Ocean Science
www.ocean-sci.net
1812-0784
1812-0792
3
1
2007
10.5194/os-3-105-2007
http://www.ocean-sci.net/3/105/2007/
http://www.ocean-sci.net/3/105/2007/os-3-105-2007.html
http://www.ocean-sci.net/3/105/2007/os-3-105-2007.pdf
105
116
2007-02-15
Structure of phytoplankton (Continuous Plankton Recorder and SeaWiFS) and impact of climate in the Northwest Atlantic Shelves
S. C. Leterme
sophie.leterme@flinders.edu.au
R. D. Pingree
Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, UK
Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, UK
now at: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
All marine organisms are affected to some extent by the movement and thermal
properties of oceanic currents. However phytoplankton, because of its small
size is most directly coupled to the physical environment. The intense
hydrodynamic activity observed in the Northwest Atlantic Shelves Province
makes this region especially intriguing from the point of view of
physical-biological interactions. In the present work, remote sensed data of
Sea Surface Height (SSH) anomalies, Sea-surface chlorophyll <i>a</i> concentrations
(SeaWiFS), and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) are used to complement the
Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey that continuously sampled a route
between Norfolk (Virginia, USA; 39° N, 71° W) and Argentia
(Newfoundland; 47° N, 54° W) over the period 1995–1998. Over this
period, we examined physical structures (i.e. SST and SSH) and climatic
forcing associated with space-time phytoplankton structure. Along this
route, the phytoplankton structures were mainly impacted by the changes in
surface flow along the Scotian Shelf rather than significantly influenced by
the mesoscale features of the Gulf Stream. These changes in water mass
circulation caused a drop in temperature and salinity along the Scotian
Shelf that induced changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance.
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