Primary production by phytoplankton in the territorial seas of the Republic of Korea

The primary production (PP) by phytoplankton in marine ecosystems is essential for carbon cycling and fueling food webs. Hence, estimating the PP in the territorial sea of each country is a necessary step to achieving carbon neutrality. To estimate the PP in the territorial sea of the Republic of Korea from 2005 to 2021, we analyzed various physiochemical parameters, such as sea surface temperature (SST), Secchi depth, and concentrations of chlorophyll -a and nutrients in the seas of five regions, including the East Sea, West Sea, western South Sea, eastern South Sea, and the waters off Jeju Island. During the 17-year study period, the SST tended to increase, while the nutrient concentrations declined, except in the Jeju area. Overall, the PP did not show a specific temporal trend, but daily PP in the western South Sea was the highest among the five regions. Moreover, the maximum PP in the Korean territorial waters (76,450 km2) was estimated at 11,227 Gg C y-1, which accounts for 0.03% of the global PP. The results may give insights into a better understanding of the PP, further resource utilization, and environmental sustainability in the studied region.

Automated summary

The study found that over the past 17 years, sea surface temperature in the territorial sea of the Republic of Korea has increased, while nutrient concentrations have declined, and primary production (PP) of phytoplankton did not show a specific temporal trend, with the highest daily PP in the western South Sea region. The maximum PP in Korean territorial waters accounts for 0.03% of the global PP, providing insights into the ecosystem of the studied region.