjord circulation and associated icefish larval retention in a changing climate","authors":"Joanna Zanker , Emma F. Young , Paul Brickle , Ivan Haigh","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103601","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103601","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change is impacting high-latitude fjord circulation with consequences for the transport of marine biota essential for supporting local ecosystems. Currently, little is understood about oceanographic variability in sub-Antarctic island fjords such as Cumberland Bay, the largest fjord on the island of South Georgia in the Southern Ocean. Cumberland Bay is split into two arms, West Bay and East Bay, and is a key spawning site for the ecologically and commercially important mackerel icefish. Through the use of a high-resolution three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, the seasonal cycle in Cumberland Bay is found to be driven by a combination of boundary forcing influencing shelf exchange and deep inflow, atmospheric forcing influencing near surface temperatures and flows and freshwater forcing via subglacial discharge driving upwelling and strong outflow. There is a complex three-dimensional flow structure with a high degree of variability on short timescales due to wind forcing. Using model flow fields to drive an individual-based model parameterised for mackerel icefish larvae spawned in Cumberland Bay, we identify West Bay as a key retention zone. Successful retention of mackerel icefish larvae is found to be sensitive to complex circulation patterns driven by winds, freshwater and fjord-shelf exchanges and to changes in physical processes linked to climate change such as meltwater runoff and föhn wind events. This study highlights the importance of oceanographic variability in influencing ecological processes in fjords in our changing climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103601"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-27DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103610
M.P. Tugores , A.P. Torres , P. Reglero , M. Martín , R. Balbín , J. Tintoré , D. Alvarez-Berastegui
Climate change presents huge challenge for marine ecosystems worldwide, with particularly pronounced effects on the most vulnerable species, life stages and regions. Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), is classified as ‘near threatened’ on the IUCN Red List, and the Mediterranean population is declining. We investigated the effects of environmental variability and climate change on the habitat of the yolk-sac larvae (YSL) of swordfish in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) through field surveys (2001–2022). We then estimated the suitability of their habitat across the Western Mediterranean, analysing the changes over more than three decades (1990–2022). The swordfish spawning ground in the Balearic Islands was identified near the salinity front (∼37.5) and the surrounding warmer waters. Our models showed that, since the 1990 s the swordfish YSL habitat has increased suitability and expanded within the Western Mediterranean, mainly in response to rising temperatures. However, YSL densities (non-significant) and swordfish population in the Western Mediterranean showed a declining trend. The first occurrence of YSL, and temperatures associated with them, have shifted to earlier in the year, at a rate of 0.57 days year−1, which suggests spawning is starting earlier. We also observed a significant decrease in sea surface chlorophyll-a over the Western Mediterranean since 1998. Therefore, the decline in swordfish population is not subject to a reduction in habitat suitability for YSL due to seawater warming but other factors that are unaccounted for or due to ecological cascading effects, which are either bottom-up (e.g. reduction in sea surface chlorophyll-a) or top-down (e.g. fishing pressure). These findings highlight the need for further investigation on the ecological and anthropogenic pressures affecting the Mediterranean swordfish population.
