Biogeochemical responses to late-winter storms in the Sargasso Sea. IV. Rapid succession of major phytoplankton groups
Biogeochemical responses to late-winter storms in the Sargasso Sea. IV. Rapid succession of major phytoplankton groups
In this paper, we present multi-parameter data on phytoplankton community composition, and its response to storm events in the Sargasso Sea in late February and early March of 2 years (2004 and 2005). Observed physical conditions spanned a continuum from pulsed destratification/stratification to continuous mixing, with a corresponding range of phytoplankton growth responses. The pulsed destratification/stratification condition resulted in a rapid (1–2 d) doubling of euphotic zone chlorophyll (Chl-a) along with a rapid succession, days timescale, from diatoms to haptophytes and then to cyanobacteria. Deep (>300 m) continuous mixing led to a slow (8–9 d) doubling of autotrophic biomass with no observed succession in the phytoplankton community. These different temporal responses appear to be due to differences between nutrient-limited and light-limited phytoplankton growth, although differences in grazing rates or selective grazing cannot be ruled out. Unexpectedly, we found that flow cytometrically enumerated picoeukaryotes were not accounted for in HPLC-pigment derived phytoplankton classifications and did not covary with any of the pigments quantified. Yet, the picoeukaryotes were positively related to increases in total Chl-a and increased carbon export, suggesting an important but as yet unknown role in the Sargasso Sea carbon cycle.
New production, Phytoplankton community composition, Diatoms, Picoeukaryotes, Nitrate uptake, Export production
892-908
Lomas, M.W.
84d523c2-4876-41d4-a160-f32c69b7c7c8
Roberts, N.
8bf72b64-cb26-4f6f-b08c-19a04cdb3bf7
Lipschultz, F.
903597c3-e11b-43cf-a8c4-4258e97f2ac6
Krause, J.W.
46621132-8c0e-429a-824d-438e8ec76680
Nelson, D.M.
e2b9b906-9547-4089-be92-e4450a81fa74
Bates, N.R.
954a83d6-8424-49e9-8acd-e606221c9c57
June 2009
Lomas, M.W.
84d523c2-4876-41d4-a160-f32c69b7c7c8
Roberts, N.
8bf72b64-cb26-4f6f-b08c-19a04cdb3bf7
Lipschultz, F.
903597c3-e11b-43cf-a8c4-4258e97f2ac6
Krause, J.W.
46621132-8c0e-429a-824d-438e8ec76680
Nelson, D.M.
e2b9b906-9547-4089-be92-e4450a81fa74
Bates, N.R.
954a83d6-8424-49e9-8acd-e606221c9c57
Lomas, M.W., Roberts, N., Lipschultz, F., Krause, J.W., Nelson, D.M. and Bates, N.R.
(2009)
Biogeochemical responses to late-winter storms in the Sargasso Sea. IV. Rapid succession of major phytoplankton groups.
Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 56 (6), .
(doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2009.03.004).
Abstract
In this paper, we present multi-parameter data on phytoplankton community composition, and its response to storm events in the Sargasso Sea in late February and early March of 2 years (2004 and 2005). Observed physical conditions spanned a continuum from pulsed destratification/stratification to continuous mixing, with a corresponding range of phytoplankton growth responses. The pulsed destratification/stratification condition resulted in a rapid (1–2 d) doubling of euphotic zone chlorophyll (Chl-a) along with a rapid succession, days timescale, from diatoms to haptophytes and then to cyanobacteria. Deep (>300 m) continuous mixing led to a slow (8–9 d) doubling of autotrophic biomass with no observed succession in the phytoplankton community. These different temporal responses appear to be due to differences between nutrient-limited and light-limited phytoplankton growth, although differences in grazing rates or selective grazing cannot be ruled out. Unexpectedly, we found that flow cytometrically enumerated picoeukaryotes were not accounted for in HPLC-pigment derived phytoplankton classifications and did not covary with any of the pigments quantified. Yet, the picoeukaryotes were positively related to increases in total Chl-a and increased carbon export, suggesting an important but as yet unknown role in the Sargasso Sea carbon cycle.
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Published date: June 2009
Keywords:
New production, Phytoplankton community composition, Diatoms, Picoeukaryotes, Nitrate uptake, Export production
Organisations:
Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 357373
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/357373
ISSN: 0967-0637
PURE UUID: 5d776ce3-91e9-432e-a2fd-ba29d5e3c30b
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Date deposited: 24 Sep 2013 13:45
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 14:58
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Contributors
Author:
M.W. Lomas
Author:
N. Roberts
Author:
F. Lipschultz
Author:
J.W. Krause
Author:
D.M. Nelson
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