Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS10 Continental Shelf Processes: Benthos and Pelagos

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 2:45:00 PM

Location: Aztec

Peterson, T, D, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, tdpeters@interchange.ubc.ca

Bornhold, E, A, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, Canada, bornholdE@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Whitney, F, A, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, Canada, whitneyF@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Harrison, P, J, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, pharrisn@unixg.ubc.ca

BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN A MESOSCALE EDDY IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

Recently documented anticyclonic eddies in the Gulf of Alaska transport a large volume of coastal water to the open ocean. We tracked the biological processes and phytoplankton standing stocks at three stations in the vicinity of a Haida-type eddy in late spring, 2000. Standing stocks, phytoplankton productivity and nutrient concentrations differed between sites outside the eddy, at the eddy’s centre, and a station at the edge. The most dramatic differences in productivity and biomass occurred in the smallest size fraction (0.2um-5um).Total chlorophyll concentration was highest at the centre station. Concentration of chlorophyll a increased with depth at the centre and edge stations, while it decreased as a function of depth at the outside station. Primary productivity followed a similar trend. These eddies spawned from eastern-boundary currents may be important sources of nutrients and biomass to the open ocean in the subarctic Pacific.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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