The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

Contrasting basin-scale patterns of marine phytoplankton primary production under climate change
ID:1149 Oral Presentation

2027-01-13 14:45 (China Standard Time)

Session:Session 64 - Advancing Climate Data Records: Creation and Application of Long-term Ocean Color Products

Abstract
Remote estimation of phytoplankton primary production (PP) based on satellite ocean color observations has long been recognized as a key approach for investigating how marine carbon fixation responds to global climate change. The theory-based primary production model (TPM), one of the earlier proposed models, is broadly applicable across diverse aquatic ecosystems because it explicitly links PP to phytoplankton photosynthetic traits. Therefore, its accuracy is highly dependent on the performance of remote assignment of a suite of photosynthetic parameters used to calculate realized photosynthetic rates. In this study, we apply a novel and well-validated machine learning algorithm to retrieve two key photosynthetic parameters, i.e., the assimilation number (PBmax) and the light saturation parameter (Ek) from ocean color observations. These retrievals are subsequently integrated into the TPM to generate a global, long-term monthly PP product from 1998 to 2025. Bias-correction of multi-source satellite input products and gap filling of missing data in the generated PP product are implemented to reduce uncertainties and enhance data reliability. In addition, PP products generated from alternative satellite-based models are included as benchmarks for intercomparison. Our analyses reveal contrasting spatiotemporal patterns of basin-scale PP driven by different environmental factors under climate change. The interannual variability of PP in the global ocean, as well as in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, is greatly attributed to transitions between El Niño and La Niña phases. In contrast, changes in sea-ice extent exert a dominant control on PP variability in the Arctic and the Southern Oceans. The Atlantic Ocean exhibits pronounced interannual fluctuations of PP, which may be partially explained by variability in phytoplankton community composition and chlorophyll-a concentration.
Speaker
Zhaoxin Li Xiamen University

Author
Zhaoxin Li Xiamen University

    Important Dates

    • Jan 30

      2026

      Session / Event proposals open

    • Mar 31

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    • Jan 12–15

      2027

      XMAS 2027