Anomalous 2022 deep-water formation and intense phytoplankton bloom in the Cretan area

Teruzzi, Anna; Aydogdu, Ali; Amadio, Carolina; Clementi, Emanuela; Colella, Simone; Di Biagio, Valeria; Drudi, Massimiliano; Fanelli, Claudia; Feudale, Laura; Grandi, Alessandro; Miraglio, Pietro; Pisano, Andrea; Pistoia, Jenny; Reale, Marco; Salon, Stefano; Volpe, Gianluca; Cossarini, Gianpiero

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-15-2024

Articles | Volume 4-osr8

https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-15-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Report:

8th edition of the Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR8)

https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-15-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 4-osr8

30 Sep 2024

| OSR8 | Chapter 4.3

| 30 Sep 2024 | OSR8 | Chapter 4.3

Anomalous 2022 deep-water formation and intense phytoplankton bloom in the Cretan area

Anna Teruzzi, Ali Aydogdu, Carolina Amadio, Emanuela Clementi, Simone Colella, Valeria Di Biagio, Massimiliano Drudi, Claudia Fanelli, Laura Feudale, Alessandro Grandi, Pietro Miraglio, Andrea Pisano, Jenny Pistoia, Marco Reale, Stefano Salon, Gianluca Volpe, and Gianpiero Cossarini

Data sets

Mediterranean Sea Biogeochemistry Analysis and Forecast, EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.25423/CMCC/MEDSEA_ANALYSISFORECAST_BGC_006_014_MEDBFM4

Mediterranean Sea Biogeochemistry Reanalysis EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.25423/cmcc/medsea_multiyear_bgc_006_008_medbfm3

Mediterranean Sea Ocean Colour Plankton, Reflectance, Transparency and Optics L3 NRT daily observations EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00297

Mediterranean Sea Physics Analysis and Forecast EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.25423/CMCC/MEDSEA_ANALYSISFORECAST_PHY_006_013_EAS7

Mediterranean Sea Physics Reanalysis EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.25423/CMCC/MEDSEA_MULTIYEAR_PHY_006_004_E3R1

Mediterranean Sea - High Resolution L4 Sea Surface Temperature Reprocessed EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00173

Mediterranean Water Mass Formation Rates from Reanalysis EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/mds-00318

Short summary

A noticeable cold spell occurred in Eastern Europe at the beginning of 2022 and was the main driver of intense deep-water formation and the associated transport of nutrients to the surface. Southeast of Crete, the availability of both light and nutrients in the surface layer stimulated an anomalous phytoplankton bloom. In the area, chlorophyll concentration (a proxy for bloom intensity) and primary production were considerably higher than usual, suggesting possible impacts on fishery catches.