The CCFZ Environmental Study carried out by KORDI

November, 2010

Korea Ocean Research & Development InstituteDeep-Sea & Marine Georesources Research Department

Se-Jong Ju, Kyeong-Hong Kim, Sang-Bum Chi, Chan-Min Yoo

Objectives

To understand the physical, chemical, biological, and

geological properties of the northeastern equatorial

Pacific :

in relation to the natural variation

in association with global climatic events (i.e. El Nino & La Nina)

To use the environmental baseline study to make a

strategic plan for Mn nodule mining in the future

To evaluate and minimize the environmental impact by

mining activity

KOMO1 CTD3 CTD4

CTD5

CTD6

CTD2CTD1

CTD7

CTD8

133.0 132.0 131.0 130.0

Longitude (O W)

9.0

10.0

11.0

12.0

Latit

ude(O

N)

KR5

KR2

131.0 130.5

Longitude(O W)

16.0

16.5

Lat it

ude(O

N)

CTD9

CTD10

CTD12

CTD LADCP

BC, MC

KORDI Environmental surveys survey areas

1995~2009 : 131.3OW, 10.5ON (KOMO, Long-term Monitoring St. )

1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005 : 0O~17ON, along 131.5OW (Latitudinal, n=18)

2001, 2002, 2004 : 128O~136OW, along 10.5ON (Longitudinal, n=9)

2006~2010 : KR2 (n=14) and 5 (n=70)

Map showing study area in the northeastern equatorial Pacific.

136 134 132 130 128 1260

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Longitude (O W)

Lati

tud

e (

O N

)

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

1998-2010 2010

KOMO2 CTD11

South Equatorial Current (SEC) : 10oS~3oN

North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) : 3oN~8oN

North Equatorial Current (NEC) : 8oN~20oN

Equatorial Under Current (EUC)

Background : Surface current system

Divergence

Convergence

Study Area

0

1

2

3

4

5

0 10 20 30

Temperature (oC)

Dep

th (

km

)

Deeper layer

Sea floor

Middle layer

(permanenet thermocline )

Surface layer

0

50

100

150

200

10 20 30

Temperature (oC)

Dep

th (

m)

Seasonal

thermocline

Eu

ph

otic zo

ne

Surface layer

Surface mixed layer

Typical structure of water column in the northeastEquatorial Pacific.

Background : Global climatic events

(El Niño/La Niña in Equatorial Pacific)

El Nino event La Nina event

(from NOAA)

Period of Korea Deep-sea

Environment Study

Background : Geological Setting

(Sediment types of C-C zone)

Distribution of sea floor sediments and the study area in the northeastern part of the equatorial pacific (KR 1, 2 area : pelagic red clay, KR 3-7 area : biogenic siliceous sediment, 7- 0o N: calcareous ooze)

CaC

O3 c

onte

nt(

%)

0

40

80

Opal co

nte

nt(

%)

0

10

20

?

Environmental items (ISA recommended)

Detail sampling protocols were described at Chapter 10, Data Standards utilized in the environmental studies of KORDI. In: Standardization of environmental data and information-Development of guidelines (ISA, 2002)

Group Environmental items Methods and Instruments

Physical

Oceanography

- Surface oceanographic structure - CTD

- Current condition - Current meter and ADCP

- Particulate matter in discharge depth - Filteration

- Satellite-data analysis - SeaWiFS satellite image

Chemical

Oceanography

- D.O., pH, Inorganic Nutrients - Titration, pH meter, Nutrients auto analyzer

- Total organic carbon - TOC analyzer

- Chemical exchange between the sediment and the

water column- ? Benthic Chamber

- Trace metals in water column - ICP-MS

Sediment

properties

- Geotechnical properties- MC, Pycnometer, motorised vane system, automatic grain size

analyzer

- Pore chemistry, Organic carbon - IC, Elemental analyzer

- Metal contents of manganese nodule - ICP-AES

Biological

Communities

- Microorganism at water column and sediments - Scintillation counter, Microscope, Luminometer

- Pelagic communities- Flow cytometric analysis, Microscope, Net, Scintillation counter,

Elemental analyzer

- Benthic fauna - MC, BC, Microscope, Deep sea camera

- Nodule fauna - MC, BC, Microscope, Deep sea camera

- Demersal scavenger - ? Freefall benthos observation system

- Benthic impact experiments - ?

