Subsurface phytoplankton responses to ocean eddies can run counter to satellite-based inference from surface properties in subtropical gyres

Phytoplankton contribute approximately half of the Earth's primary production, playing a crucial role in marine ecosystem functioning and global carbon cycling. However, our understanding of how ocean dynamics regulate the distribution of phytoplankton remains limited due to the scarcity of depth-resolved observations. Here, we compared the simultaneous measurements of two biogeochemical-Argo floats that tracked a cyclonic eddy (CE) and an anticyclonic eddy (AE) in the subtropical South Indian Ocean for a period of 3 months. The observations revealed a decoupling of subsurface phytoplankton biomass from surface chlorophyll. The CE exhibited a subsurface phytoplankton bloom initiated by the springtime shoaling of mixed layer to euphotic layer, accompanied by a counter-intuitive decrease in surface chlorophyll due to physiological adaptation. In comparison, the AE exhibited vertically homogeneous phytoplankton biomass, with a weak subsurface chlorophyll maximum layer, as the mixed layer remained at a deep level in the spring. Despite a higher concentration of surface chlorophyll in the AE than in the CE, subsurface and depth-integrated phytoplankton chlorophyll, biomass, and productivity computed with a bio-optical model are greater in the CE than in the AE. Statistics on global biogeochemical-Argo measurements over the past decade confirm the generality of this phenomenon in subtropical gyres. Our findings demonstrate that high concentrations of chlorophyll near the surface in these regions are not necessary indicative of high phytoplankton abundance at the subsurface layer. The results have important implications for inferring subsurface phytoplankton abundance and productivity from satellite measurements.

Automated summary

This study reveals a decoupling between subsurface phytoplankton biomass and surface chlorophyll in cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies in the South Indian Ocean. The cyclonic eddy exhibits a subsurface phytoplankton bloom with a decrease in surface chlorophyll, while the anticyclonic eddy shows homogeneous phytoplankton biomass with a deep mixed layer. This phenomenon is confirmed by global biogeochemical-Argo measurements, highlighting the importance of considering subsurface phytoplankton abundance and productivity in satellite measurements.