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Influence of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation on phytoplankton phenology and community structure in the western North Pacific
Author(s) -
Chiba Sanae,
Batten Sonia,
Sasaoka Kosei,
Sasai Yoshikazu,
Sugisaki Hiroya
Publication year - 2012
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 - 10.1029/2012gl052912
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , pacific decadal oscillation , environmental science , oceanography , phenology , bloom , abundance (ecology) , climatology , spring bloom , plankton , community structure , forcing (mathematics) , anomaly (physics) , trophic level , sea surface temperature , nutrient , ecology , geology , biology , physics , condensed matter physics
Phytoplankton phenology and community structure in the western North Pacific were investigated for 2001–2009, based on satellite ocean colour data and the Continuous Plankton Recorder survey. We estimated the timing of the spring bloom based on the cumulative sum satellite chlorophyll a data, and found that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)‐related interannual SST anomaly in spring significantly affected phytoplankton phenology. The bloom occurred either later or earlier in years of positive or negative PDO (indicating cold and warm conditions, respectively). Phytoplankton composition in the early summer varied depending on the magnitude of seasonal SST increases, rather than the SST value itself. Interannual variations in diatom abundance and the relative abundance of non‐diatoms were positively correlated with SST increases for March–April and May–July, respectively, suggesting that mixed layer environmental factors, such as light availability and nutrient stoichiometry, determine shifts in phytoplankton community structure. Our study emphasised the importance of the interannual variation in climate‐induced warm–cool cycles as one of the key mechanisms linking climatic forcing and lower trophic level ecosystems.