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Phenological characteristics of global coccolithophore blooms

Phenological characteristics of global coccolithophore blooms
Phenological characteristics of global coccolithophore blooms
Coccolithophores are recognized as having a significant influence on the global carbon cycle through the production and export of calcium carbonate (often referred to as particulate inorganic carbon or PIC). Using remotely sensed PIC and chlorophyll data, we investigate the seasonal dynamics of coccolithophores relative to a mixed phytoplankton community. Seasonal variability in PIC, here considered to indicate changes in coccolithophore biomass, is identified across much of the global ocean. Blooms, which typically start in February–March in the low-latitude (~30°) Northern Hemisphere and last for ~6–7?months, get progressively later (April–May) and shorter (3–4?months) moving poleward. A similar pattern is observed in the Southern Hemisphere, where blooms that generally begin around August–September in the lower latitudes and which last for ~8?months get later and shorter with increasing latitude. It has previously been considered that phytoplankton blooms consist of a sequential succession of blooms of individual phytoplankton types. Comparison of PIC and chlorophyll peak dates suggests instead that in many open ocean regions, blooms of coccolithophores and other phytoplankton can co-occur, conflicting with the traditional view of species succession that is thought to take place in temperate regions such as the North Atlantic.
bloom, coccolithophore, phenology, remote sensing, particulate inorganic carbon, succession
0886-6236
239-253
Hopkins, Jason
1da01369-84a8-4c55-8577-ed6c37a07037
Henson, Stephanie A.
d6532e17-a65b-4d7b-9ee3-755ecb565c19
Painter, Stuart C.
29e32f35-4ee8-4654-b305-4dbe5a312295
Tyrrell, Toby
6808411d-c9cf-47a3-88b6-c7c294f2d114
Poulton, Alex J.
14bf64a7-d617-4913-b882-e8495543e717
Hopkins, Jason
1da01369-84a8-4c55-8577-ed6c37a07037
Henson, Stephanie A.
d6532e17-a65b-4d7b-9ee3-755ecb565c19
Painter, Stuart C.
29e32f35-4ee8-4654-b305-4dbe5a312295
Tyrrell, Toby
6808411d-c9cf-47a3-88b6-c7c294f2d114
Poulton, Alex J.
14bf64a7-d617-4913-b882-e8495543e717

Hopkins, Jason, Henson, Stephanie A., Painter, Stuart C., Tyrrell, Toby and Poulton, Alex J. (2015) Phenological characteristics of global coccolithophore blooms. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 29 (2), 239-253. (doi:10.1002/2014GB004919).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Coccolithophores are recognized as having a significant influence on the global carbon cycle through the production and export of calcium carbonate (often referred to as particulate inorganic carbon or PIC). Using remotely sensed PIC and chlorophyll data, we investigate the seasonal dynamics of coccolithophores relative to a mixed phytoplankton community. Seasonal variability in PIC, here considered to indicate changes in coccolithophore biomass, is identified across much of the global ocean. Blooms, which typically start in February–March in the low-latitude (~30°) Northern Hemisphere and last for ~6–7?months, get progressively later (April–May) and shorter (3–4?months) moving poleward. A similar pattern is observed in the Southern Hemisphere, where blooms that generally begin around August–September in the lower latitudes and which last for ~8?months get later and shorter with increasing latitude. It has previously been considered that phytoplankton blooms consist of a sequential succession of blooms of individual phytoplankton types. Comparison of PIC and chlorophyll peak dates suggests instead that in many open ocean regions, blooms of coccolithophores and other phytoplankton can co-occur, conflicting with the traditional view of species succession that is thought to take place in temperate regions such as the North Atlantic.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 27 February 2015
Published date: February 2015
Keywords: bloom, coccolithophore, phenology, remote sensing, particulate inorganic carbon, succession
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science, Marine Biogeochemistry

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 374858
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/374858
ISSN: 0886-6236
PURE UUID: b6c113e2-8edc-46bc-8302-c9b13dcfc6c5
ORCID for Toby Tyrrell: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1002-1716

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Date deposited: 03 Mar 2015 16:50
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:52

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Contributors

Author: Jason Hopkins
Author: Stuart C. Painter
Author: Toby Tyrrell ORCID iD
Author: Alex J. Poulton

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