Wind-induced changes in the dynamics of fluorescent organic matter in the coastal NW Mediterranean
Aparicio, F. L.; Nieto-Cid, M.; Calvo, E.; Pelejero, C.; López-Sanz, A.; Pascual, J.; Salat, J.; Sánchez-Pérez, E. D.; Fuente, P. De La; Gasol, J. M.; Marrasé, C.
2017
Science of the Total Environment
609
1001-1012
Marine biogeochemistry dynamics in coastal marine areas is strongly influenced by episodic events such as rain, intense winds, river discharges and anthropogenic activities.We evaluated in this study the importance of these forcin events on modulating seasonal changes in the marine biogeochemistry of the northwestern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, based on data gathered from a fixed coastal sampling station in the area. A 4-year (2011– 2014) monthly sampling at four depths (0.5m, 20m, 50mand 80m)was performed to examine the time variability of several oceanographic variables: seawater temperature, salinity, inorganic nutrient concentrations (NO3 −, PO4 3 − and SiO2), chlorophyll a (Chl a), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM). FDOM dynamics was predominantly influenced by upwelling events and mixing processes, driven by strong and characteristic wind episodes. SW wind episodes favored the upwelling of deeper and denser wàters into the shallower shelf, providing a surplus of autochthonous humic-likematerial and inorganic nutrients,whereas northerlies favored the homogenization of the whole shelf water column by cooling and evaporation. These diferent wind-induced processes (deep water intrusion or mixing), reported along the four sampled years, determined a high interannual environmental variability in comparison with other Mediterranean sampling sites.