Temporal variation of seston biomarkers within the Humboldt Current System off northern Chile (21

Abstract

Proportions and concentrations of seston fatty acids, n-alkanes and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) were used to assess potential differences in the phytoplankton composition and food quality in the Humboldt Current System (winter 2006, summer 2007 and winter 2007) in surface, oxycline, intermediate and bottom water layers. The zone below the intermediate depth was poorer in fatty acids (minimum 15 – maximum 117mg fatty acids L

Keywords

• upwelling
• Humboldt Current System
• oxycline
• fatty acids
• n-alkanes
• glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers
• Carbon Preference Index
• bacterial bio- markers
• La Niña