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Physical drivers of chlorophyll and nutrients variability in the Southern-Central Arabian Gulf

journal contribution
submitted on 2024-01-21, 10:49 and posted on 2024-01-21, 13:02 authored by Jassem A. Al-Thani, Yousria Soliman, Ibrahim A. Al-Maslamani, Oguz Yigiterhan, Ebrahim M.A.S. Al-Ansari

The southern-central Arabian Gulf demonstrates a poor understanding of nutrients and chlorophyll dynamics in physical-biogeochemical settings. Here, using data of chlorophyll, nutrients and hydrographic parameters collected in two cruises in summer 2019 and winter 2020, we examined variability in nutrients and chlorophyll concentrations, and the driving mechanisms. Summer thermal stratification enhanced by intrusion of fresher surface water plume from the Arabian Sea developed a hypoxic zone (DO < 2.0 mL/L) below the thermocline. Nitrate and ammonium summer concentrations (2.24 ± 0.36, 1.70 ± 0.17 μM) were about 3 times the winter concentrations. Nutrient stoichiometry showed a Redfield-like nitrogen/phosphorus (N:P) ratio in summer (15.9:1) and a nitrogen limitation in winter (N:P = 4:1). Chlorophyll-a content in summer (mean = 0.80 mg/m3) was about 1.4 times the winter concentration (mean = 0.58 mg/m3) (p > 0.05). Photo-protective carotenoids content in summer (0.59 mg/m3) was about 2.7 times their winter concentration. Winter cooling resulted in downwelling of dense water on the shallow coastal banks, which enhanced near bottom oxygen concentrations and swept away nutrient-rich water resulting in lower winter chlorophyll. This research features aspects of the physical and biogeochemical drivers underpinning the dynamics of nutrients and chlorophyll in the central Gulf.

Other Information

Published in: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108260

Funding

Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library.

History

Language

  • English

Publisher

Elsevier

Publication Year

  • 2023

License statement

This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Institution affiliated with

  • Qatar University
  • College of Arts and Sciences - QU
  • Environmental Science Center - QU
  • Office of Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies - QU

Geographic coverage

Southern-central Arabian Gulf

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