High frequency coupling between the tropical upper ocean and atmosphere at diurnal time scales is being recognised to be important for the behaviour of large scale climate modes such as the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO). Sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the Eastern Indian Ocean warm pool and on the Northwest Shelf of Australia is strongly influenced by the MJO activity. In this study

Oligotrophic areas cover about 75% of the ocean’s surface, and these ocean regions are predicted to expand under global warming scenarios. To evaluate impacts on global marine biogeochemical cycles and changes in ocean-atmosphere carbon fluxes, it is essential to understand particulate matter fluxes and determine the amount of organic carbon that is exported to the ocean’s interior. The oligotrophic

This paper serves as an introduction to the Deep-Sea Research II special issue on the impacts of a severe lack of sea ice in the northern Bering Sea (NBS) in the winter of 2017-2018. To complement the papers in this volume, we provide a brief synopsis of the physical oceanography of the NBS, including information on the characteristics of the dominant water masses, and the patterns of sea-ice formation

Anomalous oceanographic conditions were observed in the northwestern Bering Sea in 2017–2018, including warmer air and water temperatures and reduced ice cover. Their effects on the water structure and circulation are considered. These conditions were formed on the background of warming tendency known in the Bering Sea since 2014, but the year 2018 was exceptional even relative to this background.

In recent years, the northern Bering Sea has experienced changes in the timing of sea-ice retreat and in hydrographic conditions during the summer. The influence of these environmental changes on the diatom community has not been examined. In this study, we investigated the spatial changes in the diatom community of the northern Bering Sea during the summers of 2017 and 2018, and evaluated the effects

Under climate change, the Bering–Chukchi continental shelves have experienced drastic sea ice loss, breaking the minimum sea ice extent record in 2018. In this paper, we report a distinctive spring phytoplankton bloom in the Bering Strait based on year-round mooring observations during 2016–2018. A near-bottom fluorescence sensor mounted on a mooring and satellite observations indicate that, despite

Zooplankton community structure in the northern Bering Sea may change significantly over relatively short periods due to the inflow of different water masses and the seasonal release of meroplankton, although details of these changes are still unclear. We studied the zooplankton community in the northern Bering Sea from June to September of 2017 and examined seasonal changes in the community structure

The structure of demersal fish assemblages was investigated based on a total of 134 trawl samples collected in the northern Bering Sea (NBS) and Chukchi Sea (CS) during 12 summers between 1990 and 2013. In recent years, the timing of sea ice retreat has become earlier in the NBS. The present study was performed to clarify the environmental factors that contribute to the structure of demersal fish assemblages

Adult and juvenile (age-1) walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) were sampled by the US NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center summer bottom trawl survey in 2010, 2017, 2018, and 2019 in the northeastern and southeastern Bering Sea, with profiles of temperature collected concurrently. Similarly, the Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Pacific branch, collected adult and juvenile

Climate change is altering the distribution and biomass of marine species in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. In this study, we investigate the influence of sea temperature on the annual distribution and biomass of pelagic fishes in the eastern Bering Sea during late summer, 2002–2018. The distribution (easting, northing, and area occupied) and biomass of capelin, Pacific herring, juvenile chum salmon

Common and thick–billed murres are among the most numerous and widespread seabirds in the northern hemisphere though they appear to be especially susceptible to mass die–off events. During the spring and summer of 2018, the Bering Sea experienced warmer than average sea temperatures following a winter of unprecedented, near complete lack of sea ice. To determine if breeding murres were negatively affected

To understand the effect of an unusually early sea-ice retreat in the northern Bering Sea in the spring of 2018 on the marine ecosystem of the northern Bering Sea, we compared at-sea observations of seabird density and acoustic observations of prey (fish and zooplankton) biomass during shipboard surveys around St. Lawrence Island in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Densities of foraging seabirds in 2018

