548
Land-Ocean Systems in the Siberian Arctic: Dynamics and History
a Diatoms are very abundant in surface sediments of the Laptev Sea shelf. The diatom flora
consists to a high degree of freshwater species which are transported to the Laptev Sea shelf
by several Siberian rivers.
b In all, 345 taxa from 56 genera could be identified from the sediment material.
c Only a few planktic and sea-ice species dominate the sediment assemblages.
d Diatom assemblages on the Laptev Sea shelf are mainly consisted of eight species and
species groups.
e A factor analysis yielded four diatom assemblages. These are the ice algae assemblage, the
freshwater diatoms assemblage, the Chaetoceros assemblage, and the Thalassiosira
nordenskioeldii assemblage.
f The distribution pattern of these assemblages show a distinct relationship to oceanographic
conditions. Important parameters influencing the biogeographic distribution of the four
diatom assemblages are the sea-ice conditions, the freshwater influx, and the salinity
conditions of surface waters of the Laptev Sea shelf.
Acknowledgements
This study was carried out within the Russian-German cooperation project "Laptev Sea
System" which is financially supported by the German Ministry of Education, Science,
Research and Technology (BMBF). I wish to thank my colleagues of the Laptev Sea Group for
many fruitful discussions and especially Jorn Thiede and Heidemarie Kassens (all GEOMAR,
Kiel) who enabled my participation in the Transdrift II and III Expeditions as well as in two
Laptev Sea workshops in St. Petersburg. I thank Jens Holemann, Bjorg Stabell, and Nalan
Ko<; for reviewing this paper and providing valuable comments.
References
Aagaard, K. and E.C. Carmack, (1989) The role of sea ice and other fresh water in the Arctic circulation. Journal
of Geophysical Research, 94, 14485-14498.
Barnett, D. (1991) Sea ice distribution in the Soviet Arctic. In: Barnett, D. (ed.), The Soviet Maritime Arctic,
Belhaven Press, London, 47-62.
Battarbee, R.W. (1973) A new method for estimation of absolute microfossil numbers, with reference especially
to diatoms. Limnology and Oceanography, 18,647-653.
Cauwet, G. and I. Sidorov (1996) The biogeochemistry of Lena River: organic carbon and nutrients distribution.
Marine Chemistry, 53, 211-227.
Churun, V.N. and L.A. Timokhov (1995) Cold bottom water in the southern Laptev Sea. In: Russian-German
Cooperation: Laptev Sea System, Kassens, H., D. Piepenburg, J. Thiede, L. Timokhov, H.-W. Hubberten
and S.M. Priamikov (eds.), AWl Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven (Reports on Polar Research 176), 107-113.
Clark, D.L. (1990) Arctic Ocean ice cover; geologic history and climatic significance. In: The Arctic Ocean
Region, Grantz, A., L. Johnson and J.F. Sweeney (eds.), The Geological Society of America, Boulder (The
Geology of North America, Vol. L), 53-62.
Cleve, P.T. (1883) Diatoms collected during the expedition of the Vega. Ur Vega-Expedition ens Vetenskapliga
Jakttagelser, 3, 457-517.
Cleve, P.T. and A. Grunow (1880) Kenntnis der arktischen Diatomeen. Kongliga Svenska VetenskapsAkademiens Handlingar, 17, 1-121.
Codispoti, L.A. and F.A. Richards (1968) Micronutrient distributions in the East Siberian and Laptev Seas
during summer 1963. Arctic, 21, 67-83.
Cremer, H. (1998) Diatoms in the Laptev Sea (Arctic Ocean): Taxonomy and biogeographic distribution. A WI
Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven (Reports on Polar Research 260), 225 pp.
Dethleff, D. (1995) Die Laptevsee - eine Schliisselregion fiir den Fremdstoffintrag in das arktische Meereis. KieI,
111 pp (unpublished PhD thesis).
Drachev, S.S., L.A. Savostin and I.E. Bruni (1995) Structural pattern and tectonic history of the Laptev Sea
region. In: Russian-German Cooperation: Laptev Sea System, Kassens, H., D. Piepenburg, J. Thiede, L.
Timokhov, H.-W. Hubberten and S.M. Priamikov (eds.), AWl Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven (Reports on Polar
Research 176), 348-366.
Land-Ocean Systems in the Siberian Arctic: Dynamics and History
a Diatoms are very abundant in surface sediments of the Laptev Sea shelf. The diatom flora
consists to a high degree of freshwater species which are transported to the Laptev Sea shelf
by several Siberian rivers.
b In all, 345 taxa from 56 genera could be identified from the sediment material.
c Only a few planktic and sea-ice species dominate the sediment assemblages.
d Diatom assemblages on the Laptev Sea shelf are mainly consisted of eight species and
species groups.
e A factor analysis yielded four diatom assemblages. These are the ice algae assemblage, the
freshwater diatoms assemblage, the Chaetoceros assemblage, and the Thalassiosira
nordenskioeldii assemblage.
f The distribution pattern of these assemblages show a distinct relationship to oceanographic
conditions. Important parameters influencing the biogeographic distribution of the four
diatom assemblages are the sea-ice conditions, the freshwater influx, and the salinity
conditions of surface waters of the Laptev Sea shelf.
Acknowledgements
This study was carried out within the Russian-German cooperation project "Laptev Sea
System" which is financially supported by the German Ministry of Education, Science,
Research and Technology (BMBF). I wish to thank my colleagues of the Laptev Sea Group for
many fruitful discussions and especially Jorn Thiede and Heidemarie Kassens (all GEOMAR,
Kiel) who enabled my participation in the Transdrift II and III Expeditions as well as in two
Laptev Sea workshops in St. Petersburg. I thank Jens Holemann, Bjorg Stabell, and Nalan
Ko<; for reviewing this paper and providing valuable comments.
References
Aagaard, K. and E.C. Carmack, (1989) The role of sea ice and other fresh water in the Arctic circulation. Journal
of Geophysical Research, 94, 14485-14498.
Barnett, D. (1991) Sea ice distribution in the Soviet Arctic. In: Barnett, D. (ed.), The Soviet Maritime Arctic,
Belhaven Press, London, 47-62.
Battarbee, R.W. (1973) A new method for estimation of absolute microfossil numbers, with reference especially
to diatoms. Limnology and Oceanography, 18,647-653.
Cauwet, G. and I. Sidorov (1996) The biogeochemistry of Lena River: organic carbon and nutrients distribution.
Marine Chemistry, 53, 211-227.
Churun, V.N. and L.A. Timokhov (1995) Cold bottom water in the southern Laptev Sea. In: Russian-German
Cooperation: Laptev Sea System, Kassens, H., D. Piepenburg, J. Thiede, L. Timokhov, H.-W. Hubberten
and S.M. Priamikov (eds.), AWl Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven (Reports on Polar Research 176), 107-113.
Clark, D.L. (1990) Arctic Ocean ice cover; geologic history and climatic significance. In: The Arctic Ocean
Region, Grantz, A., L. Johnson and J.F. Sweeney (eds.), The Geological Society of America, Boulder (The
Geology of North America, Vol. L), 53-62.
Cleve, P.T. (1883) Diatoms collected during the expedition of the Vega. Ur Vega-Expedition ens Vetenskapliga
Jakttagelser, 3, 457-517.
Cleve, P.T. and A. Grunow (1880) Kenntnis der arktischen Diatomeen. Kongliga Svenska VetenskapsAkademiens Handlingar, 17, 1-121.
Codispoti, L.A. and F.A. Richards (1968) Micronutrient distributions in the East Siberian and Laptev Seas
during summer 1963. Arctic, 21, 67-83.
Cremer, H. (1998) Diatoms in the Laptev Sea (Arctic Ocean): Taxonomy and biogeographic distribution. A WI
Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven (Reports on Polar Research 260), 225 pp.
Dethleff, D. (1995) Die Laptevsee - eine Schliisselregion fiir den Fremdstoffintrag in das arktische Meereis. KieI,
111 pp (unpublished PhD thesis).
Drachev, S.S., L.A. Savostin and I.E. Bruni (1995) Structural pattern and tectonic history of the Laptev Sea
region. In: Russian-German Cooperation: Laptev Sea System, Kassens, H., D. Piepenburg, J. Thiede, L.
Timokhov, H.-W. Hubberten and S.M. Priamikov (eds.), AWl Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven (Reports on Polar
Research 176), 348-366.