This is a repo that will be used for the JPSS PGRR Project: Optimization of phytoplankton functional type algorithms for VIIRS ocean color data in the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf Ecosystem
Phytoplankton are critical regulators of key biogeochemical processes and fuel marine food webs through primary production. As such, changes in the timing, location, and/or species composition of phytoplankton blooms can have dramatic consequences on carbon cycling and the fate of primary production. Hence, understanding how phytoplankton communities are changing is of critical importance to managing sustainable fisheries and ocean health. Oceanic remote sensing observations have spatial and temporal resolutions unattainable by ship-based, moored or autonomous platforms, and are a critical component of the long-term monitoring of the physical environment and ecosystem productivity. A variety of remote sensing algorithm approaches have recently emerged that attempt to identify phytoplankton into size classes (PSCs) and functional types (PFTs) at the global scale. However, for use in the Northeast US continental shelf (NES), these algorithms must be optimized to account for local variations in non-algal parameters such as colored dissolved organic matter and suspended particles.
Accurate discrimination of phytoplankton groups requires coincident phytoplankton identification and optical observations. Specifically, we propose to use ship based in situ radiometry (water-leaving radiance), inherent optical properties (IOPs), phytoplankton pigments, and flow cytometric images of phytoplankton data to test and regionally tune PFT algorithms. Existing data will be mined from a variety of public databases and new field samples will be collected on up to 6 NEFSC Ecosystem Monitoring cruises during the first two years of the project. Field sampling and data mining of existing data are essential components of the proposed research to refine and optimize the satellite algorithms spatially and temporally across the entire study region.
Using the field sampling data, we will regionally optimize selected abundance-based and absorption-based algorithms. Abundance-based algorithms will be compared with diagnostic phytoplankton pigments; however, this approach does not necessarily reflect the true size structure of the phytoplankton community as some taxonomic groups have a broad size range and some pigments are common to different taxonomic groups. Our concurrent measurements of phytoplankton imaging and IOPs, will allow us to investigate the phytoplankton optical relationships and improve absorption-based algorithms for the NES.
Following algorithm optimization, we will generate a complete satellite record (September 1997-present) time series of PFTs to characterize temporal and spatial variability in the NES. Long-term monitoring of the phytoplankton community is critical for detecting shifts in phytoplankton composition and identifying potential impacts to ecosystems and fisheries. The proposed project will help maintain a continuous stream of high quality, seamless, accurate data which are necessary to detect long-term changes that may impact primary productivity, phenology, critical marine habitats, and fisheries. These long-term time series are used to develop indices for the NEFSC Ecosystem Status Reports, which are intended to generate scientific advice and inform scientists and fisheries managers of the current state of the ecosystem and fisheries within the NES. In addition, the PFT data will be included as inputs for ecosystem (e.g. Atlantis) and protected species (e.g. AMAPPS) models. Deliverable products from this project include, high quality in situ data, optimized regionally tuned ocean color algorithms, indices derived from long-term PFT time series, fisheries model output used to inform ecosystem based fisheries management, and associated manuscripts.
- Kimberly Hyde (NOAA/NEFSC)
- Colleen Mouw (University of Rhode Island - Graduate School of Oceanography)
- Ryan Morse (NOAA/NEFSC)
- Audrey Ciochetto (University of Rhode Island - Graduate School of Oceanography)
- Chris Melrose (NOAA/NEFSC)
- Kyle Turner (University of Rhode Island - Graduate School of Oceanography)
Teemer Barry (University of Maryland Eastern Shore) Julia Lober (Tufts University)
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