University of Tasmania
Browse
138640 - Primary productivity in the equatorial Pacific during the 1997-98 El Nino.pdf (3.14 MB)

Primary productivity in the equatorial Pacific during the 1997-98 El Niño

Download (3.14 MB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 13:48 authored by Peter StruttonPeter Strutton, Chavez, FP

Shipboard biological and physical measurements made during 1996, 1997, and 1998 in the equatorial Pacific are used to quantify the effect of the 1997–1998 El Niño on the phytoplankton community. This El Niño was by some measures the strongest ever observed and resulted in extremely low phytoplankton biomass and productivity throughout this normally moderately productive region. At the height of the event in late 1997 to early 1998, in the central Pacific, nitrate was absent throughout the entire euphotic zone (∼100 m), resulting in chlorophyll concentrations (0.05 μgL−1) that were among the lowest ever observed in the region and rates of primary production (∼0.41 g C m−2 d−1) that were approximately half the climatological mean. These conditions persisted until May 1998 when the trade winds resumed and upwelling, with its associated supply of nutrients, was restored along the equatorial Pacific. The phytoplankton community quickly recovered, and by June 1998, nitrate, chlorophyll, and primary productivity levels were comparable to, or in excess of, their respective climatological means.

History

Publication title

Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans

Volume

105

Issue

C11

Pagination

26,089-26,101

ISSN

0148-0227

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Amer Geophysical Union

Place of publication

2000 Florida Ave Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20009

Rights statement

Copyright 2000 American Geophysical Union

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the earth sciences

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC