The Seasonal Dynamics of the Abundance and Species Composition of Nekton in the Upper Epipelagic Layer of the Western Bering Sea

The western Bering Sea is an important region that is used by many nekton species for feeding. From the seasonal aspect, these waters are characterized by pronounced dynamics of the abundance and structure of the nekton community. The pattern of seasonal variations in the total biomass, composition, and structure of nekton in the upper epipelagic layer (0–50 m) of this region are considered based on the data of the complex studies conducted by the Pacific Research Fisheries Center (TINRO Center) in the deep-sea basins of the western Bering Sea and the Navarin area in June–October, 2003–2015. During June–October, the total nekton biomass changed by more than an order of magnitude: from 100 kg/km² in early June it increased to a maximum of 2700 kg/km² in the middle of August and then declined significantly, to 200 kg/km², in late October. The major contribution to the nekton biomass was made by Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), mainly O. keta, as well as by the boreopacific gonate squid (Boreoteuthis borealis) and the shortarm gonate squid (Gonatus kamtschaticus). As well, walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), and capelin (Mallotus villosus) were abundant in waters near the shelf. The dynamics of the species structure can be divided into three periods: (1) early summer, from June to the second 10 days of July, when pre-anadromous pink (O. gorbuscha) and chum salmon predominate and the species diversity is at a medium level (the polydominance index is 3.5–4.0); (2) summer, from the third 10 days of July to the second 10 days of September, when chum salmon becomes dominant (more than 70% of the biomass) and the species diversity is at a minimum (1.5–2.0); and (3) autumn, from the third 10 days of September to October, when common species such as chum salmon, sockeye salmon, and boreopacific gonate squid have relatively equal proportions, the proportion of pink salmon underyearlings is also high, and the species diversity is at a maximum (4.5). The pattern of the spatial distribution in the early summer period is characterized by active formation of the nekton community due to the large-scale migrations from the central and eastern Bering Sea and from the Pacific Ocean. In the summer period, the concentration of the nekton in the western Bering Sea, particularly in the Aleutian Basin, reaches the maximum level and the migratory activity decreases. Reverse migration processes are observed in the autumn period: a major portion of the nekton biomass redistributes to the southeastern Commander Basin for further movement to the ocean and the central Bering Sea.     

Benthic-pelagic trophic interactions within the fish assemblage in the western Bering Sea shelf area according to stomach content analysis and ratios of C and N stable isotopes

The composition, abundance, diet and trophic status of zooplankton, bottom invertebrates, fish and nekton were analyzed based on the data collected by the staff of the TINRO-Center during complex bottom trawl catches on the Bering Sea shelf in the fall of 2004. The stomach contents of mass fish species were analyzed and the nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of 36 mass species of plankton, benthos, nekton and nektobenthos, which together make up the basis of pelagic and bottom communities, was determined. It was found that zooplankton noticeably differ from benthic invertebrates in carbon isotopic composition: δ¹³C values in zooplankton varied from −20.3‰ to −17.9‰; in benthos—from −17.5‰to −13.0‰; and in fish—from −19.2‰ (juvenile walleye pollock) to −15.3‰ (saffron cod). The levels of ¹³C isotope in the tissues of fish depended mostly on the share of pelagic or benthic animals in their diet. δ¹⁵N values in the studied species ranged from 8.6‰ (in sea urchins) to 17.2‰ (in large Pacific cods), which corresponds to a trophic level of 2.8. Obviously the δ¹⁵N values reflect the degree of predation and generally show the ratio of primary, secondary and tertiary consumers in a fish’s diet. Trophic interactions manifest a high degree of interdependence between benthic and pelagic communities (even without taking into account such lower components of the food web as phytoplankton, bacteria, and protozoa) occurring in most nektonic species that depend on both bottom and pelagic food.     

The composition,structure, and dynamics of the nekton of the upper epipelagic layer in the Aleutian and Commander basins,western Bering Sea,in the fall seasons of 2002–2013

The data on the composition and abundance of nekton species and their interannual variations within the upper epipelagic layer (0–50 m) in the Aleutian and Commander basins in the western Bering Sea that are considered in the article were collected during complex surveys that were conducted by the Pacific Research Fisheries Center in September and October of 2002–2013. The core species structures of the nekton communities in these two areas were similar: the chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta and the boreopacific gonate squid Boreoteuthis borealis were the most abundant species. Simpson’s dominance index varied synchronously in both areas, with higher values in the Aleutian Basin, until 2009. In the subsequent years, the values of the index for the studied areas became equal and varied asynchronously. An analysis of abundance showed that two types of species structure most often prevailed (with the dominance of either chum salmon or squid); in some years the species structure differed from that in other years. Species of the low-boreal and low-boreal-subtropical complexes were more abundant in the Commander Basin, reaching particularly high proportions in 2006, 2008, and 2012. Certain species showed similarity in the year-to-year dynamics of their abundance; however, these coincidences were frequently accidental. After the climate regime shift in 2006–2007, the total biomass of nekton in the Aleutian Basin decreased from 3241 to 1736 kg/km² (46%); in the Komandorskiye Basin it decreased from 2459 to 1976 kg/km² (20%).     

Pacific salmons in the nekton community of the upper epipelagic layer of the Northwest Pacific at Kuril Islands in the early summer of 2012

According to the data of trawl catches performed by the R/V “TINRO” in the upper epipelagic zone (0–50 m) of Pacific waters off the Kuril Islands from June 2 to July 8, 2012, the abundance of nekton was the lowest for the recent 9 years; thus, its density in 2012 (1.5 t/km²) was lower than the average value for the 2004–2012 period (2.40 ± 0.39 t/km²). The major portion of the nekton biomass was formed by pacific salmon (706 000 tons, or 43.6%); their role grows abruptly during pre-spawning migrations of pink salmon, whose proportion reached 29.8% (483 000 t). In 2012, the recorded biomass of pre-anadromous pink salmon was as high as those in the previous 3 years, and even higher than the estimate of 2010 (479 800 t), which is the largest value for even-numbered years. The value of 2012 also was comparable with the estimates for the previous odd-numbered year, 2011, when the total biomass of the species constituted 496 500 t. Chum salmon stands out among other salmon for its record-high biomass (192 700 t, 11.9%), which was twice as high as that in 2011. The biomass and the share of the mesopelagic fish complex was the lowest (286800 t, 17.7%) since 2004. Among other fish species, Kuril groups of walleye pollock also had a substantial biomass (381 200 t, 23.5%). The total biomass of squid (225 300 t, 13.9%) was lower than the value of 2011 (326 300 t, 14.8%) owing to the decline in the biomass of Boreopacific gonate squid by 90 000 t.     

Jellyfish of the Far Eastern Seas of Russia. 3. Biomass and abundance

The biomass and abundance of large jellyfish (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa, Hydrozoa) was estimated and their seasonal and interannual dynamics was studied based on the data of trawl surveys conducted by the Pacific Research Fisheries Center (TINRO Center) in the Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea, Sea of Japan, and the Northwestern Pacific Ocean (NWPO) in 1991–2009. Most of the jellyfish biomass (over 95%) in the Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea, and NWPO was formed by Chrysaora spp., Cyanea capillata, Aequorea spp., Phacellophora camtschatica, and Aurelia limbata. The same species along with Calycopsis nematophora predominated in abundance in the Bering Sea and NWPO, while Ptychogena lactea, C. capillata, and Chrysaora spp. were most abundant in the Sea of Okhotsk. In the northwestern Sea of Japan, Aurelia aurita, C. capillata, and Aequorea spp. predominated both in abundance and biomass. Generally, the jellyfish abundance reached the highest values in the summer and fall and decreased abruptly in the winter. Meanwhile, the seasonal dynamics proved to be specific for each species and were manifested in some of them by reaching maximum values at various periods of the warm season, whereas the other (Tima sachalinensis and P. lactea) showed the reverse pattern of seasonal variations, with the highest abundance in cold months. Jellyfish biomass and abundance varied greatly from year to year, which was related to the short lifecycle and alternation between sexual and asexual generations, in which reproductive success was predetermined by various environmental factors. In the fall, year-to-year fluctuations of the relative biomass could increase by ten times. In 1991–2009, it varied from 200 to 2000 kg/km² in the northern Sea of Okhotsk, from 500 to 4200 kg/km² in the northwestern Bering Sea, and from 300 to 3700 kg/km² in the southwestern Bering Sea. Taking the jellyfish abundance estimates into account, along with the vertical distribution and the seasonal dynamics, the overall biomass of large species that occurred in trawl catches in Far Eastern seas and adjacent Pacific waters during the warm season could reach 13.0–15.0 million tons, of which up to about 6.0 million tons would be concentrated in the western Bering Sea and 5.5–6.0 million tons in the Sea of Okhotsk.     

Coral in Alaska: distribution,abundance, and species associations

To help identify fishery management actions that minimize the adverse impacts of fishing activities on corals in Alaska, the distribution and abundance of corals were analyzed based on trawl survey data collected during 1975–1998. We also examined the species of commercially managed fish that are associated with coral. Soft corals, primarily Gersemia sp. (=Eunephthya sp.), were the most frequently encountered corals in the Bering Sea. In the Aleutian Islands gorgonian corals, primarily in the genera Callogorgia, Primnoa, Paragorgia, Thouarella, and Arthrogorgia were the most common corals. In the Gulf of Alaska, gorgonian corals, primarily in the genera Callogorgia and Primnoa, and cup corals, primarily `Scleractinia unidentified', occurred most frequently. The Aleutian Islands area appears to have the highest abundance and diversity of corals. Some fish groups are associated with particular types of coral. Rockfish (Sebastes spp. and Sebastolobus alascanus) and Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius) were the most common fish captured with gorgonian, cup, and hydrocorals, whereas flatfish and gadids were the most common fish captured with soft corals.     

Environmental conditions and compositions of plankton and nekton in the epipelagic zone of the northwestern Pacific Ocean in summer 2009, the year of the largest spawning migration of pink and Chum Salmon

The distribution of temperature, salinity, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and nekton, including Pink Salmon and Chum Salmon, is analyzed based on the data from a complex survey conducted in the upper epipelagic zone of the northwestern Pacific Ocean in June–July 2009. An estimate of water transfer, plankton biomass (by size fractions and taxonomic groups), and biomass and abundance of nekton is made. The water circulation pattern was notable for the “compressed” state of the Western Subarctic Gyre. Copepods predominated in zooplankton (60.8% biomass), and Pacific Salmon dominated in the nekton. The ratio of the plankton biomass to the nekton biomass in various biostatistical areas varied from 23.9 to 195.1 (mean 46.7). It was found that the nekton biomass in the area of the spreading subarctic waters reaches its maximum in the summer months and that in the area of subtropical waters reaches its maximum in the fall. In the upper 30-meter layer, the biomass of fish and squid rose during the night to 2.92 million tons, or 1.6 times as much, due to mesopelagic migrants. The nekton communities of the upper epipelagic of the northwestern Pacific Ocean functioned normally, providing a high level of biological and fish productivity.     

Distribution,quantitative composition,and feeding of jellyfish in the Western Bering Sea in summer and fall

Materials from six complex trawl surveys conducted by the TINRO-Center in the upper epipelagic zone of the Western Bering Sea during the summer-fall seasons from 2002 through 2006 were used as the basis of this paper. The overall biomass (and abundance) of jellyfish increased from 0.6–0.8 million t (1.1–1.8 billion individuals) in the summer up to 0.9–1.7 million t (4.4–4.8 billion individuals) in fall. Scyphomedusa Chrysaora melanaster and the Hydromedusa Aequorea forskalea made up the major part of the jellyfish biomass (67–97%). Their distribution varied significantly. A. forskalea aggregated mainly in the deepwater part of the Bering Sea. Ch. melanaster was widely dispersed across the entire area of the investigations and formed the most considerable aggregations in the Anadyr-Navarin area. In the fall of 2006 the diet of jellyfish generally consisted of plankton organisms (copepods, euphausiids, amphipods, pteropods, chaetognaths, ostracods, and larval decapods). However, Ch. melanaster had a greater portion of fish and larval squid in its diet.     

Data on primary production in the Bering Sea and adjacent Northern Pacific

Primary production was measured with the aid of the radiocarbon method at 112 stations in the subarctic Pacific during the decline of the spring phytoplankton maximum in late June. The ranges of integrated production under 1 m² were 0.17-4.13 g C day^-1 in the Western basin, 0.12-6.70 g C day^-1 in the shelf areas, 0.22-1.29 g C day^-1 in the central Bering Sea and 0.25-1.48 g C day^-1 in the Northern Pacific. Corresponding averages were 0.94 g C day^-1 in the Western basin, 1.55 g C day^-1 in the shelf areas, 0.72 g C day^-1 in the central Bering Sea and 0.76 g C m^-2 day^-1 in the north Pacific. At stations with surface temperatures below 5-6C, where the spring diatom 'blooms' still proceded, the phytoplankton populations were accumulating in the upper 5-15 m layer, while at stations with higher surface temperatures (>6-8°C), the phytoplankton settled down to 20-40 m together with the deepening of the upper thermocline. The assimilation numbers of chlorophyll (Chl) and specific production coefficients in the Bering Sea are given, as well as the diurnal photosynthesis curves. The aspects of annual primary production in the Bering Sea and the features of phytoplankton ecology in the subarctic Pacific are discussed.      

