Physics or biology? Persistent chlorophyll accumulation in a shallow coastal sea explained by pathogens and carnivorous grazing

PloS One
Kai W Wirtz

Abstract

One of the most striking patterns at the land-ocean interface is the massive increase of chlorophyll-a (CHL) from continental shelves towards the coast, a phenomenon that is classically linked to physical features. Here I propose that the coastal-offshore CHL gradient in a shallow sea has biological origins related to phytoplankton mortality that are neglected in state-of-the-art biogeochemical models. I integrate a trait-based ecosystem model into a modular coupling framework that is applied to the southern North Sea (SNS). The coupled model very well reproduces daily, seasonal and inter-annual (2000-2014) dynamics and meso-scale patterns in macronutrients, zooplankton biomass, and CHL as observed in situ and by remote sensors. Numerical experiments reveal that coast-offshore CHL gradients may predominantly arise from a trophic effect as resolved by an increase in carnivorous grazing towards shallow waters. This carnivory gradient reflects higher near-coast abundance of juvenile fish and benthic filter feeders. Furthermore, the temporal evolution of CHL can be much affected by viral infection as a fast-responding loss process at intermediate to high phytoplankton concentrations. Viral control in the model also prevents excessi...Continue Reading

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Software Mentioned

OMEXDIA
MOSSCO
COASTDAT
MAECS
Delft3D
Scanfish
POLCOMS
FABM ( Framework for Aquatic Biogeochemical Models
ERSEM
GETM

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