Transient shifts in Bering Sea shelf phytoplankton size structure in response to wind‐induced mixing
Abstract Phytoplankton community size structure is a key attribute that influences pelagic trophic energy transfer and the vertical flux of organic matter to benthic food webs. To capture the ephemeral scale of phytoplankton population size spectra we developed an approach, combining long‐term survey datasets, machine learning modeling and 3 yr of high‐resolution moored vertical profiler measurements. We show that larger phytoplankton (> 10 μ m cell diameter) dominated the spring bloom throughout the water column, however, after the bloom, smaller cells (< 10 μ m cell diameter) comprise 70–80% of the phytoplankton community in the surface mixed layer. In contrast, larger cells are predominantly present at depths near the mixed layer interface. However, intermittent wind mixing events results in enhanced pulses of net community production and larger phytoplankton in the upper ocean. Our findings highlight how transient seasonal and vertical shifts in phytoplankton size structure occur in response to variable oceanographic conditions.
Authors
- Shaun W. Bell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4908-3866)
- Lisa B. Eisner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6701-9660)
- Noel A. Pelland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5139-4052)
- JM Nielsen
- Jeanette C. Gann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5631-5069)
- Priscila Kienteca Lange (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2136-2273)
- Michael W. Lomas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1209-3753)
- Margaret E. Sullivan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1383-7814)
- Calvin W. Mordy
Institutions
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (US)
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (US)
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science Center (US)
- Instituto de Geociencias (ES)
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Fisheries Science Center (US)
- National Institute of Oceanography (IN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Limnology and Oceanography Letters
- Published
- 2025-12-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70084
- Primary Topic
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory