The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge
Abstract Phytoplankton blooms occur annually at the sea‐ice edge throughout the Arctic during the spring melt period. Our study considers how these spring blooms may depend on sea‐ice meltwater, focusing on the role of horizontal mixing and advection. We extend the classic Fisher reaction‐diffusion...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL091758 |
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| author | C. W. Lester T. J. W. Wagner Dylan E. McNamara M. R. Cape |
| author_facet | C. W. Lester T. J. W. Wagner Dylan E. McNamara M. R. Cape |
| author_sort | C. W. Lester |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Phytoplankton blooms occur annually at the sea‐ice edge throughout the Arctic during the spring melt period. Our study considers how these spring blooms may depend on sea‐ice meltwater, focusing on the role of horizontal mixing and advection. We extend the classic Fisher reaction‐diffusion equation to consider a time‐ and space‐varying death rate that represents the role of meltwater in the system. Our results indicate that blooms peak at a characteristic distance from the ice edge where (i) meltwater is concentrated enough to stratify the upper ocean such that the phytoplankton are confined near the surface and (ii) phytoplankton have been exposed to sufficient sunlight to allow for optimized growth. The results reproduce key characteristics of a large bloom observed in Fram Strait in May 2019. Our findings support the idea that sea‐ice meltwater is of central importance in setting the spatial patterns of Arctic phytoplankton blooms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ed4226d6939b4294b64284c09de017d9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed4226d6939b4294b64284c09de017d92025-08-20T03:04:21ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072021-01-01482n/an/a10.1029/2020GL091758The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice EdgeC. W. Lester0T. J. W. Wagner1Dylan E. McNamara2M. R. Cape3Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography/Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington NC USADepartment of Physics and Physical Oceanography/Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington NC USADepartment of Physics and Physical Oceanography/Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington NC USAApplied Physics Laboratory University of Washington Seattle WA USAAbstract Phytoplankton blooms occur annually at the sea‐ice edge throughout the Arctic during the spring melt period. Our study considers how these spring blooms may depend on sea‐ice meltwater, focusing on the role of horizontal mixing and advection. We extend the classic Fisher reaction‐diffusion equation to consider a time‐ and space‐varying death rate that represents the role of meltwater in the system. Our results indicate that blooms peak at a characteristic distance from the ice edge where (i) meltwater is concentrated enough to stratify the upper ocean such that the phytoplankton are confined near the surface and (ii) phytoplankton have been exposed to sufficient sunlight to allow for optimized growth. The results reproduce key characteristics of a large bloom observed in Fram Strait in May 2019. Our findings support the idea that sea‐ice meltwater is of central importance in setting the spatial patterns of Arctic phytoplankton blooms.https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL091758Arcticice edge bloommeltwatermodelingphytoplankton bloomsea‐ice edge |
| spellingShingle | C. W. Lester T. J. W. Wagner Dylan E. McNamara M. R. Cape The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge Geophysical Research Letters Arctic ice edge bloom meltwater modeling phytoplankton bloom sea‐ice edge |
| title | The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge |
| title_full | The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge |
| title_short | The Influence of Meltwater on Phytoplankton Blooms Near the Sea‐Ice Edge |
| title_sort | influence of meltwater on phytoplankton blooms near the sea ice edge |
| topic | Arctic ice edge bloom meltwater modeling phytoplankton bloom sea‐ice edge |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL091758 |
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