Connectivity and Upwelling Dynamics In the Gal

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Connectivity and Upwelling Dynamics In the
Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR)

• John M. Morrison, N. C. State University
• Daniel Kamykowski, N. C. State University,
• Lian Xie, N. C. State University
• Stuart Banks, Charles Darwin Research Station
• Gene Feldman, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

• Project Sponsors
• NASA Biodiversity and Ecological Forecasting
  Biological Oceanography Programs, Grant
  NNG04GL98G
• Counterpart US-AID Grants 518-A-00-03-00152-00
  to the Charles Darwin Research Station
• United Kingdon Darwin Initiative Project No.
  14-048
• Galápagos National Park Service

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Participants
PIs John M. Morrison, Physical Oceanography/Ocean Climate, University of North Carolina Wilmington Daniel Kamykowski, Biological OceanographyNorth Carolina State University Lian Xie, Ocean Modeling, North Carolina State University Gene Feldman, Remote Sensing, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Stuart Banks, Ecological Monitoring, Charles Darwin Research Station Collaborators Gary J. Kirkpatrick, Mote Marine Laboratory Jon Whitman, Brown University Mario Piu, Head of Marine Resources, Galapagos National Park (GNP) Eduardo Espinoza, Science Coordinator, Galapagos National Park (GNP) Godfrey Merlen, Science Consultant, Galapagos National Park (GNP)
Post Doctoral Investigator Blake Schaffer, North Carolina State University Research Technicians Jeff Kinder, North Carolina State University Billy Sweet, North Carolina State University
Graduate Students William V. Sweet, North Carolina State University Anita McCollock, North Carolina State University Yanyun Liu, North Carolina State University Michael Taylor, University of North Carolina Wilmington Undergraduates Alyssia M. Hopkins, North Carolina State University Travis N. Miles, North Carolina State University Natalia Tirado, Charles Darwin Research Station
CDRS Ecological Dive Team Marianna Vera Marco Tosca Julia Delagdo Roberto Pepolas Diego Ruiz Officers Crew of GNP Patrol Launch M/N Sierra Negra Darwin Initiative US AID Counterpart Funds
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• Scientific Question How are oceanographic
  variability and forcing factors at the regional
  level directly associated with biological
  productivity and biogeography of the various
  marine ecosystems across the Galápagos Marine
  Reserve?

• Hypothesis The EUC is the major oceanographic
  feature affecting production in the Galápagos
  Marine Reserve (GMR), and is likely strongly
  associated with local biogeography of marine
  species and endemism.
• Hypothesis Galápagos biogeography/marine
  ecosystem heterogeneity is a function of
  oceanographic patterning over small spatial,
  seasonal and inter-annual scales.

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Background The Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR).

• A UNESCO world heritage site established in 2001
  spanning 133,000 km2 .
• A very dynamic current system in the epicenter of
  strong ENSO effects.
• A wide range of open water and coastal habitats.
• Varied biogeography and human use.
• A participatory management system between the
  different sector groups.
• A great need to raise stakeholder awareness
  towards a sustainable future and encourage
  stewardship of the GMR.
• More than 2,900 marine species have been reported
  and over 18 of those live nowhere else on earth.
  

40 nm
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Crazy currents bringing life and variety
Panama Current
South Equatorial Current
Upwelling
Equatorial Undercurrent (Cromwell Current)
Peru Current
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A wide range of coastal and open water habitats.
Cliffs
Brackish lagoons
Lava beaches
Sandy beaches
Mangroves
Protected coves
Exposed coast
Rocky reef
Sand banks
Vertical walls
Coral reefs and patches
Upwelling zones
Seamounts
Hydrothermal volcanic areas
Shelf breaks
Open ocean
Abyssal plain
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--- 17 - 28 Mar 2005 --- 22 Nov 3 Dec 2005
--- 26 Jun 7 Jul 2006 --- 14 -23 Nov 2006
---17-27 May 2007
Field Program
Five 12-Day Seasonal Cruises aboard GNP Launcha
Sierra Negra
Casts made to 80 m using SeaBird CTD with WetStar
fluorometer (chlorophyll) and Satlantic ISUS
Nitrate profiler and PAR (photosynthetically
active radiation).
5 Moorings in the 5 main biogeographical
provinces.
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MODIS SST
2002 2006 Monthly Mean Driving Forces (92-88W,
2N-2S)
Meridional Winds (QSCAT) and SST (NCEP)
SST ENSO Niño3.4 Anomaly
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MODIS SST
2002 2006 Monthly Mean Driving Forces (92-88W,
2N-2S)
Meridional Winds (QSCAT) and SST (NCEP)
SST ENSO Niño3.4 Anomaly
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• MODIS Chlorophyll a
• Monthly Composites
• Mar 2005 - Wet Season, Later part of El
  Niño
• Nov/Dec 2005 - Transition from Gárua to Wet
  Seasons
• Jun/Jul 2006 - Transition from Gárua to Wet --
  Kelvin Waves
• November 2006 - Transition from Wet to Gárua,
  Early La Niño

