The Effect of Zooplankton on the Distributions of Dimethyl Sulfide and Dimethylsulfoniopropionate in the Bohai and Yellow Seas

Abstract

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is the main biogenic sulfur compound emitted to the atmosphere from seawater and likely affects the global climate (Andreae, 1990;Charlson et al., 1987). The oxidation products of DMS form cloud condensation nuclei, which changes the backscattering effect of sunlight and potentially affects the global environment (Charlson et al., 1987;Nguyen et al., 1992). The DMS precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is synthesized by marine phytoplankton (Keller et al., 1989) and bacteria (Curson et al., 2017(Curson et al., , 2018. DMSP is ubiquitous in the marine environment and serves numerous physiological and biological functions as an osmolyte (Kirst, 1989), a cryoprotectant (Sunda et al., 2002), and an antioxidant (Karsten et al., 1996). The DMS and DMSP sources and sinks in the ocean are closely related to marine organisms (i.e., bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton) (Stefels et al., 2007). DMSP supplies sulfur and carbon to marine bacteria and zooplankton in the food web (Levasseur, 2013;Vila-Costa et al., 2006). DMSP dissolves in the water column and is catabolized by marine bacteria, mainly those from the classes α-Proteobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria (Curson et al., 2008;

Factors Controlling DMS Emission and Atmospheric Sulfate Aerosols in the Western Pacific Continental Sea

“…These waters accounted for only 0.35% of the global ocean area, but contributed about 1.1% of global DMS released into the atmosphere. The DMS sea-to-air flux is highest in summer in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, followed by spring and autumn, and lowest in winter (S. Li et al, 2020;Yang et al, 2011;Yu et al, 2023;. Our calculations may underestimate the contribution of DMS sea-air release in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea.…”

“…These species are known to produce significant amounts of DMSP (Caruana & Malin, 2014;Nagao et al, 2018;Naik et al, 2020). Furthermore, the nutrient-rich conditions prevalent in estuarine and upwelling regions facilitate the blooms of phytoplankton and potentially enhancing DMSP production and subsequent DMS emission (Guo et al, 2022;Xu et al, 2022;Yang et al, 2014;Yu et al, 2023;Zhai et al, 2018). The East China Sea offshore is influenced by the nutrient-poor Kuroshio and Taiwan Warm Current, resulting in lower Chl-a concentrations and correspondingly lower DMS concentrations (Xu et al, 2019).…”