1. Distribution of polysaccharidic and proteinaceous gel−like particles in three cyclonic eddies in the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic
- Author
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Quentin Devresse, Kevin W. Becker, and Anja Engel
- Subjects
TEP ,CSP ,Eastern tropical North Atlantic (ETNA) ,carbon ,phytoplankton ,virus ,Science ,General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,QH1-199.5 - Abstract
Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and Coomassie stainable particles (CSP), two prominent classes of gel−like particles in the ocean primarily produced by phytoplankton, play crucial roles in ecological and biogeochemical processes, influencing microbial nutrition, growth, and particle aggregation. The distribution of these particles is intricately linked to the spatiotemporal dynamics of phytoplankton. Mesoscale cyclonic eddies (CEs) are known to stimulate phytoplankton growth and influence particle transport, but their effects on TEP and CSP remain to be determined. In the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic (ETNA), we examined three CEs: one off the Mauritanian coast during summer (Mau), one offshore during winter (Sal), and another near Brava island during winter. Mau and Brava CEs were in their intensification/maturity phase, while the Sal CE was in its decay phase. Both TEP and CSP concentrations correlated with primary productivity, but TEP increased with chlorophyll−a concentration, whereas elevated CSP coincided also with the highest abundance of pico−nanophytoplankton (
- Published
- 2024
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