{"title":"Climate-induced shifts in swordfish spawning habitat in the Western Mediterranean","authors":"M.P. Tugores , A.P. Torres , P. Reglero , M. Martín , R. Balbín , J. Tintoré , D. Alvarez-Berastegui","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103610","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103610","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change presents huge challenge for marine ecosystems worldwide, with particularly pronounced effects on the most vulnerable species, life stages and regions. Swordfish (<em>Xiphias gladius</em>), is classified as ‘near threatened’ on the IUCN Red List, and the Mediterranean population is declining. We investigated the effects of environmental variability and climate change on the habitat of the yolk-sac larvae (YSL) of swordfish in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) through field surveys (2001–2022). We then estimated the suitability of their habitat across the Western Mediterranean, analysing the changes over more than three decades (1990–2022). The swordfish spawning ground in the Balearic Islands was identified near the salinity front (∼37.5) and the surrounding warmer waters. Our models showed that, since the 1990 s the swordfish YSL habitat has increased suitability and expanded within the Western Mediterranean, mainly in response to rising temperatures. However, YSL densities (non-significant) and swordfish population in the Western Mediterranean showed a declining trend. The first occurrence of YSL, and temperatures associated with them, have shifted to earlier in the year, at a rate of 0.57 days year<sup>−1</sup>, which suggests spawning is starting earlier. We also observed a significant decrease in sea surface chlorophyll-a over the Western Mediterranean since 1998. Therefore, the decline in swordfish population is not subject to a reduction in habitat suitability for YSL due to seawater warming but other factors that are unaccounted for or due to ecological cascading effects, which are either bottom-up (e.g. reduction in sea surface chlorophyll-a) or top-down (e.g. fishing pressure). These findings highlight the need for further investigation on the ecological and anthropogenic pressures affecting the Mediterranean swordfish population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103610"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the ocean is crucial for the survival of marine organisms and a prolonged exposure to sub-optimal levels impacts their life and species distribution. The oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are the regions in the global ocean where the mid-depth oxygen concentrations are persistently low. These zones occur naturally in areas where high sinking flux of organic carbon co-exists with poor ventilation of waters. The Arabian Sea (AS) houses the second most intense OMZ after the eastern tropical Pacific. Climate change is expected to exacerbate the de-oxygenation within the OMZ, leading to either its intensification or its spatial expansion or both. In a warming ocean, DO concentrations are expected to decrease due to a reduction in the solubility with an increase in temperature and increase in the upper ocean stratification curtailing the ventilation. Contrary to this notion, the recent measurements in a rapidly warming AS during 2019 to 2023 showed an enhancement in the DO concentration within the OMZ and a reduction in its thickness. The average DO concentration increased by 2.5 times and 2 times in 2022 and 2023 respectively from 10.31 µmol/kg in 2019, while the OMZ thickness decreased by 21 % in 2022 and by 35 % in 2023 from 1014 m in 2019. We show that the reasons for this were a combination of (1) advection of waters with increased DO from the source region of water masses that enter the AS at mid-depths and (2) a reduction in the in-situ production of organic carbon within the AS. Our findings contradict prevailing views on climate-driven de-oxygenation, prompting a reassessment of biogeochemical responses and water mass dynamics in the rapidly warming AS.
{"title":"Recent oxygenation of oxygen minimum zone in the Arabian Sea and possible causes","authors":"Jayu Narvekar , Pratima Kesserkar , K.S. Sreejith , Lina Fernandes , S. Prasanna Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the ocean is crucial for the survival of marine organisms and a prolonged exposure to sub-optimal levels impacts their life and species distribution. The oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are the regions in the global ocean where the mid-depth oxygen concentrations are persistently low. These zones occur naturally in areas where high sinking flux of organic carbon co-exists with poor ventilation of waters. The Arabian Sea (AS) houses the second most intense OMZ after the eastern tropical Pacific. Climate change is expected to exacerbate the de-oxygenation within the OMZ, leading to either its intensification or its spatial expansion or both. In a warming ocean, DO concentrations are expected to decrease due to a reduction in the solubility with an increase in temperature and increase in the upper ocean stratification curtailing the ventilation. Contrary to this notion, the recent measurements in a rapidly warming AS during 2019 to 2023 showed an enhancement in the DO concentration within the OMZ and a reduction in its thickness. The average DO concentration increased by 2.5 times and 2 times in 2022 and 2023 respectively from 10.31 µmol/kg in 2019, while the OMZ thickness decreased by 21 % in 2022 and by 35 % in 2023 from 1014 m in 2019. We show that the reasons for this were a combination of (1) advection of waters with increased DO from the source region of water masses that enter the AS at mid-depths and (2) a reduction in the in-situ production of organic carbon within the AS. Our findings contradict prevailing views on climate-driven de-oxygenation, prompting a reassessment of biogeochemical responses and water mass dynamics in the rapidly warming AS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103600"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Kuroshio Current and its neighboring waters are nursery grounds for the early life stages of migratory fish, despite poor food availability under oligotrophic conditions. Although recent findings suggest that standing stocks of mesozooplankton are not low and provide good prey availability for fish larvae, no information is available at their prey quality. Here, we investigated the spatial and temporal variations in the fatty acid content of mesozooplankton communities from transect lines across the Kuroshio to evaluate the nutritional quality of mesozooplankton as prey for fish larvae. We identified 5 saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 4 mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and 13 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the mesozooplankton community. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that fatty acid contents in mesozooplankton dry mass were more variable between the seasons than at the sites, with increasing SFA in summer. Long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) content, represented by arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids, was comparable between the Kuroshio and its neighboring waters. These LC-PUFA contents exhibited significant positive correlations with the relative abundance of Eucalanidae copepods and molluscans determined with metabarcoding analysis. These contents were also positively correlated with the fatty acid content of the haptophyte biomarker. Beaked sandfish larvae had higher LC-PUFA contents than those of Anguilliformes leptocephali. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the fatty acid composition of omnivorous crustaceans, such as decapods and Eucalanidae copepods, was synchronized with that of beaked sandfish larvae. These findings suggest that the LC-PUFA contents of mesozooplankton communities accumulate in omnivorous crustaceans feeding on nano- to micro-sized phytoplankton and are transferred to planktivorous fish larvae.
