Publication Date:
2022-10-20
Description:
Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2021. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 126(2), (2021): e2020JC016856, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC016856.
Description:
The genus Phaeocystis is distributed globally and has considerable ecological, biogeochemical, and societal impacts. Understanding its distribution, growth and ecological impacts has been limited by lack of extensive observations on appropriate scales. In 2018, we investigated the biological dynamics of the New England continental shelf and encountered a substantial bloom of Phaeocystis pouchetii. Based on satellite imagery during January through April, the bloom extended over broad expanses of the shelf; furthermore, our observations demonstrated that it reached high biomass levels, with maximum chlorophyll concentrations exceeding 16 µg L−1 and particulate organic carbon levels 〉 95 µmol L−1. Initially, the bloom was largely confined to waters with temperatures 〈6°C, which in turn were mostly restricted to shallow areas near the coast. As the bloom progressed, it appeared to sink into the bottom boundary layer; however, enough light and nutrients were available for growth. The bloom was highly productive (net community production integrated through the mixed layer from stations within the bloom averaged 1.16 g C m−2 d−1) and reduced nutrient concentrations considerably. Long‐term coastal observations suggest that Phaeocystis blooms occur sporadically in spring on Nantucket Shoals and presumably expand onto the continental shelf. Based on the distribution of Phaeocystis during our study, we suggest that it can have a significant impact on the overall productivity and ecology of the New England shelf during the winter/spring transition.
Description:
This project was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grants 1657855, 1657803, and 1657489). NES‐LTER contributions were supported by grants to HMS from NSF (Grant 1655686) and the Simons Foundation (Grant 561126). VPR operations were supported by the Dalio Explore Fund.
Description:
2021-07-15
Keywords:
Biomass
;
New England
;
Nutrients
;
Phaeocystis
;
Phytoplankton
;
Productivity
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Article
Permalink
