Primary production in the northern Red Sea

Qurban, Mohammad A.; Balala, Arvin C.; Kumar, Sanjeev; Bhavya, P. S.; Wafar, M.V.M.

doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.01.006

Cited by 34 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Since the OC-CCI dataset has been demonstrated to have good consistency with in situ observations in the Red Sea [26,30,31], we have more confidence in the numeric values of the Chl-a concentrations. The reported Chl-a concentration on 29 June exceeds 1 mg m −3 , compared to the regional mean for this time period, which hovers around 0.3 mg m −3 [16]. [17,22,31], and the existence of large, persistent eddies was identified in hydrographic surveys of the region as far back as 1993 [55].…”

Section: Chl-a Climatology In the Read Sea And Anomaly Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The MLD is particularly important to phytoplankton in the Red Sea because deepening the mixed layer can make nutrients from lower level waters available for use [19]. A number of studies in the Red Sea have shown that phytoplankton concentrations in the Red Sea typically reach a maximum around a depth of 80 m, rather than at the surface, due to the oligotrophic nature of the surface water [16][17][18][19]. In Figure 5, the deepest MLD appears along an axis slightly to the east of the central part of the Red Sea.…”

Section: Temporal and Spatial Variations Of Chl-a Concentration-relatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is also evidence of multiple eddies, especially along the western part of the basin. Such eddies are common in the area [3], and have been implicated in increases in phytoplankton by a number of authors [2,[16][17][18][19][20]22].…”

Section: Temporal and Spatial Variations Of Chl-a Concentration-relatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The high temperature and salinity of the water also make the Red Sea an important natural laboratory for understanding the effects of climate change, especially on coral reefs [14,15]. Interestingly, the entire Red Sea is considered to be oligotrophic, lacking in several important nutrients including nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and silicate, and supporting levels of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) less than 2.6 mg m −3 (or, equivalently, 2.6 µg L −1 ) [16]. However, recent studies using both satellite and in situ observations have challenged this simple notion by identifying regions with Chl-a concentrations and nutrient levels higher than traditional oligotrophic thresholds [17][18][19][20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Synergistic Use of Remote Sensing and Modeling to Assess an Anomalously High Chlorophyll-a Event during Summer 2015 in the South Central Red Sea

El-Askary

Manikandan

et al. 2017

Remote Sensing

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An anomalously high chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) event (>2 mg/m 3 ) during June 2015 in the South Central Red Sea (17.5 • to 22 • N, 37 • to 42 • E) was observed using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data from the Terra and Aqua satellite platforms. This differs from the low Chl-a values (<0.5 mg/m 3 ) usually encountered over the same region during summertime. To assess this anomaly and possible causes, we used a wide range of oceanographical and meteorological datasets, including Chl-a concentrations, sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), mixed layer depth (MLD), ocean current velocity and aerosol optical depth (AOD) obtained from different sensors and models. Findings confirmed this anomalous behavior in the spatial domain using Hovmöller data analysis techniques, while a time series analysis addressed monthly and daily variability. Our analysis suggests that a combination of factors controlling nutrient supply contributed to the anomalous phytoplankton growth. These factors include horizontal transfer of upwelling water through eddy circulation and possible mineral fertilization from atmospheric dust deposition. Coral reefs might have provided extra nutrient supply, yet this is out of the scope of our analysis. We thought that dust deposition from a coastal dust jet event in late June, coinciding with the phytoplankton blooms in the area under investigation, might have also contributed as shown by our AOD findings. However, a lag cross correlation showed a two-month lag between strong dust outbreak and the high Chl-a anomaly. The high Chl-a concentration at the edge of the eddy emphasizes the importance of horizontal advection in fertilizing oligotrophic (nutrient poor) Red Sea waters.

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Section: Chl-a Climatology In the Read Sea And Anomaly Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Temporal and Spatial Variations Of Chl-a Concentration-relatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Temporal and Spatial Variations Of Chl-a Concentration-relatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Synergistic Use of Remote Sensing and Modeling to Assess an Anomalously High Chlorophyll-a Event during Summer 2015 in the South Central Red Sea

El-Askary

Manikandan

et al. 2017

Remote Sensing

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“…The scarcity of nutrients at the surface also had an influence on primary production, limiting the latter to rates not more than 3 mg C L À 1 h À 1 and 36 nmol N L À 1 h À 1 (Qurban et al, 2014). The export production (equivalent to new production or nitrate uptake) was no more than 100 mmol N m À 2 h À 1 .…”

Section: Hydrographical Parameters Nutrients and Productivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

In-situ observation of deep water corals in the northern Red Sea waters of Saudi Arabia

Qurban

Krishnakumar

Joydas

et al. 2014

Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

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Physical and biological characteristics of the winter‐summer transition in the Central Red Sea

et al. 2017

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The Central Red Sea (CRS) lies between two distinct hydrographic and atmospheric regimes. In the southern Red Sea, seasonal monsoon reversal regulates the exchange of water between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. In the northern Red Sea, intermediate and occasionally deep water are formed during winter to sustain the basin's overturning circulation. Highly variable mesoscale eddies and the northward flowing eastern boundary current (EBC) determine the physical and biogeochemical characteristics of the CRS. Ship‐based and glider observations in the CRS between March and June 2013 capture key features of the transition from winter to summer and depict the impact of the eddy activity on the EBC flow. Less saline and relatively warmer water of Indian Ocean origin reaches the CRS via the EBC. Initially, an anticyclonic eddy with diameter of 140 km penetrating to 150m depth with maximum velocities up to 30–35 cm s−1 prevails in the CRS. This anticyclonic eddy appears to block or at least redirect the northward flow of the EBC. Dissipation of the eddy permits the near‐coastal, northward flow of the EBC and gives place to a smaller cyclonic eddy with a diameter of about 50 km penetrating to 200 m depth. By the end of May, as the northerly winds become stronger and persistent throughout the basin, characteristic of the summer southwest monsoon wind regime, the EBC, and its associated lower salinity water became less evident, replaced by the saltier surface water that characterizes the onset of the summer stratification in the CRS.

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Primary production in the northern Red Sea

Cited by 34 publications

References 36 publications

Synergistic Use of Remote Sensing and Modeling to Assess an Anomalously High Chlorophyll-a Event during Summer 2015 in the South Central Red Sea

Synergistic Use of Remote Sensing and Modeling to Assess an Anomalously High Chlorophyll-a Event during Summer 2015 in the South Central Red Sea

In-situ observation of deep water corals in the northern Red Sea waters of Saudi Arabia

Physical and biological characteristics of the winter‐summer transition in the Central Red Sea

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