Using a Geographical Information System Approach to Assess Sea Ice Impacts on a Productive Benthic System in the Northern Bering Sea

Physical, hydrochemical, and biological data were collected during three research cruises from winter through spring in the northern Bering Sea. In addition, seasonal ice cover data were used to evaluate the relationship between ice and specific biological processes. Ice-water-biotic interactions were investigated and possible relationships defined. Data collected during late winter indicate low levels of water column production and benthic respiration. However, spring measurements made during and just after icemelt indicate a time of high water column production and benthic respiration. Interannual variation in the spatial and temporal distribution of sea ice affects the timing of seasonal processes, particularly the onset of spring production. In this study, seasonally light ice coverage was followed by temporally accelerated water column production events. Variation in ice cover also seems to be important in influencing sea surface temperature, with an early increase following a season of reduced ice cover. These changes in seasonal processes could have potentially far-reaching effects on the northern Bering Sea ecosystem.

A carbon flux model was created for describing the annual carbon production and benthic carbon consumption cycle in an area south of St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea. Model output gives an annual carbon productivity of 390 g C m-2 yr-1 and an annual benthic consumption of 45.73 g C m-2 yr-1. These values are consistent with previous work in nearby regions of the Bering and Chukchi Seas.