GLOBEC-01: Integration and Synthesis of the George's Bank Broad-Scale Survey Results

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

The GLOBEC NW Atlantic/Georges Bank study identified the pelagic early life stages of cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aegleftus) and the copepod zooplankton, Calanusfinmarchicus and Pseudocalanus spp. as target organisms (GLOBEC, 1992) for an extensive and intensive effort to understand the underlying physical and biological processes that control the population dynamics of key populations of marine animals in space and time. Over a six?year period, broad-scale surveys of the Georges Bank and adjacent waters were conducted to collect samples for cohort and survivorship analysis of the target fish and zooplankton populations. These surveys included the collection of data on hydrography, acoustics, phytoplankton chlorophyll, competitors, and predators, as well as the target species, in order to provide a description of the biological and physical environment in which the target species resided. Phase IV of the US GLOBEC Georges Bank program is designed to synthesize the results from the program's earlier phases to provide an integrated understanding of the population dynamics of key, target species and evaluate how a varying climate may influence these populations. The intent in this project is to capitalize on the survey data sets to address two overarching questions: 1) What controls inter?annual variability in the abundance of the target species on Georges Bank (e.g., bottom up or top down biological processes, or physical, advective processes)? 2) How are these processes likely to be influenced by climate variability? These activities and results will provide a fundamental foundation for a complete interdisciplinary synthesis involving all components of the GLOBEC Georges Bank program.