The Timing of Early Spring Plankton Blooms in Relation to Benthic Productivity

这项研究的目的是审查水柱和沉积物之间的联系，以了解中上层生物产量和模式的年际波动如何导致海底(海底)生物产量的变化。主要研究人员假设，春季浮游植物水华的时间有助于确定到达海底的有机质的数量，如下：(1)在水华早期，较低的水温减缓了食草动物在水柱中对水华的消耗；(2)早花限制了食草动物的生长，而食草动物本身可能控制着水华的大小和持续时间；(3)由于温度较低，早花到达底部的有机物降解速度会较慢。在考虑对他们的假设进行深入的实地研究之前，主要调查人员将根据从文献中获得的数据和他们对未知参数的最佳估计，建立春季水华的数学模拟模型。这个模拟模型将有助于阐明春季水华的作用模式，并表明异常早或晚的水华是否会对底栖动物的生产产生重大影响。

The goal of the research is to examine the linkages between the water column and the sediments to understand how interannual fluctuations in the magnitude and pattern of pelagic production result in variability in production of benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms. The principal investigators hypothesize that the timing of the spring phytoplankton bloom helps determine the amount of organic matter reaching the bottom, as follows: (1) during early blooms, colder water temperatures slow bloom consumption by grazers in the water column; (2) early blooms limit the growth of grazers, which may themselves control the magnitude and duration of the bloom; and (3) organic matter from early blooms that reaches the bottom will degrade less rapidly because of colder temperatures. Before considering, in depth, field studies of their hypothesis, the prinicipal investigators will develop a mathematical simulation model of the spring bloom based on data obtained from the literature and their best estimate of unknown parameters. This simulation model will serve to clarify the mode of action of the spring bloom and indicate whether an exceptionally early or late bloom could have a significant effect on benthic production.