Role of advection in Arctic Ocean lower trophic dynamics: a modelling perspective
Role of advection in Arctic Ocean lower trophic dynamics: a modelling perspective
The Arctic Ocean (AO) is an oligotrophic system with a pronounced subsurface Chl-a maximum dominating productivity over the majority of the basin. Strong haline stratification of the AO and substantial ice cover suppress vertical mixing and restrict the vertical supply of nutrients to the photic zone. In such a vertically stratified oligotrophic system, the horizontal supply of nutrients by advection plays an important role in sustaining primary production. In this paper we attempt to characterise the role of nutrient advection in the maintenance of the subsurface Chl-a maximum, using time scales to determine the connectivity between the photic zone of the deep Arctic Ocean, nutrient-rich Pacific and Atlantic inflow waters, and bottom waters of the wide continental shelves of the AO.
Our study uses output from a general circulation model, NEMO, coupled to a model of ocean biogeochemistry, MEDUSA. A Lagrangian particle tracking approach is used to back-track water from where it forms subsurface Chl-a maxima to the points of entry into the AO and to analyse nutrient transformation along the route.
Our experiments show that advective timescales linking subsurface layers of the central AO with the nutrient rich Pacific and Atlantic waters do not exceed 15-20?years, and that the advective supply of shelf nutrients to the deep AO occurs on the timescale of about 5?years. We show substantial role of the continental shelf pump in sustaining up to 20% of total AO primary production.
Arctic Ocean, Ecosystem, Plankton, Modelling
1571-1586
Popova, E.E.
3ea572bd-f37d-4777-894b-b0d86f735820
Yool, A.
882aeb0d-dda0-405e-844c-65b68cce5017
Aksenov, Y.
1d277047-06f6-4893-8bcf-c2817a9c848e
Coward, A.C.
53b78140-2e65-476a-b287-e8384a65224b
March 2013
Popova, E.E.
3ea572bd-f37d-4777-894b-b0d86f735820
Yool, A.
882aeb0d-dda0-405e-844c-65b68cce5017
Aksenov, Y.
1d277047-06f6-4893-8bcf-c2817a9c848e
Coward, A.C.
53b78140-2e65-476a-b287-e8384a65224b
Popova, E.E., Yool, A., Aksenov, Y. and Coward, A.C.
(2013)
Role of advection in Arctic Ocean lower trophic dynamics: a modelling perspective.
Journal of Geophysical Research, 118 (3), .
(doi:10.1002/jgrc.20126).
Abstract
The Arctic Ocean (AO) is an oligotrophic system with a pronounced subsurface Chl-a maximum dominating productivity over the majority of the basin. Strong haline stratification of the AO and substantial ice cover suppress vertical mixing and restrict the vertical supply of nutrients to the photic zone. In such a vertically stratified oligotrophic system, the horizontal supply of nutrients by advection plays an important role in sustaining primary production. In this paper we attempt to characterise the role of nutrient advection in the maintenance of the subsurface Chl-a maximum, using time scales to determine the connectivity between the photic zone of the deep Arctic Ocean, nutrient-rich Pacific and Atlantic inflow waters, and bottom waters of the wide continental shelves of the AO.
Our study uses output from a general circulation model, NEMO, coupled to a model of ocean biogeochemistry, MEDUSA. A Lagrangian particle tracking approach is used to back-track water from where it forms subsurface Chl-a maxima to the points of entry into the AO and to analyse nutrient transformation along the route.
Our experiments show that advective timescales linking subsurface layers of the central AO with the nutrient rich Pacific and Atlantic waters do not exceed 15-20?years, and that the advective supply of shelf nutrients to the deep AO occurs on the timescale of about 5?years. We show substantial role of the continental shelf pump in sustaining up to 20% of total AO primary production.
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jgrc20126_Popova.pdf
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Published date: March 2013
Keywords:
Arctic Ocean, Ecosystem, Plankton, Modelling
Organisations:
Marine Systems Modelling
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 350463
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/350463
ISSN: 0148-0227
PURE UUID: 370f34b4-43bf-44b2-bc4c-d62c11169752
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Date deposited: 25 Mar 2013 13:48
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 13:25
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Author:
E.E. Popova
Author:
A. Yool
Author:
Y. Aksenov
Author:
A.C. Coward
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