In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders
The Amundsen Sea Polynya is characterized by large phytoplankton blooms, which makes this region disproportionately important relative to its size for the biogeochemistry of the Southern Ocean. In situ data on phytoplankton are limited, which is problematic given recent reports of sustained change i...
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ftwilliammarycol:oai:scholarworks.wm.edu:vimsarticles-1827 2023-06-11T04:03:33+02:00 In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders Schofield, O Miles, T Alderkamp, AC Lee, S Haskins, C Rogalsky, E Sipler, R Sherrell, RM Yager, PL 2015-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/827 doi: 10.12952/journal.elementa.000073 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1827/viewcontent/80_787_1_SM__1_.pdf unknown W&M ScholarWorks https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/827 doi: 10.12952/journal.elementa.000073 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1827/viewcontent/80_787_1_SM__1_.pdf VIMS Articles Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Aquaculture and Fisheries text 2015 ftwilliammarycol https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000073 2023-05-04T17:57:23Z The Amundsen Sea Polynya is characterized by large phytoplankton blooms, which makes this region disproportionately important relative to its size for the biogeochemistry of the Southern Ocean. In situ data on phytoplankton are limited, which is problematic given recent reports of sustained change in the Amundsen Sea. During two field expeditions to the Amundsen Sea during austral summer 2010-2011 and 2014, we collected physical and bio-optical data from ships and autonomous underwater gliders. Gliders documented large phytoplankton blooms associated with Antarctic Surface Waters with low salinity surface water and shallow upper mixed layers (< 50 m). High biomass was not always associated with a specific water mass, suggesting the importance of upper mixed depth and light in influencing phytoplankton biomass. Spectral optical backscatter and ship pigment data suggested that the composition of phytoplankton was spatially heterogeneous, with the large blooms dominated by Phaeocystis and non-bloom waters dominated by diatoms. Phytoplankton growth rates estimated from field data (< = 0.10 day(-1)) were at the lower end of the range measured during ship-based incubations, reflecting both in situ nutrient and light limitations. In the bloom waters, phytoplankton biomass was high throughout the 50-m thick upper mixed layer. Those biomass levels, along with the presence of colored dissolved organic matter and detritus, resulted in a euphotic zone that was often < 10 m deep. The net result was that the majority of phytoplankton were light-limited, suggesting that mixing rates within the upper mixed layer were critical to determining the overall productivity; however, regional productivity will ultimately be controlled by water column stability and the depth of the upper mixed layer, which may be enhanced with continued ice melt in the Amundsen Sea Polynya. Text Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean W&M ScholarWorks Antarctic Southern Ocean Austral Amundsen Sea Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
W&M ScholarWorks |
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ftwilliammarycol |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Aquaculture and Fisheries |
spellingShingle |
Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Aquaculture and Fisheries Schofield, O Miles, T Alderkamp, AC Lee, S Haskins, C Rogalsky, E Sipler, R Sherrell, RM Yager, PL In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
topic_facet |
Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles Aquaculture and Fisheries |
description |
The Amundsen Sea Polynya is characterized by large phytoplankton blooms, which makes this region disproportionately important relative to its size for the biogeochemistry of the Southern Ocean. In situ data on phytoplankton are limited, which is problematic given recent reports of sustained change in the Amundsen Sea. During two field expeditions to the Amundsen Sea during austral summer 2010-2011 and 2014, we collected physical and bio-optical data from ships and autonomous underwater gliders. Gliders documented large phytoplankton blooms associated with Antarctic Surface Waters with low salinity surface water and shallow upper mixed layers (< 50 m). High biomass was not always associated with a specific water mass, suggesting the importance of upper mixed depth and light in influencing phytoplankton biomass. Spectral optical backscatter and ship pigment data suggested that the composition of phytoplankton was spatially heterogeneous, with the large blooms dominated by Phaeocystis and non-bloom waters dominated by diatoms. Phytoplankton growth rates estimated from field data (< = 0.10 day(-1)) were at the lower end of the range measured during ship-based incubations, reflecting both in situ nutrient and light limitations. In the bloom waters, phytoplankton biomass was high throughout the 50-m thick upper mixed layer. Those biomass levels, along with the presence of colored dissolved organic matter and detritus, resulted in a euphotic zone that was often < 10 m deep. The net result was that the majority of phytoplankton were light-limited, suggesting that mixing rates within the upper mixed layer were critical to determining the overall productivity; however, regional productivity will ultimately be controlled by water column stability and the depth of the upper mixed layer, which may be enhanced with continued ice melt in the Amundsen Sea Polynya. |
format |
Text |
author |
Schofield, O Miles, T Alderkamp, AC Lee, S Haskins, C Rogalsky, E Sipler, R Sherrell, RM Yager, PL |
author_facet |
Schofield, O Miles, T Alderkamp, AC Lee, S Haskins, C Rogalsky, E Sipler, R Sherrell, RM Yager, PL |
author_sort |
Schofield, O |
title |
In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
title_short |
In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
title_full |
In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
title_fullStr |
In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
title_full_unstemmed |
In situ phytoplankton distributions in the Amundsen Sea Polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
title_sort |
in situ phytoplankton distributions in the amundsen sea polynya measured by autonomous gliders |
publisher |
W&M ScholarWorks |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/827 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1827/viewcontent/80_787_1_SM__1_.pdf |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean Austral Amundsen Sea |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean Austral Amundsen Sea |
genre |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
op_source |
VIMS Articles |
op_relation |
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/827 doi: 10.12952/journal.elementa.000073 https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/1827/viewcontent/80_787_1_SM__1_.pdf |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000073 |
container_title |
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene |
container_volume |
3 |
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1768380265623715840 |