[A-CG31] Nutrient footprint of primary production in the coastal and marginal seas of East and Southeast Asia

[ACG31-03] Nutrient Footprint: From the origin of Kuroshio to the East China Sea

★Invited Papers

*Chen-Tung Arthur Chen¹ (1.National Sun Yat Sen University)

Keywords:nutrient, Kuroshio, East China Sea

Traditionally, in marine sciences, the term "nutrient" has been applied almost exclusively to nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon, although minor elements, such as iron, also play an essential role. The primary processes influencing nutrient concentrations in the oceans are the geophysical and biogeochemical processes which control the addition of these elements to seawater and are responsible for their dispersion and removal. The internal movements of nutrients within the oceans are enormous compared with the terrestrial inputs. Take one of the most productive regions of the world's oceans, the East China Sea (ECS), as an example; Numerous studies have reported biological productivity on the ECS shelf and related these activities to nutrients. There are five external sources of nutrients for the ECS, namely the Kuroshio, Taiwan Strait, rivers, submarine groundwater discharge, and the atmosphere. It is generally accepted that the Kuroshio subsurface waters are the primary source of nutrients for the ECS. Yet, exactly which part of the Kuroshio provides nutrients to the ECS and the transformation of the related water masses after the Kuroshio receives input from the South China Sea is unclear. Here we trace the macronutrients from the source of the Kuroshio east of the Philippines to the ECS continental shelf.