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The Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) Programme: a contextual view 1995–2005

The Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) Programme: a contextual view 1995–2005
The Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) Programme: a contextual view 1995–2005
The aims of the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) programme [www.amt-uk.org] are to quantify the nature and causes of ecological and biogeochemical variability in the planktonic ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean, and to assess the effects of this variability on biological carbon cycling and air–sea exchange of radiatively active gases and aerosols. Marine and atmospheric data have been collected twice a year along a 13,500 km transect in the Atlantic Ocean between 50°N and 52°S since 1995. The cruise track enables biogeochemical measurements to be made within the poorly studied North and South Atlantic oligotrophic gyres as well as within equatorial and coastal upwelling regions. The range of ecosystems sampled during AMT has facilitated the calibration and validation of newly developed optical, microbiological, molecular and analytical techniques and provided a testbed for comparative ecology and the development of atmospheric and oceanographic models. This paper describes the rationale and methodology of the programme. Upper-ocean measurements of density, nitrate and chlorophyll a (Chl a) are presented to illustrate seasonal, inter-annual and decadal variability in hydrography. Seasonal distributions of dissolved nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) are used to derive estimates of the sea–air flux of these gases in the South Atlantic Gyre. Observations made during AMT and published since 2000 are reviewed, and the key findings are highlighted. The extent to which the programme aims have been achieved is discussed and improvements for the future suggested.
Atlantic Meridional Transect, biogeochemistry, biodiversity, Pelagic ecosystems, microbial plankton communities, Atlantic Ocean
0967-0645
1485-1515
Robinson, C.
3c57dfcb-6ddc-4e4b-8d7e-5efd0adcc42b
Poulton, A.J.
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Holligan, P.M.
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Baker, A.R.
2e470bae-1030-49cb-999e-1a0bfb0abfc9
Forster, G.
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Gist, N.
762be403-a358-44a9-9ddf-9c32ad43b127
Jickells, T.D.
d85be7a3-239c-402f-83a6-8014b78cc4cc
Malin, G.
ea8cd4a7-641b-4519-9364-0fadcbd0d63c
Upstill-Goddard, R.
4f3b1c4e-c3d9-4c17-a867-706e7b7cccd2
Williams, R.G.
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Woodward, E.M.S.
3ac3b98f-78c7-4b43-acf9-bba3253752b5
Zubkov, M.V.
b1dfb3a0-bcff-430c-9031-358a22b50743
Robinson, C.
3c57dfcb-6ddc-4e4b-8d7e-5efd0adcc42b
Poulton, A.J.
14bf64a7-d617-4913-b882-e8495543e717
Holligan, P.M.
4c1d9d64-dfa7-49bf-9e15-37f891d59b7c
Baker, A.R.
2e470bae-1030-49cb-999e-1a0bfb0abfc9
Forster, G.
6e8c5d5f-3879-44ac-9d54-8ed278d55b61
Gist, N.
762be403-a358-44a9-9ddf-9c32ad43b127
Jickells, T.D.
d85be7a3-239c-402f-83a6-8014b78cc4cc
Malin, G.
ea8cd4a7-641b-4519-9364-0fadcbd0d63c
Upstill-Goddard, R.
4f3b1c4e-c3d9-4c17-a867-706e7b7cccd2
Williams, R.G.
2f69a4a4-acdc-4871-8e62-1ac1b84329b0
Woodward, E.M.S.
3ac3b98f-78c7-4b43-acf9-bba3253752b5
Zubkov, M.V.
b1dfb3a0-bcff-430c-9031-358a22b50743

Robinson, C., Poulton, A.J., Holligan, P.M., Baker, A.R., Forster, G., Gist, N., Jickells, T.D., Malin, G., Upstill-Goddard, R., Williams, R.G., Woodward, E.M.S. and Zubkov, M.V. (2006) The Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) Programme: a contextual view 1995–2005. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 53 (14-16), 1485-1515. (doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2006.05.015).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The aims of the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) programme [www.amt-uk.org] are to quantify the nature and causes of ecological and biogeochemical variability in the planktonic ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean, and to assess the effects of this variability on biological carbon cycling and air–sea exchange of radiatively active gases and aerosols. Marine and atmospheric data have been collected twice a year along a 13,500 km transect in the Atlantic Ocean between 50°N and 52°S since 1995. The cruise track enables biogeochemical measurements to be made within the poorly studied North and South Atlantic oligotrophic gyres as well as within equatorial and coastal upwelling regions. The range of ecosystems sampled during AMT has facilitated the calibration and validation of newly developed optical, microbiological, molecular and analytical techniques and provided a testbed for comparative ecology and the development of atmospheric and oceanographic models. This paper describes the rationale and methodology of the programme. Upper-ocean measurements of density, nitrate and chlorophyll a (Chl a) are presented to illustrate seasonal, inter-annual and decadal variability in hydrography. Seasonal distributions of dissolved nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) are used to derive estimates of the sea–air flux of these gases in the South Atlantic Gyre. Observations made during AMT and published since 2000 are reviewed, and the key findings are highlighted. The extent to which the programme aims have been achieved is discussed and improvements for the future suggested.

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More information

Published date: 2006
Keywords: Atlantic Meridional Transect, biogeochemistry, biodiversity, Pelagic ecosystems, microbial plankton communities, Atlantic Ocean

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 44124
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/44124
ISSN: 0967-0645
PURE UUID: 22956a9c-c654-460d-9844-b24ed02be002

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Date deposited: 15 Feb 2007
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 09:00

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Contributors

Author: C. Robinson
Author: A.J. Poulton
Author: P.M. Holligan
Author: A.R. Baker
Author: G. Forster
Author: N. Gist
Author: T.D. Jickells
Author: G. Malin
Author: R. Upstill-Goddard
Author: R.G. Williams
Author: E.M.S. Woodward
Author: M.V. Zubkov

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