Phytoplankton Distributions in Relation to Mesoscale Physical Processes
1998
Hitchcock, Gary L
The principal goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms by which physical processes regulate spatial distributions of marine plankton. This effort has concentrated on quantifying the spatial and temporal distributions of phytoplankton, and more recently zooplankton, in relation to physical processes that mediate advection and dispersion, as well as nutrient input to the euphotic zone and the depth of the mixed layer. The primary objective of my research has been to interpret pigment distributions, as well as phytoplankton growth and productivity, in relation to mesoscale eddies. Field studies have concentrated on eddies associated with western boundary currents and mesoscale processes on continental shelves. Recently, we have developed methods to follow the dispersal of coastal and estuarine phytoplankton and zooplankton populations in relation to physical processes at sub-mesoscale dimensions. Here the objective has been to relate short-term (day-to-week) dispersal patterns in relation to winds, tides, and currents in coastal environments.
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