Recent dramatic reductions of winter sea ice in the northern Bering Sea have raised the possibility that a rapid ecological transformation is underway. It has been hypothesized that with sufficient sea ice loss the cold pool thermal barrier separating the northern and southern Bering Sea would be breached, potentially benefiting piscivorous seabirds with an influx of abundant forage fish, but maybe

In the northern Bering Sea and eastern Chukchi Sea, 2017–2019 were record-breaking years for warm ocean temperatures and lack of sea ice. The region supports millions of seabirds that could be affected by shifts in prey distribution and availability caused by changing environmental drivers. However, seabirds are highly mobile and often flexible in diet, and might alter their foraging distributions

A warming climate has driven rapid physical changes in the Arctic environment, particularly in the Bering Sea. Biological changes are also increasingly evident in the Bering Sea and adjacent waters. The ecological results have been profound and relatively well documented for fishes and lower trophic levels. Upper trophic predators such as marine mammals, however, have been underrepresented in ecosystem

The winter of 2017/2018 saw a composite of weather events that delayed sea ice formation in the northern Bering Sea (NBS) into early 2018. Residual warmth in the water column and strong southerly (i.e., warm) winds in February resulted in the lowest ice extent on record. Salinity has historically driven vertical stratification of the water column in the NBS, but with little sea ice formation and rejection

An integrated ecosystem assessment (IEA) is a framework that organizes science to aid in the transition from traditional single-species management towards ecosystem-based management. Within the Gulf of Alaska, we started a small-scale IEA framework with active engagement of local stakeholders in the fishing community of Sitka. The initial step of this framework was the development of conceptual models

Common and thick–billed murres are among the most numerous and widespread seabirds in the northern hemisphere though they appear to be especially susceptible to mass die–off events. During the spring and summer of 2018, the Bering Sea experienced warmer than average sea temperatures following a winter of unprecedented, near complete lack of sea ice. To determine if breeding murres were negatively affected

In order to examine the spatial variability and controlling factors of primary production in the Indian Ocean, deck-incubation primary production (13C method) and hydrographic properties were measured at 25 locations during inter-monsoon period (April-May, 2014). Low concentration of nutrients were observed in the upper 30 m due to stratification of water column. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in the mixed

In May–June 2013, the RV G.O. Sars surveyed the Norwegian, Iceland, Irminger, and Labrador seas in the North Atlantic to explore distributions of plankton and pelagic/mesopelagic fish as part of the Euro-BASIN (Basin-scale Analysis, Synthesis, and INtegration) Project. From temperature and salinity measurements collected along the ship's track, we present and compare the hydrography of the different

During a return trip in May–June 2013 from Bergen, Norway, to Nuuk, Greenland, on the Institute of Marine Research's R/V “G. O. Sars”, four ocean basins, the Norwegian, Iceland, Irminger and Labrador seas, were surveyed twice. Here we analyse the phytoplankton communities and their dynamics in the four basins, winter nutrient content, potential for new production, consumption of nutrients, phenology

We describe a method to allow acoustic sampling at depths not reachable by the higher frequencies of ship hull-mounted echosounders and observe the abundance and behaviour of individual organisms in front of trawls. A self-contained scientific echosounder with a 120 kHz transducer was mounted forward-facing on the headline of a macrozooplankton trawl that was obliquely towed from 0 to 1000 m depth

The epi- and mesopelagic ecosystems of four sub-polar ocean basins, the Labrador, Irminger, Iceland and Norwegian seas, were surveyed during two legs from Bergen, Norway, to Nuuk, Greenland, and back to Bergen. The survey was conducted from 1 May to 14 June, and major results were published in five papers (Drinkwater et al., Naustvoll et al., Strand et al., Melle et al., this issue, and Klevjer et

Globally, the Indian Ocean appears to have the greatest blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus ssp) acoustic diversity, with at least four acoustic populations from three defined sub-species. To understand how these different populations use this region as habitat, we first need to characterize their spatial and seasonal distributions. Here, we build on previous passive acoustic monitoring studies and analyze

