Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Puget Sound is a large, geographically complex, and highly productive estuarine system. The Central Basin is the largest of the four deep basins comprising Puget Sound. Primary producers (phytoplankton) serve key ecosystem functions as their abundances and taxonomic composition can impact higher trophic levels. Several factors can influence phytoplankton dynamics, including nutrient availability, water column mixing, climate, and grazing by zooplankton. In this system, coastal upwelling contributes the largest amount of nutrients. Localized watershed and anthropogenic sources also contribute nutrients to the system. King County (Seattle, WA) implements a long-term monitoring program with physical, chemical, and biological components designed to assess water quality in the Central Basin. Nutrients and chlorophyll-a have been consistently sampled at multiple locations since 1997 and quantitative phytoplankton abundance and taxonomic composition assessed since 2014. Although not an exact measure, chlorophyll-a is often used as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass due to its ease of measurement. Phytoplankton analysis was added to the sampling program to address a significant data gap for lower trophic levels, particularly with regard to taxonomic composition which cannot be determined from chlorophyll-a measurements. Results presented will focus on long-term seasonal and inter-annual trends based on the >20 year data record for nutrients and chlorophyll-a, in addition to the shorter-term phytoplankton data. This analysis explores the influence of physical factors and local and large-scale climate patterns on the dynamics between phytoplankton and nutrients.
Session Title
Ocean Productivity & Nutrients
Conference Track
SSE3: The Circle of Life
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-traditionals-296
Start Date
26-4-2022 9:45 AM
End Date
26-4-2022 11:15 AM
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Phytoplankton--Climatic factors--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed; Plankton blooms--Climatic factors--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed; Water quality--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Watershed--Measurement
Geographic Coverage
Puget Sound Watershed (Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
vnd.ms-powerpoint
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons
Central Puget Sound Phytoplankton and Nutrient Dynamics
Puget Sound is a large, geographically complex, and highly productive estuarine system. The Central Basin is the largest of the four deep basins comprising Puget Sound. Primary producers (phytoplankton) serve key ecosystem functions as their abundances and taxonomic composition can impact higher trophic levels. Several factors can influence phytoplankton dynamics, including nutrient availability, water column mixing, climate, and grazing by zooplankton. In this system, coastal upwelling contributes the largest amount of nutrients. Localized watershed and anthropogenic sources also contribute nutrients to the system. King County (Seattle, WA) implements a long-term monitoring program with physical, chemical, and biological components designed to assess water quality in the Central Basin. Nutrients and chlorophyll-a have been consistently sampled at multiple locations since 1997 and quantitative phytoplankton abundance and taxonomic composition assessed since 2014. Although not an exact measure, chlorophyll-a is often used as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass due to its ease of measurement. Phytoplankton analysis was added to the sampling program to address a significant data gap for lower trophic levels, particularly with regard to taxonomic composition which cannot be determined from chlorophyll-a measurements. Results presented will focus on long-term seasonal and inter-annual trends based on the >20 year data record for nutrients and chlorophyll-a, in addition to the shorter-term phytoplankton data. This analysis explores the influence of physical factors and local and large-scale climate patterns on the dynamics between phytoplankton and nutrients.
