Macrobenthic Distributions In The Chukchi Sea Oceanography June 2224 2015 Philadelphia Pennsylvania Arny L BlanchardDouglas D Dasher and Stephen C Jewett Institute of Marine Science ID: 319023
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Slide1
Oceanographic and Topographic Control Of
Macrobenthic Distributions In The Chukchi SeaOceanography, June 22-24, 2015, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Arny L. BlanchardDouglas D. Dasher, and Stephen C. JewettInstitute of Marine ScienceUniversity of Alaska FairbanksSlide2
The Alaska Monitoring and Assessment Program
AK MAP: A multidisciplinary investigation of the inshore northeastern Chukchi Sea ecosystem, 2010-2012.
Documents the status of inshore marine communities.2010-2011 data presented.Slide3
Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Program (CSESP) (08-12)Slide4
Additional data from 1986
Howard Feder sampled in the study area in 1986.Sampled ~ 35 stations spread throughout the study area.Provides background data to fill in “holes”.
Used same methods.Slide5
Geospatial model of density
Inshore to offshore/depth gradient apparent.
High density and biomass at Barrow Canyon.Highly variable throughout the nearshore.Density (Ind. m-2) 1986, 2008-2012HighDensitySlide6
Water Circulation
“Nutrientpoor”
“Nutrientenriched”Slide7
Combined Spatial Model
Patterns do not match presumed water mass characteristics.
Density (Ind. m-2) 1986, 2008-2012
High density but
“nutrient poor” waterSlide8
Combined Spatial Model
Hotspots associated with topographically-driven water circulation.
Hotspots are utilized by marine mammals.Density (Ind. m-2) 1986, 2008-2012Slide9
Water Circulation
“Nutrientpoor”
“Nutrientenriched”Slide10
Macroscale
Patterns
Feder
CSESP
Benthic production controlled by carbon
delivery.
Driven by water circulation, oceanography.Slide11
Comparison of Years
No significant differences within areas between 1986 and 2008-2011.Better definition of nearshore distributions in 2008-2011 due to greater sampling effort.
Density (Ind. m
-2
) 1986
Density (Ind. m
-2
) 2008-2012Slide12
Species Composition
Dominant species relatively unchanged: inshore dominated by crustaceans and offshore by polychaetes and bivalves.
1986
Taxon
Density
CSESP
Taxon
Density
AKMAP
Taxon
Density
Inshore
Atylus
bruggeni
314
Inshore
Byblis
sp
.
3676
Inshore
Galathowenia
oculata
579
Protomedeia
sp
.
287
Protomedeia
sp
.
764
Photis
vinogradovi
281
Ampelisca macrocephala
170
Ischyrocerus
sp
.
511
Capitellidae
158
Photis
sp
.
133
Cirratulidae
321
Protomedeia
sp
.
155
Byblis gaimardi
72
Amphipoda
312
Cirratulidae
151
Offshore
Ennucula tenuis
127
Offshore
Maldane sarsi
363
Maldane sarsi
112
Ennucula tenuis
168
Byblis
sp
.
63
Ostracoda
104
Leitoscoloplos
pugettensis
51
Cirratulidae
78
Cirratulidae
48
Macoma
sp
.
59
Color Code:
Crustaceans
,
Bivalves
, and
Polychaetes
.Slide13
Conclusions
The combined spatial model refines our understanding of the NE Chukchi Sea ecosystem. Interactions of topography and water circulation leading to greater food deposition provide an explanation for the enhanced production in a number of areas throughout the Chukchi Sea.Slide14
Acknowledgments
AK MAP*: This project was funded by the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Interior, and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Field surveys were conducted aboard the R/V Norseman II.The CSESP was funded by ConocoPhillips, Inc., Shell E & P, and Statoil USA E & P.
*The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government and research sponsors