Die-offs of seabirds in Alaska have occurred with increased frequency since 2015. In 2018, on St. Lawrence Island, seabirds were reported washing up dead on beaches starting in late May, peaking in June, and continuing until early August. The cause of death was documented to be starvation, leading to the conclusion that a severe food shortage was to blame. We use physiology and colony-based observations

Indian Scientific Expeditions to the Southern Ocean (ISESO) have been implemented since 2004 to explore the unknown areas of the Indian Sector of the SO (ISSO) with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) as the nodal centre for the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. The studies conducted in these expeditions have prime importance to understand the role of the SO on regional

Winter Water (WW) is a feature in the upper layers of the Southern Ocean during austral summer. The interaction of this cold water with surface and deeper subsurface layers can alter the heat budget as well as the carbon cycle. However, the structure and characteristics of the WW in the Southern Ocean is poorly understood due to the lack of in-situ data. In this study, hydrographic data collected from

During austral summer 2012, seawater samples were collected from the upper 120 m of the water column, across the frontal zones in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean. Suspended particulate organic matter from seawater was characterised, from its organic carbon and nitrogen content, and δ13C(POM). There was a marked difference in δ13C(POM) across the three frontal zones. It was depleted from

The variations in nutrient utilization in the euphotic layer was studied using geochemical tracers N* (NO3- −16PO43−) and Si* (Si(OH)4 – NO3-) along two transect 57°30′E (T1) and 47°E (T2) during austral summer 2011 in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean. Seawater samples collected from 8 depths within the euphotic zone (upper 200 m) along two meridional transects were analysed for nitrate

Sea-ice extent is very sensitive to climate change and its minor variations can significantly affect the regional biota of the Southern Ocean (SO). Chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) is a primary proxy for the understanding of phytoplankton distribution and primary productivity in the oceans. Therefore, analysing the relation between Chl-a and sea-ice extent could be significant in understanding the

Phytoplankton, the primary producers in all aquatic systems, plays an important role in key biogeochemical processes that are linked to higher trophic levels and climate variability. The present study deals with the phytoplankton community structure in the Indian Ocean, particularly in the higher latitudes with respect to environmental variables to understand the region specific dominant community

The Southern Ocean is a very dynamic ecosystem comprising many fronts and interfrontal areas. Among the fronts, the Subtropical Front (STF) is a region of eddy activity exhibiting high spatial-temporal variability. The variability of food web structure in such a dynamic system and their influence on the plankton community structure is of great interest. The present study attempts to explain the variability

Recent historic lows in sea ice and cold pool extent in the Bering Sea have been linked to large-scale biogeographic shifts in many demersal taxa. Snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) are associated with the cold pool and thus may be especially prone to northward range contraction with continued warming. Data from the 1988–2019 National Marine Fisheries Service eastern Bering Sea (EBS) bottom trawl surveys

Arctic marine ecosystems are experiencing substantial changes associated with sea ice loss and surface warming. The most obvious and dramatic changes include earlier ice retreat and a longer ice-free season, particularly on Arctic inflow shelves, including the Barents Sea in the Atlantic Arctic and the northern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea in the Pacific Arctic. The extreme variability observed in recent

The Chukchi Sea consists of a broad, shallow (<45 m) shelf that is seasonally (November–July) covered by sea ice. This study characterizes the seasonal patterns of near-bottom primary production using moored instruments measuring chlorophyll fluorescence, oxygen, nitrate, and photosynthetically active radiation. From 2010 to 2018, moorings were deployed at multiple sites each year. Instruments were

Life-history and life-cycle models of Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) are developed to provide insight into production dynamics of northern Bering Sea Pink salmon. Arctic ecosystems, including freshwater and marine ecosystems in the northern Bering Sea, are warming at a rapid rate. Due to their short, two-year life cycle, Pink salmon are well known to respond rapidly to ecosystem change and can