Is the mass emergence of Themisto libellula in the northern Bering Sea an invasion or a bloom?

The mass occurrence of the large hyperiid Themisto libellula was recorded in both the western and the eastern Bering Sea within 2007–2011. Those were the years of a relatively long 6-year period of cold, which was caused mainly by the inflow of cold waters from the north; this is confirmed by the distribution of bottom and surface temperatures and also by the ice-cover values. This hyperiid became dominant in the diet of salmon, walleye pollock, herring, and several other nekton fish species. T. libellula periodically spreads southward with cold northern waters, finding favorable conditions in “new” areas. Being a rapidly growing species with a short life cycle, within 1 or 2 years it reaches a high abundance, which then gradually declines and remains at a mean or low level, as usually occurs with species that were introduced into a new habitat. After the environmental conditions deteriorate, as a “warm” period arrives with changes in the general circulation and a growing inflow of warmed Pacific waters, the southern boundary of the species range moves back far northward and it completely disappears in the areas where it prevailed in the plankton and was a main forage item in the diet of many fish species. Taking into account the durations of warm and cold periods from 1980 until 2010, an event like this in the Bering Sea can be expected within 1 or 2 years. In the eastern Bering Sea, the abundance and dominance of a number of zooplankton species may vary simultaneously. This effect is more pronounced in T. libellula and for this reason the species is considered as a biological indicator of the described climatic changes in the Bering Sea.     

CLASSIFYING PREY HARD PART STRUCTURES RECOVERED FROM FECAL REMAINS OF CAPTIVE STELLER SEA LIONS (EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS)

Feces were collected from six Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus ) that consumed known amounts of Atka mackerel ( Pleurogrammus monopterygius ), Pacific herring ( Clupea barengus ), pink salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ), walleye pollock ( Theragra chalcogramma ), and squid ( Loligo opalacens ). The goal was to determine the numbers and types of taxon-specific hard parts that pass through the digestive tract and to develop correction factors for certain abundantly occurring structures. Over 20,000 fish and squid were consumed during 267 d of fecal collection. During this period, over 119,000 taxon-specific hard parts, representing 56 different structures, were recovered. Skeletal structures and non-skeletal structures accounted for 72% and 28% of all hard parts, respectively. The branchiocranium, axial skeleton, and dermocranium regions of the skeletal system accounted for the greatest number of hard parts recovered. Over 70% of all recovered hard parts were represented by one to six taxa specific structures for each prey type. The average number of hard parts (3.1–31.2) and structure types (2.0–17.7) recovered per individual prey varied across taxa and were used to derive correction factors (to reconstruct original prey numbers). A measure of the variability of hard part recovery among sea lions showed no difference for certain herring, pollock, and squid structures, however, there was a significant difference for salmon and Atka mackerel structures. Identifying all taxon- specific prey hard parts increases the likelihood of identifying and estimating the number of prey consumed.     

The food supply of the Pacific salmon of the genus Oncorhynchus in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. 2. Comparative characterization and general state

The interannual variations and general state of the food supply of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the 2000s in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (including the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk) were analyzed based on indirect characteristics that indicate the variability of their forage base, feeding habits, growth, and biomass. A new index for the quantitative evaluation of food supply was suggested. The food supply of the Pacific salmon during the 2000s was found to be sufficient to maintain the normal functioning of populations. With high abundance of Pacific salmon, the food supply tended to decrease. However, this caused no negative consequences for the survival of major salmon stocks during the marine period of life and, as a rule, no marked decrease in the food consumption and growth rates of fish. A relative increase in food competition was compensated by adaptive changes in the diet and diel feeding rhythm of salmon. With the shortage of preferred food organisms (amphipods, euphausiids, and pteropods), Pacific salmon changed to consuming minor prey (copepods and chaetognaths), and numerous mesopelagic species of macroplankton and micronekton in the evening hours.     

