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Hydrobiological responses of the North Eastern Arabian Sea during late winter and early spring inter-monsoons and the repercussions on open ocean blooms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2016

K. B. Padmakumar ,
Lathika Cicily Thomas ,
K. G. Vimalkumar ,
C. R. Asha Devi ,
T. P. Maneesh ,
Anilkumar Vijayan ,
G. V. M. Gupta  and
M. Sudhakar
K. B. Padmakumar*
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
Lathika Cicily Thomas
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi-16, Kerala, India
K. G. Vimalkumar
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
C. R. Asha Devi
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
T. P. Maneesh
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
Anilkumar Vijayan
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
G. V. M. Gupta
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
M. Sudhakar
Affiliation:
Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: K. B. Padmakumar, Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Kochi-37, Kerala, India email: kbpadmakumar@gmail.com
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Abstract

Winter cooling and persistent mixing for more than a quarter of year (November to early March) along the North Eastern Arabian Sea (NEAS) results in nutrient enrichment of the euphotic column thereby triggering biological production. Hydrographic characteristics of NEAS during Late Winter Monsoon (LWM) and Early Spring Inter Monsoon (ESIM) and the influence on biological production are overviewed here. Winter convective mixing signatures were evident during LWM with low SST (24°C), high SSS (36.4), deep mixed layers (>100 m) and increased surface nitrate (~1 µM). Open ocean waters observed high chlorophyll a (1–2 mg m−3) and microphytoplankton abundance (1.2–1.5 × 104 cells l−1). Diatoms and green Noctiluca scintillans were the major microphytoplankton identified. ESIM observed gradual stabilization of water column with curtailment of winter signatures and strengthening of Noctiluca scintillans blooms. Mesozooplankton biomass was higher during LWM and decreased towards ESIM with intensification of Noctiluca blooms. However during ESIM, abundance of gelatinous zooplankton occurred in the bloom region. Inter-annual variations were observed in the biological responses along with the hydrographic changes. Thus the convective process during winter monsoon and stabilization of the water column during ESIM plays a significant role in the production pattern of NEAS.

Keywords

North Eastern Arabian Seawinter coolingconvective mixingphytoplanktonalgal bloomsNoctiluca scintillansmesozooplankton
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 97 , Issue 7 , November 2017 , pp. 1467 - 1478
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2016 

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