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Enhancement of phytoplankton chlorophyll by submesoscale frontal dynamics in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre
Author(s) -
Liu Xiao,
Levine Naomi M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl066996
Subject(s) - ocean gyre , phytoplankton , oceanography , subtropics , environmental science , chlorophyll a , stratification (seeds) , sea surface temperature , sea surface height , climate change , mixed layer , marine ecosystem , climatology , deep chlorophyll maximum , ecosystem , atmospheric sciences , nutrient , geology , photic zone , ecology , biology , seed dormancy , botany , germination , dormancy
Subtropical gyres contribute significantly to global ocean productivity. As the climate warms, the strength of these gyres as a biological carbon pump is predicted to diminish due to increased stratification and depleted surface nutrients. We present results suggesting that the impact of submesoscale physics on phytoplankton in the oligotrophic ocean is substantial and may either compensate or exacerbate future changes in carbon cycling. A new statistical tool was developed to quantify surface patchiness from sea surface temperatures. Chlorophyll concentrations in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre were shown to be enhanced by submesoscale frontal dynamics with an average increase of 38% (maximum of 83%) during late winter. The magnitude of this enhancement is comparable to the observed decline in chlorophyll due to a warming of ~1.1°C. These results highlight the need for an improved understanding of fine‐scale physical variability in order to predict the response of marine ecosystems to projected climate changes.