通过对楚科奇海及邻近的北冰洋深水区表层沉积物中有机碳同位素含量(δ^13C)、氮同位素含量(δ^15N)及生物成因SiO2(BSiO2)含量分析,结果表明海源和陆源有机质的分布受海区环流结构和营养盐结构所制约.楚科奇海中西部和楚科奇海台受太平洋富营养盐海水的影响,海洋生产力高,沉积物中海源有机质和BSiO2含量高;靠阿拉斯加一侧海域海水的营养盐含量和生产力都偏低,沉积物中陆源有机质比重增加;在研究区北部和东北部的楚科奇高地和加拿大海盆,冰封时间较长,营养盐供应少,海洋生产力低,但来自马更些河和阿拉斯加北部的陆源有机质增多,沉积物中BSiO2含量小于5%,海源有机质百分含量小于40%.由于亚北极太平洋水通过楚科奇海向北冰洋海盆输送,研究区营养盐池表现为开放系统,营养盐的利用率与它的供应成反比,与海洋生产力成反比。
Surface sediments from the Chukchi Sea and adjacent arctic deep sea were investigated for organic carbon and nitrogen isotopes and biogenic opal. The results indicate that the distributions of marine-derived and terrigenous organic materials are mainly controlled by marine circulation and seawater nutrient structure in the region. Owing to the influence of the nutrient-rich branch of the Pacific waters entering from the Bering Strait, the central-west Chukchi Sea and the Chukchi Rise have high productivity in surface water, and high contents of marine-derived organic material and biogenic SiO2 in surface sediments. The nearshore off northwestern Alaska has less nutrient-rich seawater, so it has decreasing surface water productivity and enhancing signals of terrigenous organic δ^13C and δ^15N contents in sediments. There are relatively long duration of ice cover and the least nutrient-rich seawater in the Chukchi Plateau and the Canada Basin in the northeast and the north of the study area, so there are the lowest productivity in surface water and the highest terrigenous organic component in surface sediments; the relatively large contribution of terrigenous organic material comes from the Mackenzie River and the northern Alaska due to the transport of the clockwise Beaufort gyre. Because the subarctic Pacific waters are charged into the central basin of the Arctic Ocean through the Chukehi Sea, the nutrient pool in the study area can be considered as a typical open system, the level of nutrient utilization is contrary to nutrient supply and marine productivity formed in seawater.