Changes in water column oxygen, estimates of productivity and the development of anoxia in a major embayment of the southern Benguela eastern boundary upwelling system

The metabolic balance of autotrophy and heterotrophy in St Helena Bay was investigated through estimates of net community production (NCP) and respiration (R), as determined by changes in water column oxygen. Compared to adjacent coastal waters St Helena Bay was shown to be an area of low-enrichment and high-retention. Productivity during the upwelling season was found to be nutrient limited in the upper few metres (0-3 m) and light limited through self-shading below these surface waters. During the upwelling season the maintenance of thermal stratification in the bay leads to consistently low nutrients (nitrate (x) over bar = 1.41 mmol m(-3)) in the surface waters (0-3 m). High biomass maintained through mechanisms of cyclonic retention and entrainment from the Namaqua shelf underlies the rapid attenuation of light through the water column and the consequent limitation of subsurface productivity. As a result productivity maxima were located in surface waters (0 or 3 m) irrespective of the low nutrient concentrations in these waters and the presence of subsurface biomass maxima. Estimates of gross community production (GCP) normalised to Chl a therefore declined sharply below 3 m depth. The mean community compensation depth (Z(cc)), where R = GCP, was determined to be 9.16 m and was shallower than the 1% light depth for PAR (Z(1%PAR)) at 15.42 m. The role of light in limiting productivity was clearly evident in that 48% of water column biomass was located below the Z(cc). The importance of the light environment in controlling the seasonality of productivity was further evident in that daily rates of productivity in surface waters normalised to Chl a were clearly linked to day length. Phytoplankton community composition and successional status were also shown to influence productivity with the contribution of R to GCP increasing with the succession of phytoplankton communities. Estimates of mean water column Chl a (8.60 mg m(-3) as determined from discrete water samples and 8.40 mg m(-3) as estimated from profiles of fluorescence) and mean integrated water column productivity (5.38 g C m(-2) d(-1) as determined by the light-and-dark bottle oxygen method) were similar to 1.5 fold higher than past measurements most of which were made during the late 1970s and 80s. Oxygen depletion within St Helena Bay is locally enhanced as a result of the entrainment and retention of biomass in St Helena Bay and causes it to function as an area of higher carbon sequestration.

Automated summary

The study in St Helena Bay revealed low-enrichment and high-retention characteristics, with productivity in surface waters limited by nutrients and light during the upwelling season. Further analysis showed that light attenuation plays a significant role in limiting subsurface productivity as well. Estimates indicated that the average water column productivity in the bay was 1.5 fold higher than past measurements from the late 1970s and 80s, with oxygen depletion locally enhanced due to entrainment and retention of biomass leading to higher carbon sequestration.