Abstract
Between 2013 and 2016, a series of warm events induced by ocean atmosphere oscillations negatively impacted productivity in the northeast Pacific Ocean. For two consecutive winters (2013–2014 and 2014–2015), suppressed wind stress and warm near-surface ocean temperature anomalies restricted vertical mixing between the surface and underlying nutrient-enriched waters. Here we assess historical data of sea surface temperature and sea level pressure, along with nearly a decade of biogeochemical float data to evaluate the impact of these warm events on organic carbon production. The first stratified winter experienced little apparent impact on the magnitude of net organic carbon production in the growing season relative to prior years, suggesting an immediate resilience from reduced new nutrients, apparently depending on recycled iron. However, the subsequent winter experienced virtually zero net production; a loss of resilience, perhaps due to net iron removal with export, was evident. We find that consistently enhanced winter stratification decreased carbon production much more so than a single warm winter. This study highlights the sensitivity of marine productivity to ocean atmosphere oscillations, reducing deep ocean carbon sequestration with prolonged ocean warming and stratification.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1174-1186 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Global Biogeochemical Cycles |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- carbon cycle
- El Niño
- net community production
- organic matter
- the Warm Blob
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Global and Planetary Change
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Science(all)
- Atmospheric Science
Cite this
Warm Events Induce Loss of Resilience in Organic Carbon Production in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. / Bif, Mariana B.; Siqueira, Leo; Hansell, Dennis A.
In: Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 33, No. 9, 01.09.2019, p. 1174-1186.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Warm Events Induce Loss of Resilience in Organic Carbon Production in the Northeast Pacific Ocean
AU - Bif, Mariana B.
AU - Siqueira, Leo
AU - Hansell, Dennis A.
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - Between 2013 and 2016, a series of warm events induced by ocean atmosphere oscillations negatively impacted productivity in the northeast Pacific Ocean. For two consecutive winters (2013–2014 and 2014–2015), suppressed wind stress and warm near-surface ocean temperature anomalies restricted vertical mixing between the surface and underlying nutrient-enriched waters. Here we assess historical data of sea surface temperature and sea level pressure, along with nearly a decade of biogeochemical float data to evaluate the impact of these warm events on organic carbon production. The first stratified winter experienced little apparent impact on the magnitude of net organic carbon production in the growing season relative to prior years, suggesting an immediate resilience from reduced new nutrients, apparently depending on recycled iron. However, the subsequent winter experienced virtually zero net production; a loss of resilience, perhaps due to net iron removal with export, was evident. We find that consistently enhanced winter stratification decreased carbon production much more so than a single warm winter. This study highlights the sensitivity of marine productivity to ocean atmosphere oscillations, reducing deep ocean carbon sequestration with prolonged ocean warming and stratification.
AB - Between 2013 and 2016, a series of warm events induced by ocean atmosphere oscillations negatively impacted productivity in the northeast Pacific Ocean. For two consecutive winters (2013–2014 and 2014–2015), suppressed wind stress and warm near-surface ocean temperature anomalies restricted vertical mixing between the surface and underlying nutrient-enriched waters. Here we assess historical data of sea surface temperature and sea level pressure, along with nearly a decade of biogeochemical float data to evaluate the impact of these warm events on organic carbon production. The first stratified winter experienced little apparent impact on the magnitude of net organic carbon production in the growing season relative to prior years, suggesting an immediate resilience from reduced new nutrients, apparently depending on recycled iron. However, the subsequent winter experienced virtually zero net production; a loss of resilience, perhaps due to net iron removal with export, was evident. We find that consistently enhanced winter stratification decreased carbon production much more so than a single warm winter. This study highlights the sensitivity of marine productivity to ocean atmosphere oscillations, reducing deep ocean carbon sequestration with prolonged ocean warming and stratification.
KW - carbon cycle
KW - El Niño
KW - net community production
KW - organic matter
KW - the Warm Blob
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85073595073&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85073595073&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2019GB006327
DO - 10.1029/2019GB006327
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85073595073
VL - 33
SP - 1174
EP - 1186
JO - Global Biogeochemical Cycles
JF - Global Biogeochemical Cycles
SN - 0886-6236
IS - 9
ER -