Article
Environmental Sciences
Annika Vaksmaa, Matthias Egger, Claudia Luke, Paula Dalcin Martins, Riccardo Rosselli, Alejandro Abdala Asbun, Helge Niemann
Summary: The long-term fate of plastics in the ocean and their interactions with marine microorganisms are still not well understood. This study investigated the role of sinking plastic particles as a transport vector for surface microbes towards the deep sea in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The composition of microbial communities on floating and suspended plastic particles was analyzed, revealing differences between the two compartments but a presence of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in both. The findings suggest a limited efficiency of sinking plastic particles in vertically transporting microorganisms in this region.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sabine Rech, Joao Bosco Gusmao, Tim Kiessling, Valeria Hidalgo-Ruz, Erika Meerhoff, Magdalena Gatta-Rosemary, Charles Moore, Raquelle de Vine, Martin Thiel
Summary: This study is the first extensive study of marine invertebrates rafting on floating anthropogenic debris in the eastern SPSG. The complexity of the rafts was found to be the most important predictor of epibiont richness, while fouling cover was significantly correlated with raft volume and surface area. This suggests that the hyper-oligotrophic conditions of the SPSG limit fouling growth, and the nutrient gradient between HCS and SPSG acts as a filter for coastal taxa.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joo-Eun Yoon, Ju-Hyoung Kim, Il-Nam Kim
Summary: This study investigates the impact of the North Pacific gyre oscillation (NPGO) mode on the relationship between primary production (PP) and export production (EP) in the eastern North Pacific subtropical gyre (NPSG). The results show that positive NPGO phases are associated with high PP and EP, while negative NPGO phases exhibit low EP despite high PP conditions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julia Duerschlag, Wiebke Mohr, Timothy G. Ferdelman, Julie LaRoche, Dhwani Desai, Peter L. Croot, Daniela Voss, Oliver Zielinski, Gaute Lavik, Sten Littmann, Clara Martinez-Perez, Bernhard Tschitschko, Nina Bartlau, Helena Osterholz, Thorsten Dittmar, Marcel M. M. Kuypers
Summary: This study conducted investigations on phytoplankton communities and their metabolic activities in the South Pacific Gyre region, revealing that fast-growing small eukaryotes may play a significant role in CO2 fixation in the surface waters of ultraoligotrophic oceans.
Article
Oceanography
Thomas P. Guilderson, Daniel P. Schrag, Ellen R. M. Druffel, Ron W. Reimer
Summary: The study of a high-resolution coral Delta C-14 record from the leeward side of the Big Island of Hawai'i provides insights into the pre- and post-bomb era changes. Seasonal cycles, La Nina years, and Sverdrup dynamics are all reflected in the record, indicating climate variability in the subtropical North Pacific.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Helena Osterholz, David P. A. Kilgour, Dominik Sebastian Storey, Gaute Lavik, Timothy G. Ferdelman, Jutta Niggemann, Thorsten Dittmar
Summary: The subtropical South Pacific Gyre contains the largest oligotrophic region in the global ocean, where dissolved organic matter accumulates in the surface waters. A molecular-level study revealed distinct characteristics of the DOM in this region, including high abundances of potentially labile unsaturated aliphatic molecular formulas and a low degradation index. Additionally, microbial utilization of nitrogen-containing DOM and extensive photochemical reworking were evident, reflecting carbon fractions relevant on different timescales.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emma C. Nichols, Jennifer L. Lavers, Simeon Archer-Rand, Alexander L. Bond
Summary: This study compared floating plastics in the South Pacific Ocean and accumulated beach plastics on Henderson Island, revealing the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics, enriching the understanding of plastic threats to the environment. Particularly concerning is the large number of small plastic particles found on Henderson Island, which may pose harmful impacts on filter feeders.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Abdullah A. Fahad, Natalie J. Burls, Erik T. Swenson, David M. Straus
Summary: Subtropical anticyclones and midlatitude storm tracks play key roles in the large-scale atmospheric circulation. In the Southern Hemisphere, the seasonality of subtropical anticyclones over the South Pacific, South Atlantic, and south Indian Ocean basins has significant impacts on local weather and climate. The study investigates the strength of the South Pacific subtropical anticyclone in austral summer, attributing it to heating over the South Pacific convergence zone triggering a propagating Rossby wave train.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ruping Ge, Yixuan Li, Hongju Chen, Facan Lei, Yunyun Zhuang, Guangxing Liu
Summary: Understanding the diel vertical migration patterns of zooplankton is important for biological pumping and pelagic food webs. However, limited knowledge exists about the DVM patterns of zooplankton with different functional traits. This study used a trait-based approach to investigate the vertical distributions of zooplankton in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, and found that different functional groups exhibited distinct DVM patterns.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
F. M. Bingham, S. K. Brodnitz, A. L. Gordon
Summary: The sea surface salinity (SSS) maximum of the South Indian Ocean (the SISSS-max) is a high-salinity feature centered at 30°S, 90°E, near the center of the South Indian subtropical gyre. It moves seasonally and interannually, with changes in size and maximum SSS, influenced by variations in evaporation, precipitation, wind forcing, gyre-scale ocean circulation, and downward Ekman pumping. The motion of SISSS-max correlates with SSS changes throughout the South Indian Ocean and may indicate changes in the basin's subtropical circulation.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
Kimberley L. Drouin, M. Susan Lozier, William E. Johns
Summary: Previous studies have suggested that the South Atlantic subtropical gyre has been expanding, shifting poleward, and intensifying. Investigating from an observational standpoint, analyzing seasonal and interannual variability, and long-term trends. The gyre strength follows seasonal heating and cooling, largely influenced by sea surface height gyre maximum, while ocean mass variability is driven by wind stress curl and out of phase with the steric signal. Interannual changes to the southern boundary and gyre strength are related to wind stress curl.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jian Zheng, Faming Wang
Summary: Recent studies have shown the existence of a dipolar mode of sea surface temperature variability in the subtropical South Pacific, known as the South Pacific Subtropical Dipole (SPSD). The SPSD causes summer atmospheric responses, including baroclinic and barotropic responses, precipitation anomalies, and anomalous storm tracks. The atmospheric response to SPSD in the subtropical South Pacific interacts with and forms a coupled system with the SPSD itself.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Won Joon Shim, Seung-Kyu Kim, Jongsu Lee, Soeun Eo, Ji-Su Kim, Chengjun Sun
Summary: By comparing monitoring methods and contamination levels of marine micro- and macroplastics in seawater between the North Pacific and other ocean basins, this study found that the North Pacific is heavily monitored for microplastics and shows high pollution levels globally. The Mediterranean Sea, on the other hand, is more focused on monitoring macroplastics. The study also suggests the importance of standardized methods and increased efforts in gathering monitoring data for both microplastics and floating macroplastics in seawater worldwide.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Linjie Zheng, Tomoharu Minami, Shotaro Takano, Yoshiki Sohrin
Summary: This study investigates the distribution of aluminum, manganese, cobalt, and lead in the western South Pacific, revealing their unique characteristics and sources. The distribution of aluminum is influenced by land weathering, while lead is mainly supplied by anthropogenic aerosols from Asia and Russia. These findings have significant implications for understanding the biogeochemical processes of these elements in the Pacific Ocean.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Winnie Courtene-Jones, Simon van Gennip, Juliette Penicaud, Emily Penn, Richard C. Thompson
Summary: This study quantified microplastics in the North Atlantic Ocean and its subtropical gyre, revealing high concentrations of polymer fragments in the gyre and dominant presence of polyamide and polyester fibers in the subsurface water. Lagrangian simulations showed connectivity patterns of microplastics. Continued monitoring is necessary to address knowledge gaps and assess spatio-temporal trends.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
