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Influence of the El Niño‐La Niña cycle on satellite‐derived primary production in the California Current
Author(s) -
Kahru Mati,
Mitchell B. Greg
Publication year - 2002
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 - 10.1029/2002gl014963
Subject(s) - primary production , environmental science , primary productivity , oceanography , phytoplankton , satellite , productivity , annual cycle , zooplankton , la niña , climatology , atmospheric sciences , geology , ecosystem , el niño southern oscillation , nutrient , physics , ecology , macroeconomics , astronomy , economics , biology
Time series of phytoplankton net primary production (NPP) for the California Current were derived using satellite data and the VGPM primary productivity model for a 5‐year period (1997–2001) including the 1997–98 El Niño. NPP had a strong annual periodicity correlated with the El Niño‐La Niña cycle. The most obvious effects of the El Niño on NPP were 100‐300 km off the coast: a reduction by 30% off Southern California but an increase by 40% off Baja California. During its peak El Niño decreased NPP by 10–15% (1.5 Tg C month −1 ) in the 1000‐km band off Southern California but increased by 20–30% off Northern and Southern Baja (4 Tg C month −1 ). The total annual NPP was lowest during the El Niño years of 1997–1998 and peaked in 2000. Trends of increasing NPP and zooplankton volume were observed off Central and Southern California.