We observed herring horizontal and vertical distribution during feeding migration along a 128 km transect across the Arctic front of the Norwegian and Iceland seas, in early June, in relation to its physical, chemical and biological environment, distribution of prey organisms and pelagic and mesopelagic competitors. The Norwegian Spring Spawning herring is one of the largest and economically most important

Compared with other ocean basins, little is known scientifically about the seamounts in the Indian Ocean. Nonetheless, fishers have plundered these fragile ecosystems for decades, and now mining is becoming a reality. We introduce a multidisciplinary project referred to as MADRidge that recently focused on three shallow seamounts in the South West Indian Ocean between 19°S and 34°S. The larger Walters

Spatial anomalies associated with seamounts and islands have been detected in the South West Indian Ocean using a new surface chlorophyll-a based enrichment index (EI). Calculated from daily L3 4-km MODIS chl-a data from 2003 to 2018, the EI was used to quantify recurrent (seasonal) surface enrichment associated with these features. Most notable were the shallow Walters Shoal (18 m) and nearby deeper

This work is part of the MADRidge Project special issue which aims to describe pelagic ecosystems in the vicinity of three prominent shallow seamounts in the South West Indian Ocean: one here named MAD-Ridge (240 m below the surface) plus Walters Shoal (18 m) on the Madagascar Ridge, and La Pérouse (60 m) on the abyssal plain east of Madagascar. The three span latitudes 20°S and 33°S, some 1500 km

Based on satellite and in situ data, the dynamic characteristics and vertical structure of a surface intensified mesoscale eddy dipole recently expelled from the South East Madagascar Current (SEMC) is described for the first time. The dipole was surveyed 250 nautical miles south of Madagascar between 14 and 23 November 2016, during west-east and south-north transects carried out over the northern

The composition and spatial variability of ichthyoplankton assemblages were investigated at three shallow seamounts between latitudes 19°S and 33°S in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) – La Pérouse (60 m), an unnamed pinnacle south of Madagascar, referred to hereafter as MAD-Ridge (240 m), and the Walters Shoal seamount (18 m). In all, 299 larvae (23 families, 54 species) were present at La Pérouse

The La Pérouse seamount (60 m depth) has so far been poorly studied despite it being a short distance (160 km) from Réunion Island. As part of the MADRidge project, a multidisciplinary cruise was conducted to evaluate the effect of this shallow seamount on the local hydrology and ecology. Current measurements, temperature and chlorophyll-a profiles, and mesozooplankton and micronekton samples were

An investigation of the vertical and horizontal distributions of micronekton, as influenced by mesoscale eddies, the Madagascar shelf and shallow seamounts, was undertaken using acoustic data collected during two research cruises at an unnamed pinnacle (summit depth ~240 m) thereafter named “MAD-Ridge”, and at La Pérouse seamount (~60 m) in the south-western Indian Ocean. MAD-Ridge is located to the

The stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values of soft tissues of micronekton (crustaceans, squid, mesopelagic fish) and zooplankton were measured from organisms collected on the RV Antea at two seamounts located in the south-western Indian Ocean: La Pérouse (summit depth ~60 m) and “MAD-Ridge” (thus named in this study; summit depth ~240 m). Surface particulate organic matter (POM-Surf)

Mesopelagic fishes of the southeastern Indian Ocean are represented by a high number of lanternfish species (Myctophidae). The horizontal distribution patterns of their larvae have been previously studied; however, research on larval feeding habits is non-existent. The goal of this study was to describe the diet and trophic-based strategies of the most abundant myctophid larvae off Western Australia

A comparative study of the mesozooplankton in four North Atlantic basins is presented. During a trans-Atlantic expedition with R/V G.O. Sars in May and June 2013, the Norwegian Sea, Iceland Sea, Irminger Sea and Labrador Sea was surveyed twice on a round trip from Bergen, Norway to Nuuk, Greenland. Mesozooplankton samples of biomass, species composition and vertical distribution were obtained with

