The Effect of Oceanographic Circulation on in Monterey Bay on Plankton Ecology: An Analysis of the Navy Coastal Ocean Model
Abstract
Blue whales migrate to Monterey Bay, California between June and November to feed on dense euphausiid schools that form near the offshore edge of the submarine canyon. The seasonal arrival of the whales may be linked to predictable krill abundance. There are two hypotheses concerning euphausiid accumulation: (1) krill accumulate in areas where current flow is consistently weak, and (2) krill accumulate in areas of high primary production. This study examined output from the high resolution Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) and correlated the circulation features predicted by the model with observed biological distributions. The model output indicated that the Monterey Bay submarine canyon is a region of weak current flow and low current variability. Model current fields showed that nutrient-rich water from a nearby upwelling center flows into the bay, making it conducive to primary productivity. Knowledge of how physical oceanographic factors affect marine food webs will facilitate the prediction of areas where marine mammals are likely to be present and inform the designation of marine sanctuaries.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA474334
Entities
People
- Adria R. Mcclain
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School