2013 Volume 8 Issue 2 Pages 74-87
Climate change has the potential for intensification of typhoons, which will cause stronger effects on aquatic ecosystems in the future. The effect of typhoon Mawar (T0511), passing Manazuru Port located in the western part of Sagami Bay, Japan, was investigated from August to September 2005. Immediately after the passage of Mawar, photosynthetically available radiation showed high values, salinity decreased dramatically and nutrient concentrations (NO2+NO3, PO4 and Si(OH)4) increased. Skeletonema spp. and Leptocylindrus spp. were dominant after the passage of Mawar, and their succession was linked to the variability of the N/P ratio. Primary production was highest at 349 mg C m−3 day−1 three days after Mawar, and high assimilation numbers lasted for nine days. The integrated primary production during the nine days after Mawar was 2.1×103 mg C m−3, which accounted for 7.2–9.1% of the annual primary production in the upper waters of Sagami Bay. The study confirms that enhanced primary production induced by episodic typhoon events in temperate coastal regions are significant, and should be considered in annual primary production estimates.
