Growth and Phenomenology of Phytoplankton Thin Layers in the Gulf of Maine
Abstract
The overarching long-term goal of this study is to understand what controls phytoplankton distribution, optical properties, and production in the coastal ocean. The researchers' project-specific goals are to understand the mechanisms responsible for the creation, maintenance, and demise of subsurface phytoplankton layers in the Gulf of Maine; to decrease uncertainty in interpretation of chlorophyll a fluorescence as an estimator of phytoplankton biomass by better understanding daytime fluorescence quenching; and to determine the vertical distribution of toxigenic species of Alexandrium in the Gulf of Maine. The specific objectives of the past year's work were as follows: (1) to continue to analyze data from two cruises in 2005 and 2006 in the Gulf of Maine to better understand how the subsurface distributions of phytoplankton and suspended particles are controlled by light, nitrate, and density structure over a broad range of hydrographic conditions; (2) to improve the analysis of nitrate concentrations derived from in situ UV absorption spectra with ISUS; (3) to continue to analyze data from optically instrumented gliders deployed in the Gulf of Maine; (4) to confirm diel and vertical patterns in phytoplankton UV absorption coefficients; (5) to analyze patterns in photoinhibition of variable fluorescence and in situ chlorophyll a fluorescence; and (6) to continue to analyze distributions of Alexandrium species in the Gulf of Maine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA523144
Entities
People
- David W. Townsend
- Mary J. Perry
Organizations
- University of Maine