Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF06009
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 57(6)

Seasonal characteristics of the surface mixed layer in the Australasian region: implications for primary production regimes and biogeography

Scott A. Condie A B and Jeff R. Dunn A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: scott.condie@csiro.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 57(6) 569-590 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF06009
Submitted: 9 January 2006  Accepted: 16 May 2006   Published: 31 July 2006

Abstract

The seasonal cycle of physical, chemical, and biological properties of the surface ocean mixed layer in the Australasian region (0 to 50°S, 90 to 180°E) were described on the basis of a range of data products, some of which are described for the first time. They include seasonal fields of temperature, salinity, mixed layer depth, nitrate, phosphate and silicate from the CSIRO Atlas of Regional Seas (CARS), as well as estimates of chlorophyll from SeaWiFS ocean colour data, and a range of supplementary information taken from published studies. Seasonal chlorophyll cycles were interpreted within the context of variability in nutrient concentrations and mixed layer depths. This interpretation included a biogeographical description, which was compared with related regional and global products. Such descriptions provide a baseline for future investigations of interannual variability and long-term trends in mixed layer properties, as well as contributing to the development of spatial frameworks for management of the region’s resources.

Extra keywords: Australia, Indonesian Archipelago, nutrients, productivity.


Acknowledgments

We thank Chris Rathbone and Thomas Moore for processing SeaWiFS data, which are used courtesy of the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and Orbimage Inc. Thanks also to Melissa Tipping, who participated in the early development of the mixed layer depth climatology, and to Peter Rothlisberg, Michele Burford, and Jock Young for their constructive comments on the manuscript.


References

Ayukai, T. , and Miller, D. (1998). Phytoplankton biomass, production and grazing mortality in Exmouth Gulf, a shallow embayment on the arid, tropical coast of Western Australia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 225, 239–251.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Cappo M., and Kelley R. (2001). Connectivity in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area – an overview of pathways and processes. In ‘Oceanographic Processes of Coral Reefs: Physical and Biological Links in the Great Barrier Reef’. (Ed. E. Wolanski.) pp. 161–186. (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL.)

Clementson, L. A. , Harris, G. P. , Griffiths, F. B. , and Rimmer, D. W. (1989). Seasonal and inter-annual variability in chemical and biological parameters in Storm Bay, Tasmania. I. Physics, chemistry and the biomass of components of the food chain. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 40, 25–38.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Commonwealth of Australia (2005). National Marine Bioregionalisation of Australia. Summary. (Department of Environment and Heritage: Canberra.)

Dekker, A. G. , Brando, V. E. , and Anstee, J. M. (2005). Retrospective seagrass change detection in a shallow coastal tidal Australian lake. Remote Sensing of Environment 97, 415–433.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Herzfeld M., Parslow J., Sakov P., and Andrewartha J. R. (2004). ‘Modelling Biogeochemical Processes on Australia’s North West Shelf. North West Shelf Joint Environmental Management Study Technical Report.’ (CSIRO: Hobart.)

Holloway, P. E. , Humphries, S. E. , Atkinson, M. , and Imberger, J. (1985). Mechanisms for nitrogen supply to the Australian North West Shelf. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36, 753–764.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation for Australia Technical Group (1998). ‘Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation for Australia: An Ecosystem-Based Classification for Marine and Coastal Environments. Version 3.3.’ (Environment Australia, Commonwealth Department of the Environment: Canberra.)

Jeffrey S. W., and Hallegraeff G. M. (1990). Phytoplankton ecology of Australian waters. In ‘Biology of Marine Plants’. (Eds M. N. Clayton and R. J. King.) pp. 310–348. (Longman Cheshire: Melbourne.)

Jeffrey S. W., Rochford D. J., and Cresswell G. R. (1990). Oceanography of the Australasian region. In ‘Biology of Marine Plants’. (Eds M. N. Clayton and R. J. King.) pp. 243–265. (Longman Cheshire: Melbourne.)

Jitts, H. R. (1965). The summer characteristics of primary productivity in the Tasman and Coral Seas. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 16, 151–162.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Levitus S. (1982). Climatological atlas of the World Ocean. NOAA Professional Paper 13. (US Government Printing Office: Washington, DC.)

Longhurst, A. (1995). Seasonal cycles of pelagic production and consumption. Progress in Oceanography 36, 77–167.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Longhurst A. (1998). ‘Ecological Geography of the Sea.’ (Academic Press: San Diego, CA.)

Lourey, M. J. , and Trull, T. W. (2001). Seasonal nutrient depletion and carbon export in the Subantarctic and Polar Frontal Zones of the Southern Ocean south of Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research 106, 31463–31487.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Lyne V., Hayes D., Smith R., Griffiths B., Condie S., and Hallegraef G. (2005). Pelagic Regionalisation: National Marine Bioregionalisation Integration Project. (CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research: Hobart.)

