Total and new production in the Gulf of California estimated from ocean color data from the satellite sensor SeaWIFS

• Published in: Deep-sea research. Part 2. Topical studies in oceanography Vol. 51; no. 6-9; pp. 739 - 752
• Main Authors: Hidalgo-González, Raquel M., Alvarez-Borrego, Saúl
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Marine and continental quaternary; Marine geology; Physics of the oceans; Surficial geology; Gulf of California; Northeast Pacific; North Pacific; ISE, Mexico, California Gulf; models; biomass; color; Vertical distribution; concentration; ocean-atmosphere interaction; Chlorophyll a; dynamics; El Nino; islands; Attenuation coefficient; Southern oscillation; phytoplankton; Pacific Ocean; plankton; SeaStar satellite; seasonal variations
• ISSN: 0967-0645; 1879-0100
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2004.05.006

Integrated total (PTint) and new production (Pnewint) (g Cm−2d−1) were calculated for the Gulf of California with semi-analytical models from the literature, using chlorophyll a concentrations (Chlsat) and the vertical attenuation coefficients of light (K490) from monthly composites of the satellite sensor SeaWIFS (1997–2002). The phytoplankton biomass vertical distribution associated with Chlsat, and the vertical distribution of the f-ratio (f(z)=Pnew(z)/PT(z)), were deduced from historic oceanographic data. The year was divided into two seasons: cool and warm. Values for PTint had a large seasonal variation (e.g., 1.16–1.91 for the cool season, and 0.39–0.49 for the warm season). Values for Pnewint for the cool season increased from the entrance region to the big islands region and then it remained the same from there to the northern Gulf, with values up to twice as large in the two latter regions (up to 1.33g Cm−2d−1) with respect to those of the entrance (up to 0.48). Values of Pnewint for the warm season were less than half those of the cool season (0.25–0.31). In spite of the limited data, a clear interannual PTint variability is evident for the entrance region, with lowest values for the 1997–1999 ENSO event. This kind of variation was also present for the central Gulf, but the effect was much weaker due to its strong dynamics.