Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC03 Undergraduate Education

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Karakoylu, E, , Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, USA, lesnail@hotmail.com

Sosik, H, M, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA, hsosik@whoi.edu

BIO-OPTICAL MODELING OF PHYTOPLANKTON PRODUCTION ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF

We used data from ship-and mooring-based sampling combined with a wavelength- integrated bio-optical model to estimate time-resolved primary production on the New England continental shelf. During the Coastal Mixing and Optics Experiment, data were collected by moored sensors deployed at 70.5W, 40.5N from July 1996 to June 1997 and on three cruises to the area in late summer, mid-winter, and spring. Time-resolved chlorophyll a concentration (estimated based on moored fluorometry) and photosynthetically available radiation were used as model inputs. From photosynthesis-irradiance relationships measured during the cruises, other important properties such as the maximum rate of light-saturated photosynthesis and light-saturating irradiance were parameterized so that the effect of environmental conditions on photosynthetic efficiency could be included. Model results were compared to observations, showing some quantitative discrepancy, but good trend correspondence. The model output was also compared to the MARMAP data set obtained between 1978 and 1982 to ascertain that seasonal trends match. These trends consist of a productivity minimum during winter, an increase during spring reaching a maximum in late spring to early summer, and then a progressive decrease through fall.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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