Two year time-series fluxes of Silicoflagellates and Actiniscus : size fractioned results from subarctic Pacific Station Papa, 1982-1984

Abstract

A seasonal flux study of silicoflagellates and Actiniscus was conducted at subarctic Pacific Station PAPA (50°N, 145°W; water depth 4200 m) during September, 1982 through August, 1984 using PARFLUX time series sediment traps deployed at 1000 m and 3800 m depths. The time series sediment trap samples were collected for 4 to 16-day periods depending on the samples; most of the samples were collected for 14 to 16-day periods. A total of 47 continuous samples represents nearly a two-year record of the fluxes of silicoflagellate and Actiniscus taxa at 3800 m depth. An additional 12 samples from 1000 m represent a continuous 6-month period which provides a pair of samples from two depths of each time series. Analysis of the paired samples is essential to understand particle sinking processes. Seven silicoflagellate taxa, several additional variants of silicoflagellat.es, and Actiniscus pentasterias group were enumerated, based on a census of four wet sieved size fractions: 250-1000μm, 125-250μm, 63-125μm, and <63μm. A total of more than 32x103 specimens were identified to species level and counted in this study. Statistics of the counts are given. The fluxes of silicoflagellate taxa of all four size fractions are graphically presented. This report provides a detailed data base for further investigations of seasonal silicoflagellate fluxes in the area.