scholarly journals Effects of surface forcing on interannual variability of the fall phytoplankton bloom in the Gulf of Maine revealed using a process-oriented model

2011 ◽  
Vol 427 ◽  
pp. 29-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Hu ◽  
C Chen ◽  
R Ji ◽  
DW Townsend ◽  
R Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Phytoplankton Bloom ◽  
Process Oriented

scholarly journals Model study of nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics in the Gulf of Maine: patterns and drivers for seasonal and interannual variability

2014 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rucheng Tian ◽  
Changsheng Chen ◽  
Jianhua Qi ◽  
Rubao Ji ◽  
Robert C. Beardsley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Phytoplankton Bloom ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Nutrient Supply ◽  
Open Boundary ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Phytoplankton Dynamics ◽  
Salinity Regime ◽  
Dominant Feature

Abstract Coupled physical–biological modelling experiments were made for the period of 1995–2009 to analyse the spatial and interannual variability of nutrients and phytoplankton production in the Gulf of Maine (GOM). The physical model was the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) and the biological model was a Nitrogen, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, and Detritus (NPZD) model. The simulation was carried out with realistic meteorological surface forcing, five major tidal constituents, river discharge, and observation-based open boundary conditions. The results were robust with comparison to SeaWiFS chlorophyll data and historical data of nitrogen. An Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis clearly identified two dominant modes in nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics: (1) sustained nutrient supply and phytoplankton production from spring through autumn, and (2) a dominating phytoplankton bloom in spring, relatively low production in summer, and a noticeable bloom in autumn. Mode 1 was a dominant feature in strong tidal energy dissipation regions such as the southwestern shelf of Nova Scotia, Georges Bank, Nantucket Shoals, the Bay of Fundy, and the coastal regions of GOM, where tidal pumping and mixing were the major drivers for the sustained nutrient supply, and primary production showed certain resilience with less interannual variability. Mode 2 was a characteristic in the deep Gulf, the offshore region of the Scotian Shelf, and in the open sea area, where the timing and amplitude of the spring phytoplankton bloom is essentially controlled by the salinity regime, and its interannual variability was significantly influenced by freshening events controlled by local and remote forcing.

scholarly journals Basin-wide mechanisms for spring bloom initiation: how typical is the North Atlantic?

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 2029-2040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harriet S. Cole ◽  
Stephanie Henson ◽  
Adrian P. Martin ◽  
Andrew Yool
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Mixed Layer ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Spring Bloom ◽  
Phytoplankton Bloom ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic

Abstract The annual phytoplankton bloom is a key event in pelagic ecosystems. Variability in the timing, or phenology, of these blooms affects ecosystem dynamics with implications for carbon export efficiency and food availability for higher trophic levels. Furthermore, interannual variability in phytoplankton bloom timing may be used to monitor changes in the pelagic ecosystem that are either naturally or anthropogenically forced. The onset of the spring bloom has traditionally been thought to be controlled by the restratification of the water column and shoaling of the mixed layer, as encapsulated in Sverdrup's critical depth hypothesis. However, this has been challenged by recent studies which have put forward different mechanisms. For example, the critical turbulence hypothesis attributes bloom initiation to a reduction in turbulent mixing associated with the onset of positive net heat fluxes (NHFs). To date, the majority of studies on bloom initiation mechanisms have concentrated on North Atlantic datasets leaving their validity in other subpolar regions unknown. Here, we use chlorophyll output from a model that assimilates satellite ocean colour data to calculate bloom initiation timing and examine the basin-wide drivers of spatial and interannual variability. We find that the date that the NHF turns positive is a stronger predictor for the date of bloom initiation, both spatially and interannually, across the North Atlantic than changes in the mixed layer depth. However, results obtained from the North Pacific and Southern Ocean show no such basin-wide coherency. The lack of consistency in the response of the subpolar basins indicates that other drivers are likely responsible for variability in bloom initiation. This disparity between basins suggests that the North Atlantic bloom initiation processes are unique and therefore that this region may not be a suitable model for a global, theoretical understanding of the mechanisms leading to the onset of the spring bloom.

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