Characterization of Seasonal Phytoplankton Pigments and Functional Types around Offshore Island in the East/Japan Sea, Based on HPLC Pigment Analysis

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the seasonal phytoplankton community and phytoplankton functional types (PFTs) in the vicinity of Dokdo Island, located in the East/Japan Sea, in 2019. With strong seasonal winds, the water column was well mixed in winter. In spring and autumn, the upper mixed layer depth (MLD) was relatively deep, and the Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum (SCM) formed in the middle layer. Small phytoplankton were dominant in the summer, which is a time of high water temperatures and strong stratification associated with a shallower MLD. Based on CHEMTAX analysis, in spring, the high phytoplankton biomass was mainly derived from cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates. In summer, >73.2% of the surface biomass was comprised of cyanobacteria. In autumn, pelagophytes accounted for the highest proportion of the biomass. The fraction of microphytoplankton (f(micro)) was highest in winter and spring, whereas the fraction of nanophytoplankton (f(nano)) was highest in autumn and summer. A high fraction of picophytoplankton (f(pico)) was evident in the surface layers in summer. Values for both the photoprotection index (PI) and the ratio of photoprotective carotenoids (PPC) to photosynthetic carotenoids (PSC) indicate that this study area had high primary productivity in 2019. In order to predict long-term changes in marine food webs due to climate change, it is important to evaluate the size and composition of phytoplankton.