Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios
The Labrador Sea is an ideal region to study the biogeographical, physiological, and biogeochemical implications of phytoplankton community composition due to sharp transitions between distinct water masses across its shelves and central basin. We have investigated the multi-year (2005–2014) distrib...
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Copernicus Publications
2017
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 https://doaj.org/article/d1548084a15c4c6f8e4f37cbdbc9d968 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d1548084a15c4c6f8e4f37cbdbc9d968 2023-05-15T15:13:28+02:00 Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios G. M. Fragoso A. J. Poulton I. M. Yashayaev E. J. H. Head D. A. Purdie 2017-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 https://doaj.org/article/d1548084a15c4c6f8e4f37cbdbc9d968 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.biogeosciences.net/14/1235/2017/bg-14-1235-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 1726-4170 1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 https://doaj.org/article/d1548084a15c4c6f8e4f37cbdbc9d968 Biogeosciences, Vol 14, Iss 5, Pp 1235-1259 (2017) Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 2022-12-31T10:27:49Z The Labrador Sea is an ideal region to study the biogeographical, physiological, and biogeochemical implications of phytoplankton community composition due to sharp transitions between distinct water masses across its shelves and central basin. We have investigated the multi-year (2005–2014) distributions of late spring and early summer (May to June) phytoplankton communities in the various hydrographic settings of the Labrador Sea. Our analysis is based on pigment markers (using CHEMTAX analysis), and photophysiological and biogeochemical characteristics associated with each phytoplankton community. Diatoms were the most abundant group, blooming first in shallow mixed layers of haline-stratified Arctic shelf waters. Along with diatoms, chlorophytes co-dominated at the western end of the section (particularly in the polar waters of the Labrador Current (LC)), whilst Phaeocystis co-dominated in the east (modified polar waters of the West Greenland Current (WGC)). Pre-bloom conditions occurred in deeper mixed layers of the central Labrador Sea in May, where a mixed assemblage of flagellates (dinoflagellates, prasinophytes, prymnesiophytes, particularly coccolithophores, and chrysophytes/pelagophytes) occurred in low-chlorophyll areas, succeeding to blooms of diatoms and dinoflagellates in thermally stratified Atlantic waters in June. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates and saturation irradiance levels were highest at stations where diatoms were the dominant phytoplankton group ( > 70 % of total chlorophyll a ), as opposed to stations where flagellates were more abundant (from 40 up to 70 % of total chlorophyll a ). Phytoplankton communities from the WGC ( Phaeocystis and diatoms) had lower light-limited photosynthetic rates, with little evidence of photoinhibition, indicating greater tolerance to a high light environment. By contrast, communities from the central Labrador Sea (dinoflagellates and diatoms), which bloomed later in the season (June), appeared to be more sensitive to high light levels. Ratios of ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Greenland Labrador Sea Phytoplankton Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Central Basin ENVELOPE(43.000,43.000,73.500,73.500) Greenland Biogeosciences 14 5 1235 1259 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 G. M. Fragoso A. J. Poulton I. M. Yashayaev E. J. H. Head D. A. Purdie Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
topic_facet |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The Labrador Sea is an ideal region to study the biogeographical, physiological, and biogeochemical implications of phytoplankton community composition due to sharp transitions between distinct water masses across its shelves and central basin. We have investigated the multi-year (2005–2014) distributions of late spring and early summer (May to June) phytoplankton communities in the various hydrographic settings of the Labrador Sea. Our analysis is based on pigment markers (using CHEMTAX analysis), and photophysiological and biogeochemical characteristics associated with each phytoplankton community. Diatoms were the most abundant group, blooming first in shallow mixed layers of haline-stratified Arctic shelf waters. Along with diatoms, chlorophytes co-dominated at the western end of the section (particularly in the polar waters of the Labrador Current (LC)), whilst Phaeocystis co-dominated in the east (modified polar waters of the West Greenland Current (WGC)). Pre-bloom conditions occurred in deeper mixed layers of the central Labrador Sea in May, where a mixed assemblage of flagellates (dinoflagellates, prasinophytes, prymnesiophytes, particularly coccolithophores, and chrysophytes/pelagophytes) occurred in low-chlorophyll areas, succeeding to blooms of diatoms and dinoflagellates in thermally stratified Atlantic waters in June. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates and saturation irradiance levels were highest at stations where diatoms were the dominant phytoplankton group ( > 70 % of total chlorophyll a ), as opposed to stations where flagellates were more abundant (from 40 up to 70 % of total chlorophyll a ). Phytoplankton communities from the WGC ( Phaeocystis and diatoms) had lower light-limited photosynthetic rates, with little evidence of photoinhibition, indicating greater tolerance to a high light environment. By contrast, communities from the central Labrador Sea (dinoflagellates and diatoms), which bloomed later in the season (June), appeared to be more sensitive to high light levels. Ratios of ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
G. M. Fragoso A. J. Poulton I. M. Yashayaev E. J. H. Head D. A. Purdie |
author_facet |
G. M. Fragoso A. J. Poulton I. M. Yashayaev E. J. H. Head D. A. Purdie |
author_sort |
G. M. Fragoso |
title |
Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
title_short |
Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
title_full |
Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
title_fullStr |
Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
title_sort |
spring phytoplankton communities of the labrador sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 https://doaj.org/article/d1548084a15c4c6f8e4f37cbdbc9d968 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(43.000,43.000,73.500,73.500) |
geographic |
Arctic Central Basin Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Central Basin Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Greenland Labrador Sea Phytoplankton |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland Labrador Sea Phytoplankton |
op_source |
Biogeosciences, Vol 14, Iss 5, Pp 1235-1259 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://www.biogeosciences.net/14/1235/2017/bg-14-1235-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 1726-4170 1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 https://doaj.org/article/d1548084a15c4c6f8e4f37cbdbc9d968 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1235-2017 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1235 |
op_container_end_page |
1259 |
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1766344030283628544 |