Steady-state DCM dynamics in Canaries waters

Tett, Paul; Ar�stegui, J; Barton, D; Basterretxea, G

Abstract

This paper concerns the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) dynamics in a steady state, using primarily data from the Canary Islands Area of Filament and Eddy eXchange obtained in August 1999 during a cruise between oligotrophic waters west of La Palma and the north-west African coastal upwelling. CTD-fluorometer observations of the deep fluorescence maximum (DFM) were confirmed by water samples from which chlorophyll was extracted. The DFM-DCM was perturbed at many stations by island-generated eddies and similar features, and the paper focuses on unperturbed stations, which were identified by the occurrence of the DFM close to the 26.4kgm-3 isopycnal. The DFM at these stations occurred at the top of the nitracline, in the presence of 0.3-2M nitrate+nitrite, and at 24h mean isolumes of 10-20Em-2s-1. The classical compensation depth model predicts the occurrence of the DFM-DCM at less illumination and hence at too great a depth, making it necessary to take into account additional losses, especially those due to the respiration of microheterotrophs in biomass equilibrium with phytoplankton. The depth of the steady-state DCM is compatible with the predictions of a microplankton model, given (i) a ratio of 0.3-0.6 of microheterotroph to total microplankton biomass, and (ii) other losses (due to meszooplankton grazing and vertical mixing) of about 0.1d-1.

Citation

Tett, P., Arístegui, J., Barton, D., & Basterretxea, G. (2002). Steady-state DCM dynamics in Canaries waters. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 49, 3543-3559. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0645%2802%2900097-8

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2002-01
• Deposit Date: Jun 27, 2008
• Print ISSN: 0967-0645
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Pages: 3543-3559
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0645%2802%2900097-8
• Keywords: Deep chlorophyll maximum; DCM; Deep fluorescence maximum; DFM; Canary Islands; Shallow DFM; Microheterotrophs; Phytoplankton; Ecological Balance; DCM depth steady
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/1690
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0645(02)00097-8