Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula
The annual advance and retreat of sea ice has been considered a major physical determinant of spatial and temporal changes in the structure of the Antarctic coastal marine ecosystem. However, the role of glacial meltwater on the hydrography of the Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem has been largely ignor...
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ftpubmed:oai:pubmedcentral.nih.gov:122272 2023-05-15T13:48:49+02:00 Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula Dierssen, Heidi M. Smith, Raymond C. Vernet, Maria 2002-02-19 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC122272 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11830636 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.032206999 en eng The National Academy of Sciences http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC122272 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11830636 http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.032206999 Copyright © 2002, The National Academy of Sciences Physical Sciences Text 2002 ftpubmed https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.032206999 2013-08-29T10:43:49Z The annual advance and retreat of sea ice has been considered a major physical determinant of spatial and temporal changes in the structure of the Antarctic coastal marine ecosystem. However, the role of glacial meltwater on the hydrography of the Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem has been largely ignored, and the resulting biological effects have only been considered within a few kilometers from shore. Through several lines of evidence collected in conjunction with the Palmer Station Long-Term Ecological Research Project, we show that the freshening and warming of the coastal surface water over the summer months is influenced not solely by sea ice melt, as suggested by the literature, but largely by the influx of glacial meltwater. Moreover, the seasonal variability in the amount and extent of the glacial meltwater plume plays a critical role in the functioning of the biota by influencing the physical dynamics of the water (e.g., water column stratification, nearshore turbidity). From nearly a decade of observations (1991–1999), the presence of surface meltwater is correlated not only to phytoplankton blooms nearshore, but spatially over 100 km offshore. The amount of meltwater will also have important secondary effects on the ecosystem by influencing the timing of sea ice formation. Because air temperatures are statistically increasing along the Antarctic Peninsula region, the presence of glacial meltwater is likely to become more prevalent in these surface waters and continue to play an ever-increasing role in driving this fragile ecosystem. Text Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Sea ice PubMed Central (PMC) Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Palmer Station ENVELOPE(-64.050,-64.050,-64.770,-64.770) Palmer-Station ENVELOPE(-64.050,-64.050,-64.770,-64.770) The Antarctic Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99 4 1790 1795 |
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English |
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Physical Sciences |
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Physical Sciences Dierssen, Heidi M. Smith, Raymond C. Vernet, Maria Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula |
topic_facet |
Physical Sciences |
description |
The annual advance and retreat of sea ice has been considered a major physical determinant of spatial and temporal changes in the structure of the Antarctic coastal marine ecosystem. However, the role of glacial meltwater on the hydrography of the Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem has been largely ignored, and the resulting biological effects have only been considered within a few kilometers from shore. Through several lines of evidence collected in conjunction with the Palmer Station Long-Term Ecological Research Project, we show that the freshening and warming of the coastal surface water over the summer months is influenced not solely by sea ice melt, as suggested by the literature, but largely by the influx of glacial meltwater. Moreover, the seasonal variability in the amount and extent of the glacial meltwater plume plays a critical role in the functioning of the biota by influencing the physical dynamics of the water (e.g., water column stratification, nearshore turbidity). From nearly a decade of observations (1991–1999), the presence of surface meltwater is correlated not only to phytoplankton blooms nearshore, but spatially over 100 km offshore. The amount of meltwater will also have important secondary effects on the ecosystem by influencing the timing of sea ice formation. Because air temperatures are statistically increasing along the Antarctic Peninsula region, the presence of glacial meltwater is likely to become more prevalent in these surface waters and continue to play an ever-increasing role in driving this fragile ecosystem. |
format |
Text |
author |
Dierssen, Heidi M. Smith, Raymond C. Vernet, Maria |
author_facet |
Dierssen, Heidi M. Smith, Raymond C. Vernet, Maria |
author_sort |
Dierssen, Heidi M. |
title |
Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula |
title_short |
Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula |
title_full |
Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula |
title_fullStr |
Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula |
title_full_unstemmed |
Glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the Antarctic peninsula |
title_sort |
glacial meltwater dynamics in coastal waters west of the antarctic peninsula |
publisher |
The National Academy of Sciences |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC122272 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11830636 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.032206999 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-64.050,-64.050,-64.770,-64.770) ENVELOPE(-64.050,-64.050,-64.770,-64.770) |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Palmer Station Palmer-Station The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Palmer Station Palmer-Station The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Sea ice |
op_relation |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC122272 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11830636 http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.032206999 |
op_rights |
Copyright © 2002, The National Academy of Sciences |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.032206999 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |
container_volume |
99 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1790 |
op_container_end_page |
1795 |
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1766249809626267648 |