Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass and production in the tropical Atlantic

  1. ENRIQUE MORENO-OSTOS 1
  2. MARÍA HUETE-ORTEGA 2
  3. BEATRIZ MOURIÑO-CARBALLIDO 3
  4. ALEJANDRA CALVO-DÍAZ 4
  5. XOSÉ ANXELU G. MORÁN 3
  6. EMILIO MARAÑÓN 4
  7. Fernández Carrera, Ana
  1. 1 Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Universidad de Málaga, Spain
  2. 2 Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Spain
  3. 3 Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Xixón,
  4. 4 Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Xixón. Spain
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Journal:
Scientia Marina

ISSN: 0214-8358

Year of publication: 2011

Volume: 75

Issue: 2

Pages: 379-389

Type: Article

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More publications in: Scientia Marina

Abstract

Two meridional transects were conducted in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic to describe (i) the spatial variability of total and size-fractionated (picophytoplankton and phytoplankton >2 mm) chlorophyll a (chl a) concentration and primary production, (ii) the relative contribution of each phytoplankton size fraction to total biomass and carbon fixation, and (iii) the spatial variability of size-fractionated phytoplankton growth rate (P/B) and assimilation number (P/chl a) in the ocean. The highest chl a for both size fractions was observed in the Western Tropical Atlantic province (WTRA), while the lowest chl a was found in the upper mixed layer (UML) of the South Atlantic Tropical gyre (SATL). A similar pattern was found for carbon fixation. Within the SATL, the highest picophytoplankton contribution to total production was recorded at the Deep Chlorophyll Maximum (DCM), while the contribution of phytoplankton >2 mm was higher in the UML. Additionally, the relative contribution of large phytoplankton to total integrated primary production was higher than its contribution to total biomass. Both size fractions depicted maximum P/B and P/chl a in WTRA surface waters. In the SATL province, phytoplankton >2 mm showed the highest P/B and P/chl a along the UML, while picophytoplankton P/B and P/chl a peaked around the DCM. We suggest that the differential impact of light on small and large phytoplankton may help to explain the contrasting dynamics of the two size classes.

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