LOCO: Characterization of Phytoplankton in Thin Optical Layers

摘要

Our long-term goal is to understand the ecology of phytoplankton inhabiting coastal shelves, upwelling areas, fjords and banks. We are especially interested in ways in which species-specific properties, including colony size and shape (diatoms) and motility (dinoflagellates) interact with physical mixing processes to regulate spatio-temporal distribution patterns. We wish to understand these processes in sufficient detail to be able to predict bloom dynamics, size structure, and the impact of species-specific characteristics of the phytoplankton on ocean optics. OBJECTIVES: Our goals within the LOCO DRI program were (1) to thoroughly characterize the phytoplankton community within thin layers and compare it to that outside of layers, (2) to increase our understanding of the importance of species-specific characteristics of the plankton to both ecology and ocean optics, and (3) to expand our understanding of the role that biological-physical processes play in thin layer dynamics.