In the beginning… There Was Chlorophyll

1. In the beginning…There Was Chlorophyll Team Green! Lorrie Moore Emma Paz Paul Warmack

2. Introduction • Chlorophyll distribution • Water column • Horizontal (from coast to open ocean) & Vertical (from surface to ocean bottom) • Our findings • Historical data • Sediment • Vertical distribution • Our findings • Historical data

3. Battle of the Chlorophylls Sediment VS Water Column

4. Visible Light Attenuation with Depth Longer wavelengths are extinguished faster with depth (Jerlov 1976)

6. 5 of 7 days at or above the past maximum of 3 µmol

7. Estimates of PAR • Photosynthetically Active Radiation • Underwater photometer • Depth(%) / KPAR = Z(%) Attenuation rates used to estimate the depth of the 1% and 10% light levels at each station. Also used to estimate percentage of light reaching the benthos.

8. Historical PAR Values (1995) • Max at 27m • 14% Nelson et al (1999)

9. Effects of Increased PAR Fluxto Sediment Surface • Higher PAR flux rates than historically observed • Max at 3 µmol m-2 day-1 (Janke in press) • Max at 4.6 µmol m-2 day-1 (6/19/2008) • Increased light  increased production • Saturation/Inhibition Point

10. No steady increase (as predicted)

11. Oxygen CTD ReadingsConfirmed by Winkler

13. Along-track Surface Chlorophyll W E

15. Comparing Concentrations Sediment [Chl] > Water [Chl] above line Sediment [Chl] > Water [Chl] 2008 KSU Data (1:4) Nelson et al (1999) Mean Concentrations

16. Re-cap • Chlorophyll concentration explained by inferred gradients in nutrients • High to low  coast to open ocean • Freshwater input, salt marshes & estuaries • High to low  deep to surface waters at R2 • Cold, salty, nitrogen-rich waters from upwelling results in unusually clear waters with most production in deeper waters

17. Sediment chlorophyll is high due to increased light penetration of upwelled water Speculation Water column chlorophyll is considerably low due to possible zooplankton grazing

18. The Winner is… Sediment!!!