Specific features of spatial distribution of Pacific cod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus macrocephalus</Emphasis> in waters off the eastern coast of the northern Kuril Islands and the southern extremity of Kamchatka

Spatial distribution of Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus inhabiting waters off the eastern coast of the northern Kuril Islands and the southern part of Kamchatka has been studied. It is shown that the redistributions of densities of the aggregation of cod during the year occur mainly within the area under consideration. The absence of considerable migrations of cod is related, in particular, to sufficient food availability of abundant hydrobionts: for small-sized groups of cod, the main food are juvenile wall-eyed pollack Theragra chalcogramma and, for medium-sized and large-sized groups, its adult individuals and also Atka mackerel Pleurogrammus monopterygius and squid Belonella borealis.     

Possible spreading of toxic Alexandrium tamarense blooms on the Chukchi Sea shelf with the inflow of Pacific summer water due to climatic warming

A high abundance of resting cysts of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense was recently reported in the vast continental shelf of the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic Ocean, suggesting that the species is widespread in the shelf. Nevertheless, little is known about the occurrence of A. tamarense vegetative cells in the water column of the arctic. Sea ice reduction and the inflow of Pacific summer water (PSW) through the Bering Strait have recently increased owing to warming in the shelf. To determine the spatial and temporal distributions of A. tamarense in the Chukchi Sea shelf and their relationship to the inflow of PSW, field samplings were conducted in the Chukchi Sea and north Bering Sea shelves three times during the summer of 2013 from July to October. Vegetative cells of A. tamarense was detected in both shelves at all sampling periods with a maximum density of 3.55 × 10³ cells L⁻¹. This species was also observed at the station at 73°N, indicating the northernmost record of this species to date. The center of the A. tamarense distribution was between the north Bering and south Chukchi Sea shelf during the first collection period, and spread to the north Chukchi Sea shelf during the second and third collection periods. The species occurrences were mainly observed at stations affected by the PSW, especially Bering shelf water. Water structure of PSW was characterized by warmer surface and bottom water temperatures, and increased temperatures may have promoted the cell growth and cyst germination of A. tamarense. Therefore, it is suggested that an increase in the PSW inflow owing to warming promotes toxic A. tamarense occurrences on the Chukchi Sea shelf.     

哥斯达黎加外海夏季表层浮游动物种类组成及分布

根据2009年7—8月在东热带太平洋哥斯达黎加外海(4°30’—10°24’N、91°20’—100°00’W)进行茎柔鱼探捕调查期间采集的表层浮游动物资料,对其种类组成、生物量及其分布进行了分析。结果表明,调查海域,鉴定出腔肠动物8目10科17属23种;甲壳动物8目30科43属74种;毛颚动物1目1科1属4种;尾索动物3目3科5属5种;环节动物为1目3科5属6种;软体动物1目1科3属3种;其他浮游动物有头足类的幼体、鱼卵和仔稚鱼以及浮游幼虫。调查海域总生物量和丰度的平均值分别为(124.78±176.83)mg/m3和(848±1219)个/m3,生物量较大的类群主要是甲壳动物的桡足类和毛颚动物的箭虫类其中桡足类的丰度(727个/m3)为最高,其次为箭虫类(373个/m3);出现频率较高的为桡足类、箭虫类、长尾类、头足类和鱼类仔稚鱼。     

Zoogeographical subdivision of the pelagic zone of the western Bering Sea based on nekton species ranges

The subdivision of the western Bering Sea into zoogeographical regions for nekton fauna was carried out using data from 40 pelagic trawl surveys made by the Pacific Fisheries Research Center. The selected approach involves computer methods for plotting a map that describes the spatial distribution of the index of latitudinal zoning in the form of continuous fields. This index is a digital designation of verbally formulated types of latitudinal species areas. Computer mapping of the region was performed based on generalized data; intraday, seasonal, and interannual time aspects; and trawling depths. According to generalized data, almost the entire western part of the Bering Sea belongs to the high-boreal latitudinal subzone. A small area of the low-boreal subzone occurs only in the southeast of the open part of the sea. The average value of the latitudinal zoning index and its variation significantly decreased with increasing depth. From the upper epipelagic to the mesopelagic layer, the degree of subdivision decreased and the results of zoning of the mesopelagic layer were substantially different from all other zoning results.     

