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

这项研究的目的是检查水柱和沉积物之间的联系，以了解远洋生产的规模和模式的年际波动如何导致底栖生物（海底生物）生产的变化。主要研究人员推测，春季浮游植物繁殖的时间有助于确定到达底部的有机物数量，原因如下：(1)在早期繁殖期间，较低的水温减缓了水柱中食草动物的繁殖消耗；(2)提前开花限制了食草动物的生长，食草动物本身可能控制了开花的大小和持续时间；(3)由于温度较低，早期开花的有机物到达底部的降解速度较慢。在深入考虑对他们的假设进行实地研究之前，主要研究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，开发一个春季开花的数学模拟模型。该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生物产量产生重大影响。

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.