RCES_Final_Project

Meredith Kime

RCES-2022

Question: Do sea ice concentrations have a relationship with chlorophyll-a concentrations in Western Alaska coastal waters?

Data:

Sea-Ice Data: https://polarwatch.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/nsidcCDRice_nh_grid.html

Sea-Ice Lat/Lon Data: https://polarwatch.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/nsidcCDRice_nh_grid.html

Chlorophyll-a Data: https://polarwatch.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/erdMH1chla1day.html

Description:

The Arctic is facing warming rates twice that of the global average, increasing threats to ecosystem dynamics. Under heightend warming, it is expected that sea-ice concentration and extent will continue to decrease. One of the most fundamental events within marine ecosystems are seasonal phytoplankton blooms. During these blooms, as more light becomes available, an eruption of phytoplankton growth occurs, serving as the foundation of the marine food web. With sea-ice melting earlier in the season, the timing of phytoplankton blooms will follow suit. This shift in timing however may have other adverse effects on lower trophic levels whose phenology is not dependent on increased sunlight into the photic zone.

Using monthly chl-a satellite data as a proxy for phytoplankton abundance, and sea-ice concentrations satellite data, the relationship between sea-ice and chlorophyll-a concentrations will be evaluated.

Research Questions:

1. Does the timing of sea-ice melt reflect formation of phytoplankton bloom?

2. How do regional/coastal analyses compare to overall trends?

Figures:

1. Mean chlorophyll-a and sea ice concentrations

2. Mean timeseries comparison over 5 years

3. Summer mean chlorophyll-a and sea ice concentration timeseries

4. 5 year sea-ice and chlorophyll-a anomalies

5. 5 year, annual and seasonal anomaly correlations

6. Kotzebue Sound data visualization

7. Kotzebue Sound 5 year, annual, and seasonal anomaly correlations