McClain, C. R. , Feldman, G. C. , and Hooker, S. B. (2004). An overview of the SeaWiFS project and strategies for producing a climate research quality global ocean bio-optical time series. Deep-Sea Research 51(Part II), 5–42.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Redfield A. C., Ketchum B. H., and Richards F. A. (1963). The influence of organisms on the composition of sea water. In ‘The Sea. Vol 2’. (Ed. M. N. Hill.) pp. 26–77. (Interscience: New York.)

Reichelt, R. E. , and McEwan, A. D. (1999). Australia’s marine science and technology plan: an action plan for Australia’s Oceans Policy. Marine and Freshwater Research 50, 711–716.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Revelante, N. , and Gilmartin, M. (1982). Dynamics of phytoplankton in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. Journal of Plankton Research 4, 47–76.


Revelante, N. , Williams, W. T. , and Bunt, J. S. (1982). Temporal and spatial distributions of diatoms, dinoflagellates and Trichodesmium in waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 63, 27–45.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Richardson, K. M. , Pinkerton, M. H. , Boyd, P. W. , Gall, M. P. , Zeldis, J. , Oliver, M. D. , and Murphy, R. J. (2004). Validation of SeaWiFS data from around New Zealand. Advances in Space Research 33, 1160–1167.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ridgway, K. R. , and Condie, S. A. (2004). The 5500-km long boundary flow off western and southern Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research 109, C04017.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ridgway, K. R. , and Dunn, J. R. (2003). Mesoscale structure of the mean East Australian Current System and its relationship with topography. Progress in Oceanography 56, 189–222.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ridgway, K. R. , Dunn, J. R. , and Wilkin, J. L. (2002). Ocean interpolation by 4-dimensional weighted least squares – application to the waters around Australia. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 19, 1357–1375.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Riley, G. A. (1942). The relationship of vertical turbulence and spring diatom flowering. Journal of Marine Research 5, 67–87.


Rintoul, S. R. , and Trull, T. W. (2001). Seasonal evolution of the mixed layer in the Subantarctic Zone south of Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research 106, 31447–31462.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rochford, D. J. (1969). Seasonal variations in the Indian Ocean along 110E. I. Hydrological structure of the upper 500 m. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 20, 1–50.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rothlisberg, P. C. , Pollard, P. C. , Nichols, P. D. , Moriarty, D. J. W. , Forbes, A. M. G. , Jackson, C. J. , and Vaudrey, D. (1994). Phytoplankton community structure and productivity in relation to the hydrological regime of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, in summer. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 45, 265–282.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Schahinger, R. B. (1987). Structure of coastal upwelling events observed off the southeast coast of South Australia during February 1983 – April 1984. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38, 439–459.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Schiller, A. , Wijffels, S. E. , and Meyers, G. A. (2004). Design requirements for an Argo float array in the Indian Ocean inferred from observing system simulation experiments. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 21, 1598–1620.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sverdrup, H. U. (1953). On conditions for the vernal blooming of phytoplankton. Journal du Conseil PermanentInternational pour l’Exploration de la Mer 18, 287–295.


Thompson, R. O. R. Y. , and Golding, T. J. (1981). Tidally induced “upwelling” by the Great Barrier Reef. Journal of Geophysical Research 86, 6517–6521.


Tilburg, C. E. , Subrahmanyam, B. , and O’Brien, J. J. (2002). Ocean color variability in the Tasman Sea. Geophysical Research Letters 29,
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tranter, D. J. (1962). Zooplankton abundance in Australasian waters. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 13, 106–142.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tranter, D. J. , and Kerr, J. D. (1969). Seasonal variations in the Indian Ocean along 110°E. V. Zooplankton biomass. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 20, 77–84.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tranter, D. J. , and Leech, G. S. (1987). Factors influencing the standing crop of phytoplankton on the Australian Northwest Shelf seaward of the 40 m isobath. Continental Shelf Research 7, 115–133.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tranter, D. J. , Carpenter, D. J. , and Leech, G. S. (1986). The coastal enrichment effect of the East Australian Current eddy field. Deep-Sea Research 33, 1705–1721.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Westeyn, F. J. , Ilahude, A. G. , and Baars, M. A. (1990). Nutrient distribution in the upper 300 m of the Eastern Banda Sea and Northern Arafura Sea during and after the upwelling season, August 1984 and February 1985. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research 25, 449–464.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Williams, A. , and Bax, N. J. (2001). Delineating fish-habitat associations for spatially based management: an example from the south-eastern Australian continental shelf. Marine and Freshwater Research 52, 513–536.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wilson, S. G. , Carleton, J. H. , and Meekan, M. G. (2003). Spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution and abundance of macrozooplankton on the southern North West Shelf, Western Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 56, 897–908.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wolanski, E. , Drew, E. , Abel, K. M. , and O’Brien, J. (1988). Tidal jets, nutrient upwelling and their influence on the productivity of the alga Halimeda in the Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 26, 169–201.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Young, J. W. , Bradford, R. W. , Lamb, T. D. , Clementson, L. A. , Kloser, R. , and Galea, H. (2001). Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) aggregations along the shelf break off south-eastern Australia: links between inshore and offshore processes. Marine and Freshwater Research 52, 463–474.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |