Turbulence as a driver for vertical plankton distribution in the subsurface upper ocean

  1. DIEGO MACÍAS 1
  2. ÁNGEL RODRÍGUEZ-SANTANA 2
  3. EDUARDO RAMÍREZ-ROMERO 3
  4. MIGUEL BRUNO 4
  5. JOSEP L. PELEGRI 5
  6. PABLO SANGRÀ 2
  7. BORJA AGUIAR-GONZÁLEZ 2
  8. CARLOS M. GARCÍA 3
  1. 1 European Commission, Joint Research Center, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Water Research Unit, Via E. Fermi 2547, 21027-Ispra, Italy.
  2. 2 Departamento de Física, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
  3. 3 epartamento de Biología, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain
  4. 4 Departamento de Física Aplicada, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain
  5. 5 Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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Journal:
Scientia Marina

ISSN: 0214-8358

Year of publication: 2013

Volume: 77

Issue: 4

Pages: 541-549

Type: Article

DOI: 10.3989/SCIMAR.03854.03A DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Scientia Marina

Abstract

Vertical distributions of turbulent energy dissipation rates and fluorescence were measured simultaneously with a high-resolution micro-profiler in four different oceanographic regions, from temperate to polar and from coastal to open waters settings. High fluorescence values, forming a deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM), were often located in weakly stratified portions of the upper water column, just below layers with maximum levels of turbulent energy dissipation rate. In the vicinity of the DCM, a significant negative relationship between fluorescence and turbulent energy dissipation rate was found. We discuss the mechanisms that may explain the observed patterns of planktonic biomass distribution within the ocean mixed layer, including a vertically variable diffusion coefficient and the alteration of the cells’ sinking velocity by turbulent motion. These findings provide further insight into the processes controlling the vertical distribution of the pelagic community and position of the DCM.

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