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What drives the increased phytoplankton biomass in the Arabian Sea?

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Relation http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/6205/
 
Title What drives the increased
phytoplankton biomass in the
Arabian Sea?
 
Creator Prasanna Kumar, S
Roshin, P Raj
Narvekar, Jayu
Dinesh Kumar, P K
Vivekanandan, E
 
Subject Phytoplanktons
 
Description The seasonal variability of phytoplankton biomass in
the Arabian Sea, though a well researched topic, its
inter-annual variability is less explored and understood.
Analysis of the satellite-derived chlorophyll
pigment concentration in the Arabian Sea during 1997–2007 showed a weak increasing trend. Contrary
to the earlier hypothesis, our analysis showed that this
increased phytoplankton biomass was not driven by
the strengthening winds during summer monsoon. In
fact, the basin-averaged chlorophyll concentrations
during summer monsoon tend to decline, whereas
those in September–October and during the winter
monsoon showed an increasing trend. Based on the
analysis of wind and aerosol optical thickness data, we
attribute the increased phytoplankton biomass during
September–October to dust-induced iron fertilization
when there is sufficient buildup of nitrate in the upper
ocean. During winter, the enhanced evaporative cooling
under the strengthening winds led to the increased
convective mixing. Subsequent supply of subsurface
nutrients to the euphotic zone coupled with the
increased dust delivery support the observed increase
in phytoplankton biomass during winter.
 
Date 2010
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/6205/1/2010_E_viv.pdf
Prasanna Kumar, S and Roshin, P Raj and Narvekar, Jayu and Dinesh Kumar, P K and Vivekanandan, E (2010) What drives the increased phytoplankton biomass in the Arabian Sea? Current Science, 99 (1). pp. 101-106.