A state variable for characterizing water masses and their diffusive stability: spiciness

Flament, Pierre

doi:10.1016/s0079-6611(02)00065-4

Cited by 169 publications

(151 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Distinct SST and salinity trends were also observed in both winter and summer months. Analysis of water mass diffusive stability via ''spiciness'' (Munk 1981 ; Table 1) suggests that surface waters sampled at the GCMPSL during the ''Upwelling'' period are consistent with values reported from , 50 m depth, within the California Undercurrent (p 5 0.3-0.4; Pierce et al 2000;Flament 2002). Finally, the influence of freshwater sources (via nearby ephemeral drainages) was negligible at this site.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 61%

Elemental and isotopic characterization of dissolved and particulate organic matter in a unique California upwelling system: Importance of size and composition in the export of labile material

Walker

McCarthy

2012

Limnology & Oceanography

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We report the interseasonal variation in bulk elemental and stable isotopic (d 13 C, d 15 N) composition of dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM, POM) during a high-resolution time series (2007)(2008)(2009)) on the Big Sur coast. In addition to interseasonal variations, we explore the relationships between physical size and reactivity (i.e., composition) of exportable organic matter (OM) pools, and characterize the elemental and isotopic composition of size-fractionated POM and DOM pools within this potentially high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) California upwelling region. Average POM concentrations were low (, 5.2 mmol C L 21 and , 0.7 mmol N L 21 ), and all OM pools had low C : N ratios (DOM average 5 15.0 and POM , 7.8)-indicating that this upwelling center may represent an important source of N-rich material to offshore environments. Seasonal ''excess'' dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production was significant (, 30-80 mmol L 21 DOC); however, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) production and cycling was largely decoupled from both DOC and physical processes. Overall, our results are consistent with this region representing an ''HNLC upwelling system.'' The distinct bulk elemental and isotopic OM composition and seasonality vs. that of high-productivity upwelling regions highlights the need to better understand the biogeochemical diversity of upwelling systems. Finally, we observed a quantifiable size-composition relationship across both POM and DOM size classes, perhaps representing a powerful new tool for modeling N vs. C fluxes in ocean biogeochemical cycles.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 61%

Elemental and isotopic characterization of dissolved and particulate organic matter in a unique California upwelling system: Importance of size and composition in the export of labile material

Walker

McCarthy

2012

Limnology & Oceanography

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“…This method is based on the automatic detection of the change of the subsurface hydrographic properties (temperature and salinity) along the continental shelf, as represented by the variable 'spiciness' (Flament 2002), which has higher values for hot and salty ('spicy') water and is a useful indicator of water masses. 'Spiciness' was calculated at 100 m depth in order to avoid the influence that atmospheric conditions and continental freshwater inputs have on the surface layer water masses and to characterise the underlying water masses of the region (Gonzalez-Nuevo & Nogueira 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition and structure of the larval fish community in the NW Iberian upwelling system during the winter mixing period

Rodrı́guez

Cabrero²,

Gago³

et al. 2015

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The composition and structure of the larval fish community (LFC) in the NW Iberian upwelling system in late winter 2012 were examined, and the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the horizontal distribution of fish larvae and on the horizontal structure of the LFC was investigated. The LFC, composed of 62 taxa (59 species and 3 genera) in 28 families, was dominated by Micromesistius poutassou followed by Scomber scombrus, Merluccius merluccius and Maurolicus muelleri. Multivariate analyses identified depth, sea surface temperature, geostrophic velocity and mesozooplankton biomass as the environmental factors involved in explaining variability in the LFC parameters (larval fish abundance, species richness and diversity) and revealed that the LFC was structured into coastal and slope larval fish assemblages. The main factor defining these assemblages was depth. However, the unusual coastal downwelling that occurred during the study would have participated in creating them and in maintaining assemblage boundaries, so that the importance of depth to the cross-shelf structuring of the LFC may have been overestimated. Our results suggest that larval fish assemblages in regions of coastal upwelling are driven by coastal downwelling during the winter mixing period and support the idea that fish larvae act as short-term (~10 d) biological tracers of the hydrography of the region during that period.

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“…12. Spice (Flament 2002) is a state variable useful for discriminating water masses in density profiles. Spice increases with increasing temperature and salinity and is nearly orthogonal to isopycnals in temperature-salinity space.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The response of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) in southern California to low‐frequency climate forcing

Parnell

Miller²,

Cody

et al. 2010

Limnology & Oceanography

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The nutrient climate on the inner shelf off southern California changed markedly across the 1976-1977 North Pacific climate regime shift. With respect to giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) canopies off southern California, the nitrate climate shifted from relatively replete conditions prior to the regime shift to depleted conditions afterward, and the dynamics of 14 giant kelp forests appeared to change as a result. The response of giant kelp to nutrientreplete years before the regime shift was dampened compared to their response afterward. The sensitivity of these kelp-forest canopies to nutrient limitation appears to have increased since the regime shift. This intensification of physical control after 1977 is evident in the strong correlation of seawater density (s t ) and M. pyrifera density. The linear fit of the percent of time the 25.1 s t isopycnal bathes the inner shelf, accounted for , 71% of the variability in kelp density off Point Loma, and the median depth of this isopycnal has deepened , 5 m since the regime shift. The wave climate also intensified beginning in the early 1970s. The dampened kelp response prior to the regime shift was likely due to greater biological control of kelp canopies via consumer and competitive processes (i.e., biological modulation) or decreased physical control at possibly many trophic levels. Our results suggest that the response of kelp forests to El Niñ o Southern Oscillation events is mediated by lower frequency climate modes that may modulate the regulatory importance of biological and physical processes on giant kelp.

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A state variable for characterizing water masses and their diffusive stability: spiciness

Cited by 169 publications

References 14 publications

Elemental and isotopic characterization of dissolved and particulate organic matter in a unique California upwelling system: Importance of size and composition in the export of labile material

Elemental and isotopic characterization of dissolved and particulate organic matter in a unique California upwelling system: Importance of size and composition in the export of labile material

Composition and structure of the larval fish community in the NW Iberian upwelling system during the winter mixing period

The response of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) in southern California to low‐frequency climate forcing

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