Cordero-Quiros, N., A. J. Miller, Y. Pan, L. Balitaan, E. Curchitser and R. Dussin, 2022:

Physical-ecological response of the California Current System to ENSO events in ROMS-NEMURO


Ocean Dynamics, 72, 21-36.

Abstract. We analyze the bottom-up El Niņo/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) driven physical-biological response of the California Current System (CCS) in a high-resolution, "eddy-scale" ocean model with multiple classes of phytoplankton and zooplankton forced with observed winds over the time period 1959-2007. The response of the sea surface temperature anomalies over the CCS is asymmetrical, with La Niņa events being more consistently cold than El Niņo events are consistently warm, which is in agreement with previous studies. The biogeochemical and ecological response is represented by ENSO-composite anomalies, lag-correlations with an ENSO index, and histograms for ENSO years. The results show trophic level interactions during El Niņo and La Niņa events in which the larger components (diatoms, euphausiids, and copepods) are suppressed in the coastal upwelling zones during El Niņo, while the smaller components (flagellates and ciliates) are enhanced. In addition, standing eddies of the CCS modulate the latitudinal structure of the ecological response to ENSO. The results point towards future research to understand how bottom-up changes may lead to variability of patterns in ecological response, including fish populations and top predators.

Reprint (pdf)