Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015)
Ocean primary production (PP), representing the uptake of inorganic carbon through photosynthesis, supports marine life and affects carbon exchange with the atmosphere. It is difficult to ascertain its magnitude, variability, and trends due to our inability to measure it directly at large scales. Ye...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4667 |
| _version_ | 1797747852155289600 |
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| author | Watson W Gregg Cecile S Rousseaux |
| author_facet | Watson W Gregg Cecile S Rousseaux |
| author_sort | Watson W Gregg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ocean primary production (PP), representing the uptake of inorganic carbon through photosynthesis, supports marine life and affects carbon exchange with the atmosphere. It is difficult to ascertain its magnitude, variability, and trends due to our inability to measure it directly at large scales. Yet it is paramount for understanding changes in marine health, fisheries, and the global carbon cycle. Using assimilation of ocean color satellite data into an ocean biogeochemical model, we estimate that global net ocean PP has experienced a small but significant decline −0.8 PgC y ^−1 (−2.1%) decade ^−1 ( P < 0.05) in the 18-year satellite record from 1998 to 2015. This decline is associated with shallowing surface mixed layer depth (−2.4% decade ^−1 ) and decreasing nitrate concentrations (−3.2% decade ^−1 ). Relative contributions to PP by various types of ocean phytoplankton have changed, with decreases in production by intermediate-sized phytoplankton represented by chlorophytes (−14.3% decade ^−1 ). This is partially compensated by increases from the unique, more nutrient-efficient, coccolithophores (8.4% decade ^−1 ). Geographically, the North and Equatorial Indian Oceans are responsible for much of the decline in PP, falling 0.16 and 0.69 PgC y ^−1 decade ^−1 , respectively. Reduced production by large, fast-growing diatoms along with chlorophytes characterizes the decline here. In contrast, increases in PP are found in the North and North Central Pacific. The increases here are led by chlorophytes in the North Pacific and the small cyanobacteria in the North Central Pacific. These results suggest that the multi-decadal satellite observational record, coupled with an underlying representation of marine biodiversity in a model, can monitor the uptake of carbon by phytoplankton and that changes, although small, are occurring in the global oceans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:57:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-447e663a45234127bbdf6e2d8180e3e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:57:31Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-447e663a45234127bbdf6e2d8180e3e12023-08-09T14:48:18ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262019-01-01141212401110.1088/1748-9326/ab4667Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015)Watson W Gregg0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8955-6707Cecile S Rousseaux1NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States of AmericaNASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Universities Space Research Association , Columbia, MD, United States of AmericaOcean primary production (PP), representing the uptake of inorganic carbon through photosynthesis, supports marine life and affects carbon exchange with the atmosphere. It is difficult to ascertain its magnitude, variability, and trends due to our inability to measure it directly at large scales. Yet it is paramount for understanding changes in marine health, fisheries, and the global carbon cycle. Using assimilation of ocean color satellite data into an ocean biogeochemical model, we estimate that global net ocean PP has experienced a small but significant decline −0.8 PgC y ^−1 (−2.1%) decade ^−1 ( P < 0.05) in the 18-year satellite record from 1998 to 2015. This decline is associated with shallowing surface mixed layer depth (−2.4% decade ^−1 ) and decreasing nitrate concentrations (−3.2% decade ^−1 ). Relative contributions to PP by various types of ocean phytoplankton have changed, with decreases in production by intermediate-sized phytoplankton represented by chlorophytes (−14.3% decade ^−1 ). This is partially compensated by increases from the unique, more nutrient-efficient, coccolithophores (8.4% decade ^−1 ). Geographically, the North and Equatorial Indian Oceans are responsible for much of the decline in PP, falling 0.16 and 0.69 PgC y ^−1 decade ^−1 , respectively. Reduced production by large, fast-growing diatoms along with chlorophytes characterizes the decline here. In contrast, increases in PP are found in the North and North Central Pacific. The increases here are led by chlorophytes in the North Pacific and the small cyanobacteria in the North Central Pacific. These results suggest that the multi-decadal satellite observational record, coupled with an underlying representation of marine biodiversity in a model, can monitor the uptake of carbon by phytoplankton and that changes, although small, are occurring in the global oceans.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4667oceanprimary productiondata assimilationtrends |
| spellingShingle | Watson W Gregg Cecile S Rousseaux Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015) Environmental Research Letters ocean primary production data assimilation trends |
| title | Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015) |
| title_full | Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015) |
| title_fullStr | Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015) |
| title_short | Global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record (1998–2015) |
| title_sort | global ocean primary production trends in the modern ocean color satellite record 1998 2015 |
| topic | ocean primary production data assimilation trends |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4667 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT watsonwgregg globaloceanprimaryproductiontrendsinthemodernoceancolorsatelliterecord19982015 AT cecilesrousseaux globaloceanprimaryproductiontrendsinthemodernoceancolorsatelliterecord19982015 |