Variability of Net Primary Productivity and Associated Biophysical Drivers in Bahía de La Paz (Mexico)

Abstract

The use of information of net primary productivity (NPP) from remote ocean color sensors is increasingly common in marine sciences. The resulting information has been used to explain variations in productivity at different spatio-temporal scales and in the presence of climate phenomena, such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation, and global warming. Satellite remote sensing data were analyzed in Bahía de La Paz (BLP), Mexico, to determine the spatio-temporal variation in NPP. In addition, in situ hydrographic data were obtained to characterize the water properties in the bay. The satellite data agree with in situ measurements, validating the satellite observations over this region. The NPP generally presented seasonal variation with maximum values in winter-spring and minimum values in summer–autumn. The variance explained by NPP from the measured variables was ranked as Chl-a −2 year−1. The use of satellite NPP data is satisfactory and should be incorporated into marine primary productivity studies.

Keywords

• chlorophyll
• sea surface temperature
• photosynthetic active radiation
• wind stress curl
• euphotic zone
• Gulf of California