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Some Observations on the Chlorophyll Maximum and Primary Production in the Eastern North Pacific
Author(s) -
Revelante Noelia,
Gilmartin Malvern
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
internationale revue der gesamten hydrobiologie und hydrographie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 0020-9309
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19730580604
Subject(s) - photic zone , pycnocline , oceanography , deep chlorophyll maximum , transect , chlorophyll a , water column , diatom , environmental science , phytoplankton , chlorophyll , nutrient , new production , geology , ecology , botany , biology
An oceanographic transect between Central California and the Hawaiian Islands delimited a continuous subsurface chlorophyll maximum associated with an oxygen maximum at 1% to 0.1% light penetration depths. The phytoplankton community consisted primarily of nannoplankton with a prominent diatom component, and was photosynthetically active as measured in „low light level” incubators, contributing an estimated 20–30% to total water column production. Functioning as a nutrient trap blocking the vertical movement of nutrients into the upper euphotic zone, the chlorophyll maximum apparently required an overlying pycnocline for development.