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Mesoscale vertical motion and the size structure of phytoplankton in the ocean

Author

Listed:
  • Jaime Rodríguez

    (Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos)

  • Joaquín Tintoré

    (Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB))

  • John T. Allen

    (Southampton Oceanography Center)

  • José Ma Blanco

    (Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos)

  • Damià Gomis

    (Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB))

  • Andreas Reul

    (Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos)

  • Javier Ruiz

    (Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Cádiz)

  • Valeriano Rodríguez

    (Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos)

  • Fidel Echevarría

    (Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Cádiz)

  • Francisco Jiménez-Gómez

    (Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos
    Universidad de Jaén)

Abstract

Phytoplankton size structure is acknowledged as a fundamental property determining energy flow through ‘microbial’ or ‘herbivore’ pathways1. The balance between these two pathways determines the ability of the ecosystem to recycle carbon within the upper layer or to export it to the ocean interior1. Small cells are usually characteristic of oligotrophic, stratified ocean waters, in which regenerated ammonium is the only available form of inorganic nitrogen and recycling dominates. Large cells seem to characterize phytoplankton in which inputs of nitrate enter the euphotic layer and exported production is higher2,3,4. But the size structure of phytoplankton may depend more directly on hydrodynamical forces than on the source of available nitrogen5,6,7. Here we present an empirical model that relates the magnitude of mesoscale vertical motion to the slope of the size–abundance spectrum8,9,10 of phytoplankton in a frontal ecosystem. Our model indicates that the relative proportion of large cells increases with the magnitude of the upward velocity. This suggests that mesoscale vertical motion—a ubiquitous feature of eddies and unstable fronts—controls directly the size structure of phytoplankton in the ocean.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime Rodríguez & Joaquín Tintoré & John T. Allen & José Ma Blanco & Damià Gomis & Andreas Reul & Javier Ruiz & Valeriano Rodríguez & Fidel Echevarría & Francisco Jiménez-Gómez, 2001. "Mesoscale vertical motion and the size structure of phytoplankton in the ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 410(6826), pages 360-363, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:410:y:2001:i:6826:d:10.1038_35066560
    DOI: 10.1038/35066560
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    Cited by:

    1. Olga Mangoni & Rosaria Lombardo & Ida Camminatiello & Francesca Margiotta & Augusto Passarelli & Maria Saggiomo, 2017. "Phytoplankton community to assess the environmental status of the Adriatic Sea via non-linear partial least squares regression," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 799-812, March.
    2. José M Landeira & Bruno Ferron & Michel Lunven & Pascal Morin & Louis Marié & Marc Sourisseau, 2014. "Biophysical Interactions Control the Size and Abundance of Large Phytoplankton Chains at the Ushant Tidal Front," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-14, February.
    3. Portalier, Sébastien M.J. & Cherif, Mehdi & Zhang, Lai & Fussmann, Gregor F. & Loreau, Michel, 2016. "Size-related effects of physical factors on phytoplankton communities," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 323(C), pages 41-50.
    4. Liqiang Yang & Xiaotong He & Shaoguo Ru & Yongyu Zhang, 2024. "Herbicide leakage into seawater impacts primary productivity and zooplankton globally," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Moscoso, Jordyn E. & Bianchi, Daniele & Stewart, Andrew L., 2022. "Controls and characteristics of biomass quantization in size-structured planktonic ecosystem models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 468(C).

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