TY - JOUR
T1 - Seasonal and interannual variability of chlorophyll-a in the Gulf of Oman compared to the open Arabian sea regions
AU - Piontkovski, Sergey
AU - Al-Azri, Adnan
AU - Al-Hashmi, Khalid
N1 - Funding Information:
The present work was supported by research grants from Sultan Qaboos University, The Research Council and Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund (Sultanate of Oman). We are grateful to the editor and anonymous referees for their comments that have helped to improve the manuscript.
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - Field sampling, remote sensing and modelling were employed to understand the seasonal and interannual changes of chlorophyll-a concentrations in the Gulf of Oman in comparison to open sea regions. In these regions, maximal chlorophyll concentrations were reported during the summer monsoon (with peaks in June and August), while in the Gulf of Oman, the chlorophyll maximum was observed during the winter monsoon (February-March). From 1997 through to 2008, the interannual variability in chlorophyll-a concentrations in the Gulf of Oman has not exhibited pronounced trends and neither have the other two (oceanic) regions in the western Arabian Sea. However, an increase of the annual variation in chlorophyll concentrations over the years was noticed. The diatom biomass decreased two-fold from 1997 to 2007. Nitrate concentration and mixed-layer depth also declined. In comparison to the seasonal blooms driven in the Gulf of Oman by the dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, the year 2008 was markedly different. The summer bloom was shifted to September; it was gradually extended in time and formed by the other species. An applicability of the concept of ecosystem regime shift is discussed.
AB - Field sampling, remote sensing and modelling were employed to understand the seasonal and interannual changes of chlorophyll-a concentrations in the Gulf of Oman in comparison to open sea regions. In these regions, maximal chlorophyll concentrations were reported during the summer monsoon (with peaks in June and August), while in the Gulf of Oman, the chlorophyll maximum was observed during the winter monsoon (February-March). From 1997 through to 2008, the interannual variability in chlorophyll-a concentrations in the Gulf of Oman has not exhibited pronounced trends and neither have the other two (oceanic) regions in the western Arabian Sea. However, an increase of the annual variation in chlorophyll concentrations over the years was noticed. The diatom biomass decreased two-fold from 1997 to 2007. Nitrate concentration and mixed-layer depth also declined. In comparison to the seasonal blooms driven in the Gulf of Oman by the dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, the year 2008 was markedly different. The summer bloom was shifted to September; it was gradually extended in time and formed by the other species. An applicability of the concept of ecosystem regime shift is discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=82055186467&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=82055186467&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01431161.2010.527393
DO - 10.1080/01431161.2010.527393
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:82055186467
SN - 0143-1161
VL - 32
SP - 7703
EP - 7715
JO - International Journal of Remote Sensing
JF - International Journal of Remote Sensing
IS - 22
ER -