Factors controlling the seasonal distribution of pelagic Sargassum

Brooks, Maureen T.; Coles, Victoria J.; Hood, Raleigh R.; Gower, J. F. R.

doi:10.3354/meps12646

Cited by 80 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Pelagic Sargassum occurs over vast areas of open ocean but is patchy and ephemeral. Its distribution is largely controlled by physical processes, notably ocean circulation and wind (Brooks et al, 2018). Sargassum accumulates in areas of convergence, similar to debris and other pollutants (Powers et al, 2013).…”

Section: Pelagic Macroalgaementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to its vast and largely inaccessible habitat in the open ocean, pelagic Sargassum is monitored mostly by satellite (Brooks et al, 2018). Satellite sensors are a valuable tool in a wide range of applications, including coastal mapping, ocean circulation monitoring, resource management, and extreme event forecasting ( Table 1).…”

Section: Current Status Of Observing: Pelagic Sargassummentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward a Coordinated Global Observing System for Seagrasses and Marine Macroalgae

et al. 2019

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Section: Pelagic Macroalgaementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Current Status Of Observing: Pelagic Sargassummentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a Coordinated Global Observing System for Seagrasses and Marine Macroalgae

et al. 2019

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“…Lagrangian particle tracking models are useful in determining the sources, trajectories, and destinations of drifting macroalgae (Lee et al 2011, Son et al 2015, Brooks et al 2018, Putman et al 2018. Transport of green algae in the YS was simulated for May and June 2008 (Lee et al 2011) and for June and July 2011 (Son et al 2015).…”

Section: Satellite Remote Sensing Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Forward particle tracking simulations were performed according to the ranges of windage factors proposed in previous studies (Son et al 2015, Brooks et al 2018, Putman et al 2018) and the synthetic particles were released on May 7, 2017. The spatial distribution of the synthetic particles on May 28 depended on the windage factor; as this factor was increased, the intrusion of particles into the YS increased (Fig.…”

Section: Sensitivity To the Windage Factormentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracing the trajectory of pelagic <italic>Sargassum</italic> using satellite monitoring and Lagrangian transport simulations in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea

Kwon¹,

Choi²,

Kim³

et al. 2019

ALGAE

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Northeastward drifts of massive Sargassum patches were observed in the East China Sea (ECS) and Yellow Sea (YS) by the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) in May 2017. Coverage of the brown macroalgae patches was the largest ever recorded in the ECS and YS. Three-dimensional circulation modeling and Lagrangian particle tracking simulations were conducted to reproduce drifting trajectories of the macroalgae patches. The trajectories of the macroalgae patches were controlled by winds as well as surface currents. A windage (leeway) factor of 1% was chosen based on sensitivity simulations. Southerly winds in May 2017 contributed to farther northward intrusion of the brown macroalgae into the YS. Although satellite observation and numerical modeling have their own limitations and associated uncertainties, the two methods can be combined to find the best estimate of Sargassum patch trajectories. When satellites were unable to capture all patches because of clouds and sea fog in the ECS and YS, the Lagrangian particle tracking model helped to track and restore the missing patches in satellite images. This study suggests that satellite monitoring and numerical modeling are complementary to ensure accurate tracking of macroalgae patches in the ECS and YS.

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“…The Sargassum biomass in the Gulf of Mexico and tropical Atlantic exerts a strong influence over basin‐wide Sargassum distribution (Brooks et al, ). Previous studies (Brooks et al, ; Franks et al, ; Putman et al, ) simulating Sargassum with Lagrangian particles showed potential pathways for Sargassum dispersal and highlighted the link between Sargassum biomass in the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. However, these previous models of Sargassum drift fail to account for changes in trajectory caused by the size and mass of the floating rafts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inertia Influences Pelagic Sargassum Advection and Distribution

Brooks

Coles

2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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The effect of inertia (resistance to a change in velocity of buoyant finite‐sized objects) on the advection of pelagic Sargassum, a macroalgae, is a function of the size and density of natural Sargassum rafts. Here we present observations of Sargassum density and an approach for estimating an effective radius of Sargassum rafts from remote‐sensing observations. This allows the existing theoretical framework for Lagrangian modeling of inertial effects on spherical particles to be applied to Sargassum. Accounting for inertia yields up to a 20% increase in Sargassum export from the Sargasso Sea southward and provides a return pathway to the tropics that may be important to maintaining a self‐sustaining population. Resolving inertial effects also leads to increases in retention in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, where Sargassum inundation events are increasingly common. Including inertial effects in models of Sargassum advection could improve predictions of these events.

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Factors controlling the seasonal distribution of pelagic Sargassum

Cited by 80 publications

References 56 publications

Toward a Coordinated Global Observing System for Seagrasses and Marine Macroalgae

Toward a Coordinated Global Observing System for Seagrasses and Marine Macroalgae

Tracing the trajectory of pelagic <italic>Sargassum</italic> using satellite monitoring and Lagrangian transport simulations in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea

Inertia Influences Pelagic Sargassum Advection and Distribution

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