{"title":"Fatty acid contents and its compositions of mesozooplankton community in the Kuroshio Current and neighboring waters","authors":"Toru Kobari , Nao Kominato , Reo Ishimaru , Masafumi Kodama , Gen Kume , Masaharu Hanai , Asuka Nitta , Naoki Kabeya","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Kuroshio Current and its neighboring waters are nursery grounds for the early life stages of migratory fish, despite poor food availability under oligotrophic conditions. Although recent findings suggest that standing stocks of mesozooplankton are not low and provide good prey availability for fish larvae, no information is available at their prey quality. Here, we investigated the spatial and temporal variations in the fatty acid content of mesozooplankton communities from transect lines across the Kuroshio to evaluate the nutritional quality of mesozooplankton as prey for fish larvae. We identified 5 saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 4 mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and 13 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the mesozooplankton community. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that fatty acid contents in mesozooplankton dry mass were more variable between the seasons than at the sites, with increasing SFA in summer. Long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) content, represented by arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids, was comparable between the Kuroshio and its neighboring waters. These LC-PUFA contents exhibited significant positive correlations with the relative abundance of Eucalanidae copepods and molluscans determined with metabarcoding analysis. These contents were also positively correlated with the fatty acid content of the haptophyte biomarker. Beaked sandfish larvae had higher LC-PUFA contents than those of Anguilliformes leptocephali. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the fatty acid composition of omnivorous crustaceans, such as decapods and Eucalanidae copepods, was synchronized with that of beaked sandfish larvae. These findings suggest that the LC-PUFA contents of mesozooplankton communities accumulate in omnivorous crustaceans feeding on nano- to micro-sized phytoplankton and are transferred to planktivorous fish larvae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103598"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-22DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103592
Boris Neklyudov , Zhanna Osipova , Sergey Galkin , Tatiana Belan , Elena Temereva
Active exploration of sea depths became possible in recent years because of increased technical capabilities. It has already led to a number of scientific and economically significant discoveries. In this paper, we have described a first record of deep-sea phoronids found in the Sea of Okhotsk at depths from 786 to 1551 m. The Phoronida is a phylum of invertebrates which includes 15 species of benthic worm-like animals. Most of phoronids have worldwide distribution and are known from different seas of the ocean. In some areas phoronids are extremely abundant and define the composition of benthic communities. Phoronids are mostly shallow water inhabitants: up to date their deepest location of finding was 390 m depth. This report uses light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and 3D reconstructions to describe a first deep-sea phoronid species, Phoronopsis deprofundis sp.nov. This species shares some common traits of morphology and reproductive biology with other species of Phoronopsis genera: feather-like longitudinal muscles and the presence of epidermal collar at the base of the lophophore. P. deprofundis exhibits some features which are mostly common with Phoronopsis albomaculata and Phoronopsis harmeri, however, it has unique combination of morphological features and should be considered as new phoronid species. Based on histological data it was proposed that the reproduction period of deep-sea phoronids occurs at the end of May – beginning of June. The cladistic analysis was carried out on morphological traits for phoronid adults and larvae, the characteristics of development and reproductive biology and the type of preferred substrate. However many white spots in morphological data still exist, especially in larval morphology. The taxonomy of phylum Phoronida should be reinvestigated and new taxa at order or family level should be established. Based on our new data and analysis of the literature, we can conclude that phoronidization of oceanic communities is taking place – phoronids are actively expanding their habitat and also occupy new water area, in which they were not registered before.
