Drivers of the spatial phytoplankton gradient in estuarine–coastal systems: generic implications of a case study in a Dutch tidal bay

Jiang, Long; Gerkema, Theo; Kromkamp, Jacco C.; van der Wal, Daphne; Carrasco De La Cruz, Pedro Manuel; Soetaert, Karline

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4135-2020

Articles | Volume 17, issue 16

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4135-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4135-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 17, issue 16

Research article

|

17 Aug 2020

Research article |

| 17 Aug 2020

Drivers of the spatial phytoplankton gradient in estuarine–coastal systems: generic implications of a case study in a Dutch tidal bay

Long Jiang, Theo Gerkema, Jacco C. Kromkamp, Daphne van der Wal, Pedro Manuel Carrasco De La Cruz, and Karline Soetaert

Data sets

Sentinel-2 ESA https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/web/sentinel/missions/sentinel-2

Model code and software

FABM model K. Bolding and J. Bruggeman https://sourceforge.net/projects/fabm/

GETM model IOW https://getm.eu/software.html

Short summary

A seaward increasing chlorophyll-a gradient is observed during the spring bloom in a Dutch tidal bay. Biophysical model runs indicate the roles of bivalve grazing and tidal import in shaping the gradient. Five common spatial phytoplankton patterns are summarized in global estuarine–coastal ecosystems: seaward increasing, seaward decreasing, concave with a chlorophyll maximum, weak spatial gradients, and irregular patterns.