Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site
We have made a comprehensive study of pigment distributions and microscopically determined phytoplankton abundances within the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) location in the North Atlantic to better understand phytoplankton variability, and make some suggestions regarding the composition of the mater...
Published in: | Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
2010
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/172499/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 |
id |
ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:172499 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:172499 2023-05-15T17:34:51+02:00 Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site Smythe-Wright, Denise Boswell, Stephen Kim, Young-Nam Kemp, Alan 2010-08-01 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/172499/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 unknown Smythe-Wright, Denise; Boswell, Stephen; Kim, Young-Nam; Kemp, Alan. 2010 Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 57 (15). 1324-1335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2010 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 2023-02-04T19:35:37Z We have made a comprehensive study of pigment distributions and microscopically determined phytoplankton abundances within the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) location in the North Atlantic to better understand phytoplankton variability, and make some suggestions regarding the composition of the material falling to the sea bed and its impacts on benthic organisms such as Amperima rosea. The area has been the focus of many studies of ocean fluxes and benthic communities over recent years, but little attention has been given to the spatio-temporal variability in the surface waters. Dawn casts over a 12-day period at the PAP mooring site (48.83°N 16.5°W) revealed the presence of only one species, the diatom Actinocyclus exiguus, at bloom concentrations for just 5 days. Smaller populations of other diatoms and the dinoflagellates Gymnodinium and Gyrodinium were also present at this time. Following this 5-day interval, a mixed population of small–sized dinoflagellates, prymnesiophytes, prasinophytes, chrysophytes and cyanobacteria occurred. It is clear from concomitant CTD/bottle surveys that rapid changes in phytoplankton community structure at a fixed time series position do not necessarily reflect a degradation or manifestation of one particular species but rather represent the movement of eddies and other water masses within very short timescales. These cause substantial variability in the species class and size fraction that may explain the variability in carbon export that has been seen at the PAP site. We also make some suggestions on the variable composition of the material falling to the seabed and its impact on benthic organisms such as Amperima rosea. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 57 15 1324 1335 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
description |
We have made a comprehensive study of pigment distributions and microscopically determined phytoplankton abundances within the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) location in the North Atlantic to better understand phytoplankton variability, and make some suggestions regarding the composition of the material falling to the sea bed and its impacts on benthic organisms such as Amperima rosea. The area has been the focus of many studies of ocean fluxes and benthic communities over recent years, but little attention has been given to the spatio-temporal variability in the surface waters. Dawn casts over a 12-day period at the PAP mooring site (48.83°N 16.5°W) revealed the presence of only one species, the diatom Actinocyclus exiguus, at bloom concentrations for just 5 days. Smaller populations of other diatoms and the dinoflagellates Gymnodinium and Gyrodinium were also present at this time. Following this 5-day interval, a mixed population of small–sized dinoflagellates, prymnesiophytes, prasinophytes, chrysophytes and cyanobacteria occurred. It is clear from concomitant CTD/bottle surveys that rapid changes in phytoplankton community structure at a fixed time series position do not necessarily reflect a degradation or manifestation of one particular species but rather represent the movement of eddies and other water masses within very short timescales. These cause substantial variability in the species class and size fraction that may explain the variability in carbon export that has been seen at the PAP site. We also make some suggestions on the variable composition of the material falling to the seabed and its impact on benthic organisms such as Amperima rosea. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Smythe-Wright, Denise Boswell, Stephen Kim, Young-Nam Kemp, Alan |
spellingShingle |
Smythe-Wright, Denise Boswell, Stephen Kim, Young-Nam Kemp, Alan Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site |
author_facet |
Smythe-Wright, Denise Boswell, Stephen Kim, Young-Nam Kemp, Alan |
author_sort |
Smythe-Wright, Denise |
title |
Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site |
title_short |
Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site |
title_full |
Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site |
title_fullStr |
Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site |
title_sort |
spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the porcupine abyssal plain (pap) site |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/172499/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_relation |
Smythe-Wright, Denise; Boswell, Stephen; Kim, Young-Nam; Kemp, Alan. 2010 Spatio-temporal changes in the distribution of phytopigments and phytoplanktonic groups at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 57 (15). 1324-1335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.01.009 |
container_title |
Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography |
container_volume |
57 |
container_issue |
15 |
container_start_page |
1324 |
op_container_end_page |
1335 |
_version_ |
1766133813171191808 |