Feeding ecology and interannual variations in diet of southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, in relation to coastal and oceanic waters off eastern Tasmania, Australia

The diets of 1219 southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, from inshore (shelf) and offshore (oceanic) waters off eastern Tasmania were examined between 1992 and 1994. Immature fish (< 155 cm fork length) made up 88% of those examined. In all, 92 prey taxa were identified. Inshore, the main prey were fish (Trachurus declivis and Emmelichthys nitidus) and juvenile squid (Nototodarus gouldi). Offshore, the diversity was greater, reflecting the diversity of micronekton in these waters. Interestingly, macrozooplankton prey (e.g. Phronima sedentaria) were prevalent in tuna > 150 cm. The offshore tuna, when in subantarctic waters, ate relatively more squid than when in the East Australia Current. In the latter, fish and crustacea were more important, although there were variations between years. No relationship was found between either prey type or size with size of tuna. Feeding was significantly higher in the morning than at other times of the day. The mean weight of prey was significantly higher in inshore-caught tuna than in those caught offshore. We estimated that the mean daily ration of southern bluefin tuna off eastern Tasmania was 0.97% of wet body weight day⁻¹. However, the daily ration of inshore-caught tuna was ∼ 3 times higher (2.7%) than for tuna caught offshore (0.8%) indicating that feeding conditions on the shelf were better than those offshore. Our results indicate that the inshore waters of eastern Tasmania are an important feeding area for, at least, immature southern bluefin tuna. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Temporal variation in chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, diets in the central Bering Sea in summer and early autumn

Seasonal, ontogenetic, and diel variations in the diets of chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, were examined by analyzing the stomach contents of 1398 fish (300–755 mm fork length) collected in the Bering Sea during summer and early autumn of 2002. Whereas mesozooplankton, including euphausiids, hyperiids, and gastropods, constituted the greatest portion of the stomach contents during the summer, forage fishes (Stenobrachius leucopsarus and Atka mackerel, Pleurogrammus monopterygius) were the most important items during early autumn. Although no apparent diel trend was found in feeding intensity, distinct diel differences in prey composition were observed. Chum salmon caught in the morning contained Stenobrachius leucopsarus, whereas those caught in the afternoon had mainly fed on euphausiids. Thus, chum salmon diets change temporally because of changes in prey availability that result from differences in the annual life cycles and diurnal vertical migrations of prey species.     

2010年夏季白令海小型浮游植物分布

根据2010年7月10-19日我国第四次北极科学考察“雪龙”号考察船在白令海(52°42.29′-65°30.23′ N, 169°20.85′ E-179°30.37′ W)采集的70份水采样品,共鉴定小型浮游植物5个门类143种(含变种和变型).其中硅藻门37属95种,甲藻门15属44种,绿藻门2属2种,裸藻门和金藻门各1属1种.聚类分析表明: 调查海区浮游植物可分为深水区群落和浅水区群落.深水区群落分布于太平洋西北部和白令海海盆,种类组成主要以温带大洋性种西氏新细齿状藻、大西洋角毛藻和广布种菱形海线藻、扁面角毛藻为主,浮游植物的丰度较低,种间分配均匀,优势种不突出,种类多样性指数高;浅水区群落分布于白令海陆坡区和北部陆架区,主要由近岸冷水种诺登海链藻、叉尖角毛藻和广温广盐种丹麦细柱藻、旋链角毛藻等组成,浮游植物的丰度高,种间分配不均匀,优势种突出,种类多样性指数低.浮游植物平均丰度为58722 cells·L^-1,变化范围在950～192400 cells·L^-1,站间差异显著.平面分布趋势总体呈白令海陆架区＞白令海陆坡区＞白令海海盆＞太平洋西北部海域.垂直分布均以表层浮游植物丰度较低,至温跃层附近出现高值.不同水域温跃层的差异决定了其垂直分布格局.     

Features of species composition and abundance of the nekton community in the upper epipelagic layer of the Northwest Pacific in early summer

The composition and structure of nekton in the upper epipelagic zone is considered based on the data of trawl surveys conducted in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and adjacent waters in 2004–2009. Alterations in the nekton community during the early summer period, as well as peculiarities of its species composition and quantitative distribution that depend on changes in background conditions are described. In total, as many as 66 species of fish and 22 species of cephalopods were recorded in catches for the studied period. The lowest biodiversity was found in the near-shore waters (areas nos. 5, 7, and 9) and the highest one was in open oceanic waters (area no. 13). In 2004–2009, nekton biomass was formed mainly by mesopelagic species and their share amounted to 40–60% of the entire nekton community. Pacific salmon varied within 17–37% the total nekton biomass in various years. In general, for the period of studies, the mean biomass of nekton community was 2 431 000 tons, and in 2009, the total biomass approached this value.