A precautionary approach to protecting biodiversity on mid-ocean ridges, while permitting seabed mining, is to design and implement a network of areas protected from the effects of mining. Such a network should capture representative populations of vent endemic fauna within regions of connectivity and across persistent barriers, but determining where such connectivity and barriers exist is challenging

Oceanic top predators, the marine ecosystems that support them and dependent socio-economic systems have been the subject of studies by researchers under the Climate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators (CLIOTOP) regional programme since 2005. Research conducted under the programme has focused on how climate change is affecting the pelagic ocean, with a range of impacts detected or predicted for open ocean

The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares; YFT) is a crucial species because it is the second most fished tuna globally. In this study, we analyzed the standardized catch per unit effort (CPUE) to determine the influence of climate indices on YFT distribution and fishing vessel dynamics. The standardized CPUE in the western Pacific Ocean was significantly correlated to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)

Black marlin (Istiompax indica) are large, highly mobile, apex pelagic predators of tropical and subtropical oceans with high economic importance in western North Pacific fisheries. To assess the ontogenetic trophic ecology of black marlin in the western North Pacific Ocean, the stable isotopic composition of 177 black marlin muscle samples (87–383 cm, eye-orbit fork length (EFL); 33–447 kg, body weight)

We examined the abundance and horizontal and vertical distributions of epipelagic ctenophores and scyphomedusae in the northern Bering Sea using an underwater video camera during July of 2017 and 2018. The effects of environmental and biological parameters on the distribution of these species were evaluated by generalized additive modelling (GAM). In 2017, the dominant ctenophore, Bolinopsis infundibulum

We investigated spatial and interannual variation in the physical environment in the northern Bering Sea focusing on stratification, which is one factor affecting biological production in Arctic/subarctic regions. In particular, we analyzed in situ data obtained onboard the training ship Oshoro Maru in early summer in 2017 and 2018. We found that stratification in the areas just north of St. Lawrence

To better understand the impact of climate change on the Southern Ocean (SO) biogeochemistry, we must know the evolution of the seasonal cycle of biological properties. Here we present the first estimate of the seasonal evolution of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) along oceanic fronts in the Indian sector of SO using Bio-Argo float observations. The present study is based on data collected using three such floats

Phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a) and community structure in the water column was analyzed across various frontal regions in the Subtropical Front (STF), Sub-Antarctic Front (SAF), Polar Front-1 (PF1) and Polar Front-2 (PF2) in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean (SO) during the austral summer (January–February) of 2013 and 2015. The surface chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) was maximum in PF1 (0

Observations from a single mooring site on the northern Chukchi Sea continental slope near the 1000-m isobath are presented. This site was occupied consecutively for three years (spanning September 2014–August 2017). Vertically the flow divides into three depth ranges: the upper ~200 m, ~200–~850 m and near-bottom flow. In the upper ~200 m, the mean flow was northwestward and strongest in the summer

Rapid changes in sea ice and ocean properties are occurring in the Chukchi Sea, and there is considerable uncertainty how these changes might influence nutrient distributions and ultimately primary productivity. Although inorganic nitrogen is a limiting nutrient, there are few reports on seasonal or interannual variability of nitrate, especially those focused on wintertime replenishment of nitrate

Kuwait's marine area, located at the far north-western corner of the Arabian/Persian Gulf, is under significant and diverse anthropogenic effects, which are exacerbated by climatic changes. Microalgal blooms occur in Kuwait's waters year round and are caused by proliferation of microalgae, cyanobacteria, and photosynthetic ciliates. The diverse assemblage of potentially toxic diatoms and dinoflagellates

The Chukchi Sea has recently experienced increased water temperatures, increased advection of water from the Bering Sea, declines in sea-ice concentration, and shorter periods of ice coverage. These physical changes are expected to impact trophic food-webs and ecosystem attributes. In this study, a series of research surveys were conducted in the summers of 2011–2015 to characterize the physical environment