ENSO-induced Co-variability of Salinity, Plankton Biomass and Coastal Currents in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Authors

Fabian A. Gomez, University of Southern Mississippi
Sang-Ki Lee, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
Frank J. Hernandez, University of Southern Mississippi
Luciano M. Chiaverano, University of Southern Mississippi
Frank E. Muller-Karger, University of South FloridaFollow
Yanyun Liu, Climate Prediction Center, NOAA/NWS/NCEP
John T. Lamkin, Southeast Fisheries Science Center

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2019

Keywords

Marine biology, Physical oceanography

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36655-y

Abstract

The northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is a region strongly influenced by river discharges of freshwater and nutrients, which promote a highly productive coastal ecosystem that host commercially valuable marine species. A variety of climate and weather processes could potentially influence the river discharges into the northern GoM. However, their impacts on the coastal ecosystem remain poorly described. By using a regional ocean-biogeochemical model, complemented with satellite and in situ observations, here we show that El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a main driver of the interannual variability in salinity and plankton biomass during winter and spring. Composite analysis of salinity and plankton biomass anomalies shows a strong asymmetry between El Niño and La Niña impacts, with much larger amplitude and broader areas affected during El Niño conditions. Further analysis of the model simulation reveals significant coastal circulation anomalies driven by changes in salinity and winds. The coastal circulation anomalies in turn largely determine the spatial extent and distribution of the ENSO-induced plankton biomass variability. These findings highlight that ENSO-induced changes in salinity, plankton biomass, and coastal circulation across the northern GoM are closely interlinked and may significantly impact the abundance and distribution of fish and invertebrates.

Rights Information

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Scientific Reports, v. 9, art. 178

Scholar Commons Citation

Gomez, Fabian A.; Lee, Sang-Ki; Hernandez, Frank J.; Chiaverano, Luciano M.; Muller-Karger, Frank E.; Liu, Yanyun; and Lamkin, John T., "ENSO-induced Co-variability of Salinity, Plankton Biomass and Coastal Currents in the Northern Gulf of Mexico" (2019). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 2198.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/2198