1. Deep Chlorophyll Maxima in the Global Ocean: Occurrences, Drivers and Characteristics
- Author
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Léo Lacour, Alexandre Mignot, M. Cornec, Antoine Poteau, Fabrizio D'Ortenzio, Lionel Guidi, Hervé Claustre, Catherine Schmechtig, Bernard Gentili, Laboratoire d'océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de la Mer de Villefranche (IMEV), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Mercator Océan, Société Civile CNRS Ifremer IRD Météo-France SHOM, Takuvik Joint International Laboratory ULAVAL-CNRS, Université Laval [Québec] (ULaval)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), and Université Laval [Québec] (ULaval)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Atmospheric Science ,Chlorophyll a ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,irradiance ,Stratification (water) ,01 natural sciences ,nitracline ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,stratification ,Phytoplankton ,Argo floats ,BGC‐ ,Environmental Chemistry ,14. Life underwater ,open ocean ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,General Environmental Science ,Global and Planetary Change ,Biomass (ecology) ,Deep chlorophyll maximum ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Pelagic zone ,deep chlorophyll maximum ,particle backscattering ,Oceanography ,chemistry ,13. Climate action ,Ocean color ,Chlorophyll ,[SDE]Environmental Sciences ,Environmental science - Abstract
International audience; Stratified oceanic systems are characterized by the presence of a so-called Deep Chlorophyll a Maximum (DCM) not detectable by ocean color satellites. A DCM can either be a phytoplankton (carbon) biomass maximum (Deep Biomass Maximum, DBM), or the consequence of photoacclimation processes (Deep photoAcclimation Maximum, DAM) resulting in the increase of chlorophyll a per phytoplankton carbon. Even though these DCM (further qualified as either DBMs or DAMs) have long been studied, no global-scale assessment has yet been undertaken and large knowledge gaps still remain in relation to the environmental drivers responsible for their formation and maintenance. In order to investigate their spatial and temporal variability in the open ocean, we use a global data set acquired by more than 500 Biogeochemical-Argo floats given that DCMs can be detected from the comparative vertical distribution of chlorophyll a concentrations and particulate backscattering coefficients. Our findings show that the seasonal dynamics of the DCMs are clearly region-dependent. High-latitude environments are characterized by a low occurrence of intense DBMs, restricted to summer. Meanwhile, oligotrophic regions host permanent DAMs, occasionally replaced by DBMs in summer, while subequatorial waters are characterized by permanent DBMs benefiting from favorable conditions in terms of both light and nutrients. Overall, the appearance and depth of DCMs are primarily driven by light attenuation in the upper layer. Our present assessment of DCM occurrence and of environmental conditions prevailing in their development lay the basis for a better understanding and quantification of their role in carbon budgets (primary production and export).
- Published
- 2021
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