Towards constraining the drivers of variability and trends in subantarctic productivity

Traill, Christopher D.; Rohr, Tyler W.; Shadwick, Elizabeth H.; Buchanan, Pearse J.; Tagliabue, Alessandro; Bowie, Andrew R.

doi:10.5194/bg-23-6947-2026

Articles | Volume 23, issue 19

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6947-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6947-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 23, issue 19

Research article

|

06 Oct 2026

Research article |

| 06 Oct 2026

Towards constraining the drivers of variability and trends in subantarctic productivity

Christopher D. Traill, Tyler W. Rohr, Elizabeth H. Shadwick, Pearse J. Buchanan, Alessandro Tagliabue, and Andrew R. Bowie

Data sets

PISCES-QUOTA-FE Output for 'Towards Constraining the Drivers of Variability and Trends in Subantarctic Productivity' Alessandro Tagliabue, Christopher D. Traill https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18041475

Net primary production from the Lee-AbPM algorithm (1.2) T. Ryan-Keogh https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14999308

Net primary production from the Eppley-VGPM, Behrenfeld-VGPM, Behrenfeld-CbPM, Westberry-CbPM and Silsbe-CAFE algorithms (1.3) T. Ryan-Keogh et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14999403

Interactive computing environment

Code for analysis and figures in 'Towards Constraining the Drivers of Variability and Trends in Subantarctic Productivity' Christopher D Traill https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18041475

Short summary

Southern Ocean phytoplankton are a key part of the carbon cycle, yet year-to-year changes in ocean productivity are poorly understood. Using model simulations, this study shows how deeper mixing in the most productive years increases nutrient supply and changes the predator-prey relationship between phytoplankton and zooplankton. This helps explain why satellite productivity estimates disagree, and the reasons for why climate projections might be getting inaccurate estimates of future production.