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  • Impacts of Costal and Climatological Processes On Primary Productivity in The Columbia River Plume

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    Rachel Wegener, University of Denver - Abstract: Phytoplankton comprise the foundation of marine food chain by fixing inorganic carbon into organic carbon, making it available to higher order organisms. As these organisms’ growth is connected strongly with sea surface temperature and nutrient availability, oceanographic, meteorological, and terrestrial processes exert a major impact on both phytoplankton abundance, and ocean primary productivity. Here I examine the impact of persistent drought on primary productivity in Columbia River Plume using monthly MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery collected between 2003-2015. Chlorophyll concentrations are compared to several drought indices, although only correlated to the Precipitation Index (PCP), Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX), and sediment concentration (as determined by MODIS Rrs_645). This signals that chlorophyll is sensitive to short-term changes in drought. The monthly chlorophyll values were then compared to VGPM primary productivity in order to confirm that chlorophyll is a good proxy for phytoplankton growth.

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    Impacts of Costal and Climatological Processes on Primary Productivity in the Columbia River Plume

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    Rachel Wegener, University of Denver - Abstract: Phytoplankton comprise the foundation of marine food chain by fixing inorganic carbon into organic carbon, making it available to higher order organisms. As these organisms’ growth is connected strongly with sea surface temperature and nutrient availability, oceanographic, meteorological, and terrestrial processes exert a major impact on both phytoplankton abundance, and ocean primary productivity. Here I examine the impact of persistent drought on primary productivity in Columbia River Plume using monthly MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery collected between 2003-2015. Chlorophyll concentrations are compared to several drought indices, although only correlated to the Precipitation Index (PCP), Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX), and sediment concentration (as determined by MODIS Rrs_645). This signals that chlorophyll is sensitive to short-term changes in drought. The monthly chlorophyll values were then compared to VGPM primary productivity in order to confirm that chlorophyll is a good proxy for phytoplankton growth.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    146 views42 pages

    Impacts of Costal and Climatological Processes On Primary Productivity in The Columbia River Plume

    Uploaded by

    jpeterson1
    Rachel Wegener, University of Denver - Abstract: Phytoplankton comprise the foundation of marine food chain by fixing inorganic carbon into organic carbon, making it available to higher order organisms. As these organisms’ growth is connected strongly with sea surface temperature and nutrient availability, oceanographic, meteorological, and terrestrial processes exert a major impact on both phytoplankton abundance, and ocean primary productivity. Here I examine the impact of persistent drought on primary productivity in Columbia River Plume using monthly MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery collected between 2003-2015. Chlorophyll concentrations are compared to several drought indices, although only correlated to the Precipitation Index (PCP), Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX), and sediment concentration (as determined by MODIS Rrs_645). This signals that chlorophyll is sensitive to short-term changes in drought. The monthly chlorophyll values were then compared to VGPM primary productivity in order to confirm that chlorophyll is a good proxy for phytoplankton growth.

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    of 42

    Effects of Coastal and Climatalogical Processes

    on Primary Productivity in the Columbia River


    Plume

    Rachel Wegener, University of Denver


    Mentor: Jesse Bausell, UC Santa Cruz
    Faculty Advisor: Dr. Raphael Kudela, UC Santa Cruz

    Goals
    Examine relationship between terrestrial
    drought and coastal primary productivity

    Primary Productivity

    Fe NO3
    PO43(SiO4)4-

    Columbia River

    Columbia River Plume

    Columbia River Plume

    Columbia River Plume


    47.50 N

    January 2003
    December 2015

    45.00 N
    126.00 W

    123.50 W

    Hypothesis

    PO43-

    (SiO4)4NO3Fe

    Drought and oceanic chlorophyll will be inversely related

    Methods
    Quantification of Drought:
    Precipitation Index (PCP)
    Temperature Index (TAVG)
    Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)
    Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI)
    Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX)
    Modified Palmer Drought Severity Index (PMDI)
    Discharge (Beaver Army Terminal NR Quincy, OR)
    Sediments (MODIS Rrs 645)

    Results
    Quantification of Drought:
    Precipitation Index (PCP)
    Temperature Index (TAVG)
    Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)
    Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI)
    Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX)
    Modified Palmer Drought Severity Index (PMDI)
    Discharge (Beaver Army Terminal NR Quincy, OR)
    Sediments (MODIS Rrs 645)

    Results
    Quantification of Drought:
    Precipitation Index (PCP) negative correlation
    Temperature Index (TAVG)
    Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)
    Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI)
    Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX) negative correlation
    Modified Palmer Drought Severity Index (PMDI)
    Discharge (Beaver Army Terminal NR Quincy, OR) neg.
    Sediments (MODIS Rrs 645) positive correlation

    Checking Assumptions
    1. Land-ocean Interaction

    2. External weather pattern

    Precipitation ! Discharge
    Precipitation ! Sediments

    PCP, discharge ! YES


    Rrs, discharge ! YES
    PCP, Rrs ! NO
    ZNDX, Rrs ! NO

    Sediments ! nutrients ! chlorophyll


    Rrs, chlorophyll ! YES

    Wet Year

    Dry Years

    Chlorophyll
    Discharge

    Negative

    Chlorophyll
    Discharge

    Positive

    Chlorophyll
    ONI

    Positive

    Chlorophyll
    ONI

    Negative

    Positive ONI (El Nino)

    Negative ONI (La Nina)

    Chlorophyll
    Discharge

    NEGATIVE

    Chlorophyll
    Discharge

    Negative

    Chlorophyll
    ONI

    Positive

    Chlorophyll
    ONI

    Negative

    Latitude

    seasonalit
    y

    Latitude

    stratificatio
    n

    Fe NO3
    PO43(SiO4)4-

    Latitude

    stratificatio
    n

    less dense fresh water

    Fe
    PO43-

    NO3(SiO4)4-

    Latitude

    stratificatio
    n

    Chlorophyll and Primary Productivity

    R2 = 0.8602, p < 0.0001

    Conclusions and Future Research


    Chlorophyll negatively correlated with drought
    ONI index correlation with chlorophyll changes
    with wet/dry seasons
    Chlorophyll is adequate proxy for NPP
    Investigate errors in NPP
    Spatial breakdown of chlorophyll images

    Acknowledgements
    Jesse Bausell
    Dr. Raphael Kudela
    Oceans Team
    Dr. Emily Schaller
    Dr. Jessica Sagona
    NSERC
    SARP
    All those who make SARP possible

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