Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System
Previous studies focused on understanding the role of physical drivers on phytoplankton bloom formation mainly used indirect estimates of turbulent mixing. Here we use weekly observations of microstructure turbulence, dissolved inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll a concentration and primary production...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.712342/full |
| _version_ | 1818606274723446784 |
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| author | Antonio Comesaña Bieito Fernández-Castro Bieito Fernández-Castro Paloma Chouciño Emilio Fernández Antonio Fuentes-Lema Miguel Gilcoto María Pérez-Lorenzo Beatriz Mouriño-Carballido |
| author_facet | Antonio Comesaña Bieito Fernández-Castro Bieito Fernández-Castro Paloma Chouciño Emilio Fernández Antonio Fuentes-Lema Miguel Gilcoto María Pérez-Lorenzo Beatriz Mouriño-Carballido |
| author_sort | Antonio Comesaña |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies focused on understanding the role of physical drivers on phytoplankton bloom formation mainly used indirect estimates of turbulent mixing. Here we use weekly observations of microstructure turbulence, dissolved inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll a concentration and primary production carried out in the Ría de Vigo (NW Iberian upwelling system) between March 2017 and May 2018 to investigate the relationship between turbulent mixing and phytoplankton growth at different temporal scales. In order to interpret our results, we used the theoretical framework described by the Critical Turbulent Hypothesis (CTH). According to this conceptual model if turbulence is low enough, the depth of the layer where mixing is active can be shallower than the mixed-layer depth, and phytoplankton may receive enough light to bloom. Our results showed that the coupling between turbulent mixing and phytoplankton growth in this system occurs at seasonal, but also at shorter time scales. In agreement with the CTH, higher phytoplankton growth rates were observed when mixing was low during spring-summer transitional and upwelling periods, whereas low values were described during periods of high mixing (fall-winter transitional and downwelling). However, low mixing conditions were not enough to ensure phytoplankton growth, as low phytoplankton growth was also found under these circumstances. Wavelet spectral analysis revealed that turbulent mixing and phytoplankton growth were also related at shorter time scales. The higher coherence between both variables was found in spring-summer at the ~16–30 d period and in fall-winter at the ~16–90 d period. These results suggest that mixing could act as a control factor on phytoplankton growth over the seasonal cycle, and could be also involved in the formation of occasional short-lived phytoplankton blooms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:08:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c00cbe7c93294375a07a592949845404 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:08:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-c00cbe7c93294375a07a5929498454042022-12-21T22:28:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452021-09-01810.3389/fmars.2021.712342712342Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling SystemAntonio Comesaña0Bieito Fernández-Castro1Bieito Fernández-Castro2Paloma Chouciño3Emilio Fernández4Antonio Fuentes-Lema5Miguel Gilcoto6María Pérez-Lorenzo7Beatriz Mouriño-Carballido8Departamento de Bioloxía e Ecoloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, SpainOcean and Earth Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United KingdomPhysics of Aquatic Systems Laboratory, Margaretha Kamprad Chair, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartamento de Bioloxía e Ecoloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, SpainDepartamento de Bioloxía e Ecoloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, SpainDepartamento de Bioloxía e Ecoloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, SpainDepartamento de Oceanografía, Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, SpainDepartamento de Bioloxía e Ecoloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, SpainDepartamento de Bioloxía e Ecoloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, SpainPrevious studies focused on understanding the role of physical drivers on phytoplankton bloom formation mainly used indirect estimates of turbulent mixing. Here we use weekly observations of microstructure turbulence, dissolved inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll a concentration and primary production carried out in the Ría de Vigo (NW Iberian upwelling system) between March 2017 and May 2018 to investigate the relationship between turbulent mixing and phytoplankton growth at different temporal scales. In order to interpret our results, we used the theoretical framework described by the Critical Turbulent Hypothesis (CTH). According to this conceptual model if turbulence is low enough, the depth of the layer where mixing is active can be shallower than the mixed-layer depth, and phytoplankton may receive enough light to bloom. Our results showed that the coupling between turbulent mixing and phytoplankton growth in this system occurs at seasonal, but also at shorter time scales. In agreement with the CTH, higher phytoplankton growth rates were observed when mixing was low during spring-summer transitional and upwelling periods, whereas low values were described during periods of high mixing (fall-winter transitional and downwelling). However, low mixing conditions were not enough to ensure phytoplankton growth, as low phytoplankton growth was also found under these circumstances. Wavelet spectral analysis revealed that turbulent mixing and phytoplankton growth were also related at shorter time scales. The higher coherence between both variables was found in spring-summer at the ~16–30 d period and in fall-winter at the ~16–90 d period. These results suggest that mixing could act as a control factor on phytoplankton growth over the seasonal cycle, and could be also involved in the formation of occasional short-lived phytoplankton blooms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.712342/fullphytoplanktonturbulent mixingcritical turbulence hypothesiswavelet analysisRía de VigoNW Iberian upwelling system |
| spellingShingle | Antonio Comesaña Bieito Fernández-Castro Bieito Fernández-Castro Paloma Chouciño Emilio Fernández Antonio Fuentes-Lema Miguel Gilcoto María Pérez-Lorenzo Beatriz Mouriño-Carballido Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System Frontiers in Marine Science phytoplankton turbulent mixing critical turbulence hypothesis wavelet analysis Ría de Vigo NW Iberian upwelling system |
| title | Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System |
| title_full | Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System |
| title_fullStr | Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System |
| title_short | Mixing and Phytoplankton Growth in an Upwelling System |
| title_sort | mixing and phytoplankton growth in an upwelling system |
| topic | phytoplankton turbulent mixing critical turbulence hypothesis wavelet analysis Ría de Vigo NW Iberian upwelling system |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.712342/full |
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