Seasonal and inter-annual variability of net primary production in the NW Iberian margin (1998–2016) in relation to wind stress and sea surface temperature

Beca-Carretero, PP, Otero, J, Land, PE, Groom, SB and Alvarez-Salgado, XA 2019 Seasonal and inter-annual variability of net primary production in the NW Iberian margin (1998–2016) in relation to wind stress and sea surface temperature. Progress in Oceanography, 178. 102135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2019.102135

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Abstract/Summary

Seasonal and inter-annual variability of satellite-derived net primary production (NPP) in the NW Iberian margin and its relationship with the offshore Ekman transport (-Qx) and a variety of sea surface temperature (SST) indices have been examined over the period 1998–2016. Seasonality explained about 55% of NPP variability over the shelf and the adjacent ocean. Maximum NPP rates occurred by May in the adjacent ocean, and were delayed until July over the shelf. The excess production (ΔNPP) over the shelf compared to the ocean domain represented 0.45 ± 0.02 g C m−2 d−1 or 37 ± 2% of the total NPP and peaked in August, in between the maximum -Qx and the maximum SST difference between the shelf and the adjacent ocean (ΔSST). During the upwelling season, the inter-annual variability of NPP in the adjacent ocean correlated positively with the spring stratification (SSTstr) and the average -Qx over the upwelling season and ΔNPP correlated inversely with ΔSST. Conversely, during the downwelling season, ΔNPP correlated with the average stratification (SSTdown) over the downwelling season. The rates of change of NPP with the climate-related variables (-Qx, ΔSST, SSTstr, SSTdown), obtained from these regressions, may be used to test the sensitivity of the NW Iberian upwelling productivity to climate change.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Additional Keywords:	Net primary production New production Satellite imagery Coastal upwelling NW Spain
Divisions:	Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Earth Observation Science and Applications
Depositing User:	S Hawkins
Date made live:	17 Oct 2019 08:07
Last Modified:	25 Apr 2020 10:00
URI:	https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/8258

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