River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems: Introduction and Synthesis

Authors

Barbara M. Hickey, University of Washington - Seattle CampusFollow
Raphael M. Kudela, University of California at Santa CruzFollow
Jonathan Nash, Oregon State University
Kenneth W. Bruland, University of California at Santa CruzFollow
William T. PetersonFollow
P. MacCready, University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Evelyn J. Lessard, University of Washington - Seattle CampusFollow
David A. Jay, Portland State UniversityFollow
Neil S. Banas, University of Washington - Seattle CampusFollow
Antonio M. Baptista, Oregon Health & Science UniversityFollow
Edward P. Dever, Oregon State UniversityFollow
P. Michael Kosro, Oregon State UniversityFollow
Levi Kilcher, Oregon State UniversityFollow
Alexander R. Horner-Devine, University of Washington - Seattle CampusFollow
Edward D. Zaron, Portland State UniversityFollow
Ryan M. McCabe, University of New South WalesFollow
Jay O. Peterson, Oregon State UniversityFollow
Philip M. OrtonFollow
Jiayi Pan, Portland State UniversityFollow

Published In

Journal of Geophysical Research

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2010

Subjects

Columbia River Watershed -- Environmental conditions, Watershed ecology -- Pacific Northwest, Plumes (Fluid dynamics), Coastal ecology -- Pacific Coast (North America)

Abstract

River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems (RISE) is the first comprehensive interdisciplinary study of the rates and dynamics governing the mixing of river and coastal waters in an eastern boundary current system, as well as the effects of the resultant plume on phytoplankton standing stocks, growth and grazing rates, and community structure. The RISE Special Volume presents results deduced from four field studies and two different numerical model applications, including an ecosystem model, on the buoyant plume originating from the Columbia River. This introductory paper provides background information on variability during RISE field efforts as well as a synthesis of results, with particular attention to the questions and hypotheses that motivated this research. RISE studies have shown that the maximum mixing of Columbia River and ocean water occurs primarily near plume liftoff inside the estuary and in the near field of the plume. Most plume nitrate originates from upwelled shelf water, and plume phytoplankton species are typically the same as those found in the adjacent coastal ocean. River-supplied nitrate can help maintain the ecosystem during periods of delayed upwelling. The plume inhibits iron limitation, but nitrate limitation is observed in aging plumes. The plume also has significant effects on rates of primary productivity and growth (higher in new plume water) and microzooplankton grazing (lower in the plume near field and north of the river mouth); macrozooplankton concentration (enhanced at plume fronts); offshelf chlorophyll export; as well as the development of a chlorophyll ?shadow zone? off northern Oregon.

Description

This is the publisher's final PDF. Copyright 2010 American Geophysical Union

DOI

10.1029/2009JC005452

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/7922

Citation Details

Hickey, B. M., et al. (2010), River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems: Introduction and synthesis, J. Geophys. Res., 115, C00B17.