Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Theses
    • View Item

    An ocean colour remote sensing study of the phytoplankton cycle off Western Australia

    14199_Marinelli Full.pdf (4.011Mb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Marinelli, Marco Antonio
    Date
    2002
    Type
    Thesis
    Award
    MSc
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    School
    School of Applied Science
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/1782
    Collection
    • Curtin Theses
    Abstract

    The concentration of phytoplankton in waters off the Western Australian coastline contrast with the coastal waters west of southern Africa and South America. The lack of favourable upwelling conditions results in the majority of the southeastern Indian Ocean surface waters being nutrient poor. Which is reflected in their low productivity. Several areas either on or in close proximity to the coastline are notably more productive. The associated forcing terms generating phytoplankton favourable conditions differ between areas. as do the seasons in which they occur. Measurements of chlorophyll a concentration. the major photosynthetic pigment contained in phytoplankton, may be directly related to oceanic bioproductivity. Using data collected by the Coastal Zone Color Seamier between 1979-86, this work aims to improve the understanding of the spatial and temporal changes that occurred in chlorophyll a abundance in the southeastern Indian Ocean. The highest seasonal mean concentrations occur in Summer (January-March) and Autumn (April-June); the former occurring in waters of the North West Shelf and the latter in close coastal areas of Western Australia south of North West. Cape. Concentrations observed in the offshore oceanic regions are mostly poor. Exceptions to this occur in proximity to the adjacent Indonesian islands and directly south of Albany (possibly due to northwards flow of subantarctic nutrient-rich waters). A considerable interannual variation was also noted, with the highest mean chlorophyll concentrations occurring in 1981. 1982 and 1983.The influence of the forcing terms on chlorophyll a appears to vary significantly among the waters of North West Shelf, Western and southern Western Australian coastline. This is most notable in the interseasonal variations. The changes observed interannually and their influence on chlorophyll a are not easily discernible. but there may be some connection with the La Nina/El Nino related changes in both currents and winds.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • High latitude Southern Ocean phytoplankton have distinctive bio-optical properties
      Robinson, Charlotte ; Huot, Yannick; Schuback, Nina; Ryan-Keogh, Thomas J; Thomalla, Sandy J; Antoine, David (2021)
      Abstract: Studying the biogeochemistry of the Southern Ocean using remote sensing relies on accurate interpretation of ocean colour through bio-optical and biogeochemical relationships between quantities and properties ...
    • Regional to global assessments of phytoplankton dynamics from the SeaWiFS mission
      Siegel, D.; Behrenfeld, M.; Maritorena, S.; McClain, C.; Antoine, David; Bailey, S.; Bontempi, P.; Boss, E.; Dierssen, H.; Doney, S.; Eplee, R.; Evans, R.; Feldman, G.; Fields, E.; Franz, B.; Kuring, N.; Mengelt, C.; Nelson, N.; Patt, F.; Robinson, W.; Sarmiento, J.; Swan, C.; Werdell, P.; Westberry, T.; Wilding, J.; Yoder, J. (2013)
      Photosynthetic production of organic matter by microscopic oceanic phytoplankton fuels ocean ecosystems and contributes roughly half of the Earth's net primary production. For 13 years, the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view ...
    • Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
      Rodríguez-Ros, P.; Cortés, P.; Robinson, Charlotte ; Nunes, S.; Hassler, C.; Royer, S.J.; Estrada, M.; Sala, M.M.; Simó, R. (2020)
      © 2020 by the authors. Isoprene is a biogenic trace gas produced by terrestrial vegetation and marine phytoplankton. In the remote oceans, where secondary aerosols are mostly biogenic, marine isoprene emissions affect ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.