Ocean net heat flux influences seasonal to interannual patterns of plankton abundance.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Smyth TJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4053316 | biostudies-literature | 2014
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Ocean net heat flux influences seasonal to interannual patterns of plankton abundance.
Smyth Tim J TJ Allen Icarus I Atkinson Angus A Bruun John T JT Harmer Rachel A RA Pingree Robin D RD Widdicombe Claire E CE Somerfield Paul J PJ
PloS one 20140611 2
Changes in the net heat flux (NHF) into the ocean have profound impacts on global climate. We analyse a long-term plankton time-series and show that the NHF is a critical indicator of ecosystem dynamics. We show that phytoplankton abundance and diversity patterns are tightly bounded by the switches between negative and positive NHF over an annual cycle. Zooplankton increase before the transition to positive NHF in the spring but are constrained by the negative NHF switch in autumn. By contrast b ...[more]
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