Satellite evidence of hurricane‐induced phytoplankton blooms in an oceanic desert

Abstract

[1] The physical effects of hurricanes include deepening of the mixed layer and decreasing of the sea surface temperature in response to entrainment, curl-induced upwelling, and increased upper ocean cooling. However, the biological effects of hurricanes remain relatively unexplored. In this paper, we examine the passages of 13 hurricanes through the Sargasso Sea region of the North Atlantic during the years 1998 through 2001. Remotely sensed ocean color shows increased concentrations of surface chlorophyll within the cool wakes of the hurricanes, apparently in response to the injection of nutrients and/or biogenic pigments into the oligotrophic surface waters. This increase in post-storm surface chlorophyll concentration usually lasted 2-3 weeks before it returned to its nominal pre-hurricane level.

Enhancement of phytoplankton primary productivity in the southern East China Sea following episodic typhoon passage

“…A non-linear relation between PP enh and TS (Figure 2a) seemed to be the best equation to reflect a non-linear response of phytoplankton to upwelled nutrients [see Dugdale, 1985]. PP enh was not significantly correlated with MSW (Figure 2c), as has been reported in previous studies [e.g., Babin et al, 2004;Siswanto et al, 2007]. Of interest is the finding that PP enh was significantly correlated with V measured at YI (R 2 = 0.45, p < 0.01, Figure 2b).…”

“…This range was considered to represent the minimum estimate of PP enh , as we did not consider the lifetime of a phytoplankton Chl-a bloom. Considering that a Chl-a bloom can last for several days or even weeks after a typhoon's passage [e.g., Babin et al, 2004;Siswanto et al, 2007], this range of PP enh could be several times larger, suggesting that typhoon passages over the southern ECS are important phenomena supporting NP in the ECS.…”

Identifying nutrient sources to three lagoons at Ofu and Olosega, American Samoa using δ15N of benthic macroalgae

“…If lagoon substrate was exposed by removal of sand or turf algae, as often occurs during storms, an opportunistic filamentous alga could colonize, grow rapidly, and produce a ''bloom''. Hurricanes and other strong storms produce oceanic upwelling, where deep, cooler, nutrient-rich waters are brought to the surface (reviewed in Babin et al, 2004). Storm-induced upwelling in conjunction with tidal pumping and surface runoff from land could provide a considerable source of nutrients to the nearshore waters.…”

Quantification of Typhoon-Induced Phytoplankton Blooms Using Satellite Multi-Sensor Data

“…After the passage of tropical cyclones, sufficient light provides favorable conditions for the growth of phytoplankton in the upper ocean. Even in the oligotrophic ocean, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration increases significantly at the surface of cooling areas after the passage of a cyclone, with nutrient-rich water uplifted into the surface layer [13]. The augmentation of chlorophyll-a usually may last about two weeks after the cyclone passes [16,17], as does the surface cooling.…”

“…Since the forcing of tropical cyclone winds can induce strong ocean mixing and upwelling, nutrients in the sub-surface can be brought into the ocean surface layer, enhancing photosynthesis and boosting primary productivity at the ocean surface [4,[13][14][15]. After the passage of tropical cyclones, sufficient light provides favorable conditions for the growth of phytoplankton in the upper ocean.…”