{"title":"First record of deep-sea phoronids from the Sea of Okhotsk with description of Phoronopsis deprofundis sp.nov. and phoronidization of the ocean communities","authors":"Boris Neklyudov , Zhanna Osipova , Sergey Galkin , Tatiana Belan , Elena Temereva","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Active exploration of sea depths became possible in recent years because of increased technical capabilities. It has already led to a number of scientific and economically significant discoveries. In this paper, we have described a first record of deep-sea phoronids found in the Sea of Okhotsk at depths from 786 to 1551 m. The Phoronida is a phylum of invertebrates which includes 15 species of benthic worm-like animals. Most of phoronids have worldwide distribution and are known from different seas of the ocean. In some areas phoronids are extremely abundant and define the composition of benthic communities. Phoronids are mostly shallow water inhabitants: up to date their deepest location of finding was 390 m depth. This report uses light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and 3D reconstructions to describe a first deep-sea phoronid species, <em>Phoronopsis deprofundis</em> sp.nov. This species shares some common traits of morphology and reproductive biology with other species of <em>Phoronopsis</em> genera: feather-like longitudinal muscles and the presence of epidermal collar at the base of the lophophore. <em>P. deprofundis</em> exhibits some features which are mostly common with <em>Phoronopsis albomaculata</em> and <em>Phoronopsis harmeri</em>, however, it has unique combination of morphological features and should be considered as new phoronid species. Based on histological data it was proposed that the reproduction period of deep-sea phoronids occurs at the end of May – beginning of June. The cladistic analysis was carried out on morphological traits for phoronid adults and larvae, the characteristics of development and reproductive biology and the type of preferred substrate. However many white spots in morphological data still exist, especially in larval morphology. The taxonomy of phylum Phoronida should be reinvestigated and new taxa at order or family level should be established. Based on our new data and analysis of the literature, we can conclude that phoronidization of oceanic communities is taking place – phoronids are actively expanding their habitat and also occupy new water area, in which they were not registered before.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 103592"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145365698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-20DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103597
Linlin Liang , Jianping Gan , Hiusuet Kung , Chiwing Rex Hui
Using well-validated ocean circulation model for the Philippine Sea, this study reveals anticyclonic circulation in the upper (<500 m) and middle layers (500–2400 m), and a cyclonic circulation in the deep layer (>2400 m). Layer-integrated vorticity budget diagnostics show that lateral planetary vorticity flux serves as the primary source for the circulation patterns in the surface and deep layers, whereas the lateral and vertical relative vorticity fluxes sustain the circulation in the middle layer, indicating that extrinsic dynamics primarily drive the three-layer circulation. The joint effect of baroclinicity and relief (, an intrinsic dynamic response to the deep cyclonic circulation, forms when the bottom flow interacts with the topography of the Philippine Sea. The lateral mass flux divergence in the three sub-basins of the Philippine Sea induces a basin-wide upward motion. Collectively, the interplay between extrinsic forcing and intrinsic flow-topography interaction jointly regulate the layered circulation within the Philippine Sea.
{"title":"Layered circulation and dynamics of the Philippine Sea","authors":"Linlin Liang , Jianping Gan , Hiusuet Kung , Chiwing Rex Hui","doi":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using well-validated ocean circulation model for the Philippine Sea, this study reveals anticyclonic circulation in the upper (<500 m) and middle layers (500–2400 m), and a cyclonic circulation in the deep layer (>2400 m). Layer-integrated vorticity budget diagnostics show that lateral planetary vorticity flux serves as the primary source for the circulation patterns in the surface and deep layers, whereas the lateral and vertical relative vorticity fluxes sustain the circulation in the middle layer, indicating that extrinsic dynamics primarily drive the three-layer circulation. The joint effect of baroclinicity and relief (<span><math><mrow><mi>JEBAR</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>, an intrinsic dynamic response to the deep cyclonic circulation, forms when the bottom flow interacts with the topography of the Philippine Sea. The lateral mass flux divergence in the three sub-basins of the Philippine Sea induces a basin-wide upward motion. Collectively, the interplay between extrinsic forcing and intrinsic flow-topography interaction jointly regulate the layered circulation within the Philippine Sea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20620,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Oceanography","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 103597"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145362862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}