Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2122/6871
Authors: Saba, V.*
Friedrichs, M.A.M.*
et al.*
Vichi, M.* 
Title: Challenges of modeling depth-integrated marine primary productivity over multiple decades: A case study at BATS and HOT
Journal: Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Series/Report no.: /24(2010)
Publisher: AGU
Issue Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1029/2009GB003655
Keywords: marine primary productivity models
BATS HOT trends
multidecadal climate forcing
Subject Classification03. Hydrosphere::03.01. General::03.01.01. Analytical and numerical modeling 
03. Hydrosphere::03.01. General::03.01.07. Physical and biogeochemical interactions 
03. Hydrosphere::03.04. Chemical and biological::03.04.01. Biogeochemical cycles 
03. Hydrosphere::03.04. Chemical and biological::03.04.04. Ecosystems 
Abstract: The performance of 36 models (22 ocean color models and 14 biogeochemical ocean circulation models (BOGCMs)) that estimate depth-integrated marine net primary productivity (NPP) was assessed by comparing their output to in situ 14C data at the Bermuda Atlantic Time series Study (BATS) and the Hawaii Ocean Time series (HOT) over nearly two decades. Specifically, skill was assessed based on the models' ability to estimate the observed mean, variability, and trends of NPP. At both sites, more than 90% of the models underestimated mean NPP, with the average bias of the BOGCMs being nearly twice that of the ocean color models. However, the difference in overall skill between the best BOGCM and the best ocean color model at each site was not significant. Between 1989 and 2007, in situ NPP at BATS and HOT increased by an average of nearly 2% per year and was positively correlated to the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation index. The majority of ocean color models produced in situ NPP trends that were closer to the observed trends when chlorophyll-a was derived from high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), rather than fluorometric or SeaWiFS data. However, this was a function of time such that average trend magnitude was more accurately estimated over longer time periods. Among BOGCMs, only two individual models successfully produced an increasing NPP trend (one model at each site). We caution against the use of models to assess multiannual changes in NPP over short time periods. Ocean color model estimates of NPP trends could improve if more high quality HPLC chlorophyll-a time series were available
Appears in Collections:Article published / in press

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat Existing users please Login
saba_gbc_2010.pdfdocument1.96 MBAdobe PDF
Show full item record

WEB OF SCIENCETM
Citations 20

109
checked on Feb 10, 2021

Page view(s) 50

197
checked on Mar 16, 2024

Download(s)

25
checked on Mar 16, 2024

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric