The making of a productivity hotspot in the coastal ocean.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Highly productive hotspots in the ocean often occur where complex physical forcing mechanisms lead to aggregation of primary and secondary producers. Understanding how hotspots persist, however, requires combining knowledge of the spatio-temporal linkages between geomorphology, physical forcing, and biological responses with the physiological requirements and movement of top predators.

Methodology/principal findings

Here we integrate remotely sensed oceanography, ship surveys, and satellite telemetry to show how local geomorphology interacts with physical forcing to create a region with locally enhanced upwelling and an adjacent upwelling shadow that promotes retentive circulation, enhanced year-round primary production, and prey aggregation. These conditions prov

SUBMITTER: Wingfield DK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3221696 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature