Standard Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Looking Beyond the Surface: Estimates of Deep Depth-Integrated Chlorophyll From Satellite Remote Sensing may Facilitate the Identification of Biologically Important Areas (#154)

Renee Schoeman 1 , Christine Erbe 1 , Robert D McCauley 1
  1. Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

Studies identifying marine animal foraging habitats and hotspots often include satellite remote sensing chlorophyll data. However, these data exclude Deep Chlorophyll Maxima (DCM), which are frequently observed in the intermittent-oligotrophic West Australian marine environment and may support higher trophic levels. Drawing from established relationships between surface and depth-integrated chlorophyll measurements within the euphotic zone (down to PAR1%) of open ocean and eutrophic coastal margins, we sought to investigate whether similar relationships exist within West Australian waters. We also extended integrations to greater depths to encompass DCMs below PAR1%. Analysing ~9600 IMOS-ANFOG ocean glider profiles confirmed the presence of such relationships off Western Australia, which could be extended to twice the euphotic zone depth (i.e., deep depth-integration). We refined regression parameters for three conditions: 1) stratified waters with biomass maxima in summer-transition months (Sep–Apr); 2) stratified waters in mid-winter (May­–Aug) when DCMs are mostly a photo-acclimation maximum; and 3) mixed waters. Mean absolute errors increased for relationships with deep depth-integrated chlorophyll but remained acceptable (max 16.5%). These findings and a seasonal chlorophyll increase unique to deep depth-integrated values underscore the importance of incorporating deep depth-integrated estimates from satellite remote sensing when assessing biologically significant areas and productivity anomalies within intermittent-oligotrophic environments.