HR: 0800h
AN: U41C-0616    [Abstracts]
TI: Satellite-derived distribution of surface chlorophyll biomass and its relation to variability in sea ice cover in the northern Bering Sea
AU: * Frey, K E
EM: kfrey@clarku.edu
AF: Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, United States
AU: Cooper, L W
EM: lcooper1@utk.edu
AF: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37932, United States
AU: Grebmeier, J M
EM: jgrebmei@utk.edu
AF: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37932, United States
AB: Recent declining trends in sea ice extent in the Bering Sea have a direct impact on spring phytoplankton production. Here, we utilize multi-sensor satellite data to investigate key temporal and spatial linkages between sea ice variability and chlorophyll biomass throughout the northern Bering Sea region, integrating measurements of sea ice extent with phytoplankton blooms. This study incorporates radar, passive microwave and visible/near- infrared satellite measurements of sea ice extent with SeaWIFS and MODIS derived concentrations of chlorophyll- a. Remotely sensed measurements of sea ice cover and chlorophyll-a concentrations are validated with in situ data collected onboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy from May through June of 2006 and 2007. Surface phytoplankton blooms are coincident with the onset of sea ice degradation, with good agreement between in situ and remotely sensed concentrations of chlorophyll-a. Once the spring bloom of phytoplankton occurs, surface chlorophyll-a concentrations begin to decline within approximately two weeks. For example, in situ measurements of surface chlorophyll-a concentrations range up to ~29 μg/L at sites measured from 5/18/2007-5/28/2007, but range up to ~13 μg/L at similar sites measured from 6/6/2007-6/13/2007. This is corroborated with measurements of surface nutrient concentrations that significantly decline over the same time period. Recent trends of earlier sea ice break-up and later sea ice formation in the Bering Sea have important implications for the timing of phytoplankton blooms as well as for biological productivity in the Bering Sea at all trophic levels.
DE: 0480 Remote sensing
DE: 0750 Sea ice (4540)
DE: 4207 Arctic and Antarctic oceanography (9310, 9315)
DE: 4855 Phytoplankton
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting