@article{fdi:010083920,
  title = {{U}ncoupled changes in phytoplankton biomass and size structure in the western tropical {A}tlantic},
  author = {{F}arias, {G}. {B}. and {M}olinero, {J}uan-{C}arlos and {C}arr{\'e}, {C}laire and {B}ertrand, {A}rnaud and {B}ec, {B}. and {M}elo, {P}amd},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}tructural changes in phytoplankton communities have large influence on marine elemental cycling, food web dynamics and carbon export. {H}ere we used data from two field expeditions, performed in spring and fall, over a coast-offshore gradient to investigate phytoplankton structure and dynamics in the {S}outhwestern {T}ropical {A}tlantic ({SWTA}). {R}esults revealed a predominant role of the thermohaline structure as the main driver of phytoplankton dynamics regardless the season. {I}n fall, the thermocline and nutricline shallowing promoted a biomass increase, which was 3-fold higher around the oceanic islands. {T}he structure of phytoplankton com-munity mainly varied vertically, with {P}rochlorococcus pigments contributing greatly to the higher nutrient {D}eep {C}hlorophyll {M}aximum, whereas other {C}yanophyceae predominated in nutrient poor surface layers during the two seasons. {I}n addition, a clear coast-offshore variability in the new production ({F}p) was observed, with the shelf region displaying higher values (up to 0.21), promoted by larger {B}acillariophyceae pigments concentration, thus suggesting a coastal influence on shelf production. {A}lthough the phytoplankton biomass increased seasonally, our results highlighted a predominance of recycled production ({F}p) and uncoupled dynamics between biomass and size of phytoplankton structure, with pico-and nanophytoplankton dominating the relative biomass, i.e., ca. 80% of the community in both seasons. {W}e hypothesize that these patterns may result from a strong nitrogen limitation ({N}:{P} of around 3:1), which likely constrain a pronounced growth of the microphytoplankton.},
  keywords = {{P}rimary producers dynamics ; {P}igment composition ; {T}ropical thermohaline structure ; {N}utrient ratios ; {ATLANTIQUE} ; {BRESIL} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {M}arine {S}ystems},
  volume = {227},
  numero = {},
  pages = {103696 [12 ]},
  ISSN = {0924-7963},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jmarsys.2021.103696},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010083920},
}