Phytoplankton primary productivity in the euphotic zone of the California Current System estimated from CZCS imagery

Abstract

We estimated phytoplankton primary productivity (PP) in the euphotic zone of the California Current System using chlorophyll concentration (Chl) from CZCS imagery. The area was divided into two regions, Southern California (SC) and Baja California (BC), with inshore and offshore subregions, and into two seasons, cool and warm. The Chl and PP values were in general higher and more variable inshore than offshore. The cool season had higher PP values, except in the offshore subregion of BC. The effect of El Niño (ENSO) 1982–1983 was more evident inshore, leading to lower PP values during the warm season of 1983 and the cool season of 1984. Mesotrophic and eutrophic waters dominated in the inshore subregions, whereas the major contribution in the offshore subregions was from oligotrophic waters. The total PP estimated was on average 23.78% below the corresponding in situ CalCOFI PP data, 51.82% inshore and 5.93% offshore, which is within the expected agreement between in situ and modeling methods. The average daily PP for SC inshore and offshore was 0.80 and 0.61 g C m–2, respectively, and for BC inshore and offshore it was 1.03 and 0.18 g C m–2, respectively. The total PP in the euphotic zone of the study area (January 1979 to June 1986) was 2.39 Gt C. We calculated an annual average PP for the whole study area of 0.32 Gt C.

Water column structure and phytoplankton biomass profiles in the Gulf of Mexico

“…Sathyendranath et al (1995) concluded that prediction of σ from Chl s , or from other variables, is impracticable. Millán-Núñez et al (1997) and Barocio-León et al (2007) indicated that in those cases where the regressions were not significant, the means of the parameters for the corresponding region and period should be used. Due to the scarcity of data from the Gulf of Mexico it was not possible to find any significant correlation between the Gaussian parameters and surface properties that can be remotely derived by satellite sensors.…”

Effects of seasonal and interannual events on satellite-derived phytoplankton biomass and production in the southernmost part of the California Current System during 2003–2016

“…Se pensaba que esta contracorriente se manifestaba en la superficie como un flujo costero estrecho hacia el polo durante parte del otoño y el invierno (Lynn y Simpson 1987), pero se tiene evidencia de que la contracorriente subsuperficial y la contracorriente superficial son fenómenos independientes (Durazo 2015). El SCC se caracteriza por presentar una gran cantidad de meandros, remolinos, filamentos, frentes y estructuras de mesoescala que se extienden de decenas a cientos de kilómetros mar adentro y que duran de días a meses (Hickey 1998, Espinosa-Carreón et al 2004, Barocio-León et al 2007.…”

“…Researchers thought this countercurrent occurred as a narrow poleward surface flow during part of autumn and winter (Lynn and Simpson 1987), but the surface and subsurface countercurrents are independent phenomena (Durazo 2015). The CCS is characterized by a large number of meanders, eddies, filaments, fronts, and mesoscale structures that span for tens to hundreds of kilometers offshore and last from days to months (Hickey 1998, Espinosa-Carreón et al 2004, Barocio-León et al 2007). …”

Temporal and spatial distribution of transparent exopolymer particles off the northern coast of Baja California, Mexico

“…The California Current System off Baja California is considered to be highly dynamic in terms of seasonal and spatial fluctuations of primary production (Hernández de La Torre et al 2004, Kahru et al 2009. Part of this variability originates from environmental gradients between the coast and the open ocean and also along mesoscale processes (Santamaria-del-Angel et al 2002, Barocio-León et al 2007. At the beginning of this research, we aimed to describe the TEP concentration to elucidate how it is influenced temporally and spatially by environmental properties and primary production off northern Baja California.…”

“…El Sistema de la Corriente de California frente a Baja California se considera altamente dinámico en términos de fluctuaciones estacionales y espaciales de la producción primaria (Hernández de La Torre et al 2004, Kahru et al 2009. Parte de esta variabilidad se origina de gradientes ambientales entre la costa y el océano abierto, y también a lo largo de procesos de mesoescala (Santamaria-del-Angel et al 2002, Barocio-León et al 2007. Al comienzo de esta investigación, se propuso describir la concentración de PET para dilucidar cómo esta es influenciada temporalmente y espacialmente por las propiedades ambientales y la producción primaria frente al norte de Baja California.…”