Bioturbation- Sediments-mixing rate - MC, BC, 210Pb

- Rate of bioturbation - MC, BC, 210Pb

Sedimentation - Vertical mass flux - Sediments Trap

Gaps in Environmental measurements

Chemical exchange between the water and sediment

Community composition of demersal scavenger

Benthic impact experiments

3-D numerical modeling of discharge plume

Genetic screening of benthic fauna

International Collaborative Efforts

The bi-annual meeting of Korea-China cooperation to exchange

information and results

The cross participation of researchers in environmental surveys with

France (2004-2005)

University of Hawaii (Dr. Paul Wessel) - the generation research of

Hawaii-Emperor Bend (2009 - )

Standardization Effort

We made efforts for standardization of

inorganic nutrients analysis through the

cross check analysis with Australia

All environmental sampling and analysis are

based on standardization of environmental

data and followed the recommendation and

documents provided by ISA

Results

South Equatorial Current (SEC) : 10oS~3oN

North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) : 3oN~8oN

North Equatorial Current (NEC) : 8oN~20oNDivergence

Convergence

Meridional distributions of 3 major currents in the

northeastern equatorial Pacific in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000,

2003, 2005, and 2007

Physical properties - Latitudinal

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

0

50

100

150

200

Dep

th(m

)

(D)KODOS0310

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

Divergence

NECC NEC

Convergence

Latitude( N)

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

(C)KODOS0010

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

NECC NEC

Divergence

Convergence

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

(B)KODOS9910

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

Divergence

NECC NEC

Convergence

200

150

100

50

Dep

th(m

)

0

(A)KODOS98

NECC NECSEC

Convergence

Temperature( C)

Divergence

Meridional distributions of temperature in the northeastern

equatorial Pacific in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2003

Physical properties - Longitudinal

Vertical distribution of temp. salinity and density

along the longitude (2004)

West East

Vertical structure of water mass in the mixed layer and deep water (from West to East)

West East

Physical properties - bottom current

Summarize of the bottom current velocities and main directions

Water Depth/

Altitude

(m)

Current velocity Progressive vector current velocity

Average

(cm/s)

Maximum

(cm/s)

Average

(m/day)

Main

direction

1,254 / 3,765 4.4 15.3 1,228 NE

5,004 / 15 3.5 10.6 1,044 SE, NE

Long-term monitoring results of the bottom current

(Jul. 2008 to Jul. 2009)

Stick plots of current velocity(15 m above the bottom)

Progressive vector diagram of current velocity (15 m above the bottom)

Chemical properties – DO & TOC

Vertical distribution of dissolved oxygen (DO) and total organic carbon (TOC)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Total Organic Carbon (mg/l)

Dep

th (

m)

Refr

acto

ry

Org

an

ic M

atte

r

TOC=1.56 e-0.1006×Ln(D)

TOC (mg/L)

Vertical distribution of DO instudy area shows generalpattern of open ocean

Vertical structure of TOC instudy area (ROM = 0.7 mg/L)

Oxygen Minimum layer

0

1

2

3

4

5

0 10 20 30

Temperature (oC)

Dep

th (

km

)

Deeper layer

Sea floor

Middle layer

(permanent thermocline )

Surface layer

Typical structure of watercolumn in the northeastEquatorial Pacific.

