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Physical Mechanisms. Seasonality (phenology) of physical processes (upwelling, cross-shelf transport, FW input, …) Freshwater input: coastal currents (GOA, SO, GB, CCS) Advection: shelf water crossovers (GB), LF salinity anomalies (GB), ENSO-related anomalies (CCS)
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Physical Mechanisms • Seasonality (phenology) of physical processes (upwelling, cross-shelf transport, FW input, …) • Freshwater input: coastal currents (GOA, SO, GB, CCS) • Advection: shelf water crossovers (GB), LF salinity anomalies (GB), ENSO-related anomalies (CCS) • Retention/Loss:NAO-related shelf-ring interactions (NWA); mesoscale features (eddies, fronts); ACC variation (SO) • Land-Sea temperature contrasts: Katabatic winds (SO), changes in upwelling strength (CCS), SST variation • Vertical Structure: local heating; effects of heating on biological rate processes (all sites); stratification effects on upwelling efficiency (CCS)
Biological Mechanisms • Direct effects of heating on biological rate processes (all sites) • Range shifts in spp due to temperature (or other) variations • Changes in predator/prey relationships, ecosystem structure (incl. range shifts) • Ecosystem efficiency (conversion of PP to HTL) due to changes in food web components (e.g., food chain length) • Are certain target spp mpre resilient/adaptable to variability? • Relative time scales of advective processes to life cycle closure times • Fronts/thin layers are exploitable by “intelligent” organisms • Biogeochemical variability (e.g., ocean acidification) --> IMBER • Interaction b/w climate change & human activity (overfishing) on ecosystem resiliency (e.g., response to regime shift)
Temporal/Spatial Scales • Tidal mixing & shelf-slope fronts are hotspots of NPP and HTL (NWA) • Topographically-controlled hot spots (Hecata Bank in CCS has long residence times; upwelling shadows around capes/headlands) • Topographically-steered UCDW onto shelf (SO) • Hypoxic events (CCS) • Long-lived mesoscale eddies (e.g., Haida in GOA) can transport coastal material offshore • Top Predators: utilize hot spots (persistent features or regions) for various ecological functions (foraging, migration, reproduction) • Riverine inputs (nuts, FW, statification) • Intraseasonal oscillations (NEP); SSWC-related salinity anomalies (GB); storm events (all) • More (?) relevant: ENSO, NAO, SAM (interannual to decadal variability)
Attributes/Methods • Low observability and predictability for episodic events • Sample appropriately for the process being studied (e.g., intraseasonal resolution to capture spring transition) • Long-term HF moored samplers, satellite-based sensors, species-specific sensors (taxonomic info), ship-based studies, AUVs, gliders, drifters/floats, electronic tags … COUPLED to an interactive, data-assimilative high-res physical-biological model! • Need to maintain current capabilities in satellite sensors (at least)