Seasonal and interannual variability of phytoplankton biomass west of the Antarctic Peninsula
.The spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass, estimated as chlorophyll-a chl-a concentration, is examined in the continental shelf-slope region west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Relationships between temporal observations X X.in the nearshore Palmer Station grid 64846.77 S, 64804.36...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1995
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.496.2861 http://polarphytoplankton.ucsd.edu/docs/publications/papers/SmithRC_etal_JMS_1998.pdf |
| Summary: | .The spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass, estimated as chlorophyll-a chl-a concentration, is examined in the continental shelf-slope region west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Relationships between temporal observations X X.in the nearshore Palmer Station grid 64846.77 S, 64804.36 W and spatial observations in a larger regional grid 200 km onroff-shore and 900 km alongshore are presented. Average chl-a concentrations in the upper layers of the water column in the immediate vicinity of Palmer Station show strong seasonal and interannual variability. Biomass accumulation typically starts during mid-November, while strong blooms develop from December through January. The 1991r1992 and 1994r1995 seasons developed higher overall chl-a concentrations average maximum water column values reaching 8 and 16 mg chl-a y3. m, respectively than the 1992r1993 and 1993r1994 seasons average maximum water column values of less than 3 mg y3.chl-a m. The 1994r1995 season of extremely high chl-a concentrations also showed a prolonged bloom period into February, while the 1991r1992 season did not. Similar interannual variability was observed in the regional grid. Average chl-a concentration in the top 30 m was 0.91, 1.24 and 1.66 mg chl-a my3 for January of 1993, 1994 and 1995, respectively. The regional grid contains an onroff-shore gradient in bottom topography, measured physical and optical characteristics, as well as chl-a concentrations. Regional inshore grid stations in January had, on average, almost four times more chl-a y3.biomass than off-shore stations 2.18 vs. 0.59 mg chl-a m, respectively. There is evidence that this onroff-shore gradient |
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