Chemical properties - Nutrients

Vertical distribution of inorganic nutrients (2007) (nitrate+nitrite, phosphate, silicate)

Vertical distribution of inorganic nutrient in study area shows general pattern of open ocean.The green color bar indicate a permanent thermocline

Nitrite+Nitrate

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

0 20 40 60

Concentration ( M)

Dep

th (

m)

Phosphate

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

0 1 2 3 4

Concentration (μM)

Dep

th (

m)

Silicate

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

0 50 100 150

Concentration (μM)

Dep

th (

m)

Permanent thermocline

Vertical distributions of nutrients

Spatial distribution of nutrients

Latitudinal vertical distributions of nutrients (N, P, and Si)(2003, 2005)

NorthSouthLatitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

2

6

10

14

18

22

26

30

34

Nitrite+Nitrate (

Latitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0

Depth

(m

)

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

0.2

0.6

1.0

1.4

1.8

2.2

2.6

3.0

3.4

Phosphate (

Latitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

2

6

10

14

18

22

26

30

34

Silicate (

Latitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

2

6

10

14

18

22

26

30

34

Nitrite+Nitrate (

Latitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0D

ep

th (

m)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

0.2

0.6

1.0

1.4

1.8

2.2

2.6

3.0

3.4

Phosphate (

Latitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

2

6

10

14

18

22

26

30

34

Silicate (

N

P

Si

N

P

Si2003

NorthSouth

2005

Longitude ( W)

200

150

100

50

0

Depth

(m

)

Nitrate + Nitrite (μ M)

136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128

2.0

6.0

10.0

14.0

18.0

22.0

26.0

30.0

34.0

38.0

Longitude ( W)

200

150

100

50

0

Depth

(m

)

Phosphate (μ M)

136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128

0.0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.0

2.4

Longitude ( W)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

Silicate (μ M)

136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128

2.0

6.0

10.0

14.0

18.0

22.0

26.0

30.0

N

P

Si 2004

EastWest

Longitudinal vertical distributionsof nutrients (N, P, and Si) (2004)

Divergence

Convergence

DivergenceDivergence

Convergence

long-term variation of nutrients

Interannual variation of nutrients

El nino

La nina

Annual variation of nutrients concentrationat KOMO (1995 – 2007)

200 m

90 ~ 110 m

100 m

150 m

200 m

0 m Surface mixed area

Surface mixed area

AEutrophic region

Thermocline

10~ 30 m

0 m

Oligotrophic region Photic zone

Photic zone

BEutrophic region

Meso trophic region

5 N 12 NO O

Therm

oclin

e

Thermocline

Upwelling

Downwelling

Latitude ( N)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

0.02

0.06

0.10

0.14

0.18

0.22

0.26

0.30

0.34

0.38

Chl.-a ( g/l)

Pelagic ecosystem – Chl a

Distribution and abundance of Chl-a (primary producer)

Latitudinal vertical distribution of Chl-a in surface mixed-layer(2003)

Latitudinal distribution of primary production(2003)

South NorthLongitude ( W)

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th (

m)

Chl (ug/l)

136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128

0.02

0.06

0.10

0.14

0.18

0.22

0.26

0.30

0.34

West East

Longitudinal vertical distribution of Chl-a in surface mixed-layer(2004)

Primary Production(mgC/m2/day)

200

300

400

500

600

700

136 134 131.3 130 128

Longitude(oW)

Longitudinal distribution of primary production(2004)

Interannual variation of Chl a Distribution and abundance of Chl-a (primary producer)

SeaWiFS satellite image showing surface Chl-a in the eastern Pacific (2007, 2008)Monthly surface chl-a variation at the KOMO station (1998-2007)

El nino La nina

Annual variation of SeaWiFS satellite image showing surface Chl-a in the eastern Pacific (1998-2006)

July 2007

July 2008

Composition and abundance of zooplankton (2005)

Latitudinal distribution of mesozooplankton abundance in surface mixed layer and lower layer

Percentage of taxonomic groups in mesozooplankton at surface mixed layer and lower layer

