Rafael Cervantes Duarte

Coastal Upwelling Activity on the Pacific Shelf of the Baja California Peninsula

High primary productivity on the Pacific coast of the Baja California Peninsula is usually related to coastal upwelling activity that injects nutrients into the euphotic zone in response to prevailing longshore winds (from the northwest to north). The upwelling process has maximum intensity from April to June, with the coastal upwelling index varying from 50 to 300 m3/s per 100 m of coastline. Along the entire coast of the peninsula, the upwelling intensity changes in accordance with local wind conditions and bottom topography. Spatial variability can also be modulated by the influence of mesoscale meanders of the California Current. We have identified the seasonal and synoptic variability of upwelling signatures on the Baja California shelf, using averaged monthly and weekly sea surface temperature (SST) distributions obtained from remote sensing imagery from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer in the period from 1996 to 2001. Analysis of SST distribution and direct experimental data on temperature and nutrient concentration shows that the areas with the coldest SST anomalies were closely related to the bottom slope, shelf width, and coastline orientation relating to wind direction. We also assume that the nutrient transport into the coastal lagoons may be forced by the coupling of coastal upwelling and tidal pumping of surface waters into the lagoon system.

Efecto de la marea en la concentración de nutrientes, clorofila a y parámetros físicos y químicos en una laguna costera subtropical (Bahía Magdalena, México)

Background. Magdalena Bay is a subtropical coastal lagoon of northwestern Mexico with important ecological considerations and numerous fisheries. Knowledge of hydrodynamics and water quality are essential for establishing best management practices for the Bay. Goals. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of the tide on the variation and transport of nutrients and chlorophyll a between the inner lagoon and the adjacent ocean as a fertilization mechanism in the area. Methods. Samples were obtained in June, August, and November 2005 at a site close to the mouth (24o 57 ́ N and 112o 03 ́ W). The samples were obtained every 2 hours during each tidal cycle at three different depths (0, 15, and 30 m). Temperature and salinity were measured using a CTD. Nutrients, chlorophyll a, and oxygen were measured at a laboratory. Results. Three climatic-oceanographic conditions were identified: upwelling (June), stratification (August), and negative effects during the ENSO (November). The correlation between tidal range and other variables was significant (p <0.05) in August, compared to June and November. Conclusions. The transport of net nutrients associated with the tidal cycle depends on the season and the state of the tide and is considered high compared to other smaller systems. This explains the high organic productivity in this coastal region.