surface mixed layer

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

0° 1°N 2°N 4°N 5°N 6°N 7°N 9°N 10°N 10.5°N 11°N 12°N

ind

ivis

ua

ls/1

00

m3

lower layer

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

0° 2°N 4°N 5°N 6°N 7°N 9°N 10°N 10.5°N 11°N 12°N

Others

Larvae

Thaliaceans

Appendicularians

Copepods

Ostracods

Chaetognaths

Siphonophores

Foraminiferans &

Radiolarians

Pelagic ecosystem - zooplankton

Surface mixed layer

Ostracods

7.9%

Chaetognaths

6.6%

Siphonophores

2.3%

Foraminiferans &

Radiolarians

10.3%

Others

4.3%Larvae

4.1%Thaliaceans

1.7%

Appendicularians

7.6%

Copepods

55.3%

Lower layer

Appendicularians

3.3%

Thaliaceans

1.4%

Larvae

3.5%

Others

4.1%Foraminiferans &

Radiolarians

12.2%Siphonophores

1.7%

Ostracods

7.1%

Chaetognaths

5.3%

Copepods

61.3%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

St.1 St.2 St.5 St.7 St.9 St.11 St.15 St.17 St.19 St.21 St.23 St.25 St.27 St.29 St.30

Ab

un

da

nce

(In

d./1

0 ㎠)

Nematodes Harpacticoids Nauplius Tardigrades Others

Benthic ecosystem - meiofauna

Species composition and abundance of meiofauna (2003)

Latitudinal abundance of dominant meiofauna groups

Comparison of abundance of total meiofauna in the KR5 area

Major meiofauna taxa in the KR5 area (A: Desmoscolex sp. (Nematodes), B: Tricoma sp. (Nematodes), C: Harpacticoid copepods, D:

Tardigrada)

0

100

200

300

400

500

Nu

mb

er o

f in

div

idu

al(

/0.0

6m

2)

5 6 8 9 12 13 14 17

Latitude(oN)

Other

Nematoda

Foraminifera

Benthic ecosystem - macrofauna

Species composition and abundance of macrofauna (2003)

Latitudinal abundance of dominant macrofauna groups

Actinaria Foraminifera Deep-sea cucumber

Isopoda Polychaeta Macrura

Ophiuroidea Ostracoda Sea Anemone

According to these biological results, the distribution of zooplankton and benthos is mainly affected by their food source (the surface primary production).

Photographic examination - megafauna

The photographs of megafauna obtained by deep-sea camera (2008)

Observation of species in the substrate at each

photographing line

Fish

Species and Lines in KR5 DSC08-01 DSC08-02

Sea cucumber * *

Sea anemone * *

Sea star * *

Sea pen * *

Fish * *

Bivalve * -

Crustacean * *

Faecal cast * *

Phytodetritus * *

Burrow openings * *

Locomotion trace * *

Fish Sea anemone

Crustacean & Bivalve Sea Cucumber

Sea Star Jellyfish

Latitudinal variation of sediment types in the study area Comparison of CaCO3 variation between core RC11-210 (western Pacific) and PC98N6 (CCZ)

Sediment type characteristics in relation to latitude (2003)

Sediment properties

Long-term monitoring (at KOMO St.) of the particle mass flux using sediment trap (2003-2009)

Particle Mass flux

The monthly variation of total mass flux (grey bar) was well matched with Chl-aconcentration (green circle), and the mass flux also showed a seasonal variation.

The moderate El Niño was accompanied by a significant reduction in total mass flux, andthe opposite trend was observed for the moderate La Niña.

Plume impact experiment Microcosm experiments to evaluate the impact of discharge plume

on SCM water (2008)

Effects of discharge plume on Nitrate, Chl, ATP, and POC of SCM water (F-con; control, SED-1: 1/10000, SED-2: 1/5000,

SED-3: 1/3300 dilution)

Mesocosm & Microcosm (100L)

Results of microcosm experiment

Summary

Seasonal and interannual variation of physico-chemicalproperties have been detected in our study area.

Strong spatial heterogeneity of pelagic and benthiccommunity were found and benthic production were wellcoupled with pelagic production.

Particle mass flux was well correlated with surface primaryproduction, particularly during episodic events.

No clear impact of plume discharge was detected on pelagicecosystem (SCM) through micro-scale experiment. May bedue to experimental design we used or/and targeted watersample (SCM)

From this study, 57 papers (SCI:16 and Local:41) have beenpublished.

Future works

Continuation of Environmental baseline study focused in

Claimed Areas (KR 2, 5) with long-term monitoring (KOMO)

Pelagic & Benthic impact experiments

Genetic analysis of benthic fauna

International collaborations needed to fill the gaps

Thank you