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Tropical Instability Wave interactions within the
Galápagos Archipelago

1. 3-day mean SST (AMSR-E) for September 12 and 19,
   2005 with TAO buoy locations
2. time-longitude plot of SST (NCEP) anomaly
   averaged between 1 and 2N

Galápagos
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Tropical Instability Wave interactions within the
Galápagos Archipelago

• TIW can cause significant and widespread
  upwelling in the GMR. In Fall 2005, TIW upwelling
  caused a gt25 increase in Chl a concentrations
  over the Archipelago.
• The disproportionate Chl a response of the
  Archipelago compared to 95W during the TIW
  highlights the importance of upwelling
  (iron-additions) within the GMR.
• TIWs may be fundamental to ecology of the
  Galapagos --rhythmic pumping and pulses of high
  Chl that wash across the Archipelago.

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• Productive habitats of the Galapagos Marine
  Reserve
• associated with cool, nutrient-rich welled EUC
  waters are indicated in grey shaded regions.

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Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Community Structure
of the Galápagos Marine Reserve
Biologically characterize the physical
environment by identifying net phytoplankton
taxonomic groups Link net phytoplankton
groups with hyperspectral signatures from
ship-based remote sensing techniques Link
associations between the net phytoplankton and
zooplankton communities to extend the information
content of hyperspectral signatures by
association with the phytoplankton
Methods Microscopy FlowCAM - Combines flow
cytometry and microscopy Pigment Analysis - HPLC
/ Chemtax Optical - HyperSAS underway high
precision hyperspectral measurements of
water-leaving spectral radiance and
downwelling spectral irradiance.
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High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
Estimate phytoplankton composition by identifying
photosynthetic pigments of chemotaxonomic
relevance.
Relative Phytoplankton Concentrations During
Normal and Mild El Niño Conditions in the
Galapagos Archipelago Determined through In-Situ
Absorbance in an Optical Phytoplankton
Discriminator.
Working to apply the techniques developed by
Gary Kirkpatrick of the Mote Marine Laboratory
to optically discriminate phytoplankton species
in mixed populations.
Chemtax (Mackey et al.,1996) Extended through
the use of CHEMTAX to fit a matrix of expected
pigment ratios for several taxa to one consisting
of actual pigment ratios from unknowns.
Preliminary Results (Uncalibrated) Onset of El
Niño reduced EUC upwelling and limited essential
nutrients throughout the GMR. The OPD indicated
three of six measured phytoplankton classes
decreased in relative concentration as a result
of reduced EUC from El Niño.
BreveBuster Optical Plankton Discriminator
measures the light-absorbing characteristics of
the the sample and compare it compare to the
absorbing characteristics of known samples
Preliminary Correlations (Still to be
calibrated via Chemtax) Preliminary Results look
promising!
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HyperSAS Hyperspectral Data Distribution during
CruiseBoxes show preliminary 4th derivative
analysis for select points along cruise track)
Chlorophyll 420 nm peak
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Simulation of Ocean Circulation around Galápagos
Archipelago using a Hybrid Coordinate Ocean
Model (HYCOM)
NUMERICAL MODEL

• Based on U. Miamis Hybrid Coordinate Model
  (HYCOM)
• 4 nested domains.
• Domain 1 Global Ocean, 1.44x 0.72 grid
• Domain 2 Pacific Ocean, 0.48 x 0.24 grid
• Domain 3 East Tropical Pacific, 0.12 x
  0.06grid
• Domain 4 GMR (92.16W- 88.96W, 1.68S-
  1.68 N),
• 0.04 x 0.02 grid (tested at 0.04
  x0.02 grid)
• Vertical resolution 26 layers
• Initial Condition Levitus climatology of T and
  S
• Simulation Length 12 years
• Forcing daily surface wind stress, air
  temperature, atmospheric specific humidity, net
  shortwave, longwave radiation, and precipitation
  from NCEP.

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HYCOM Observed and Simulated Surface Fields
(A) Mar 2005
(B) Nov 2005
(C) Jun 2006
(D) Nov 2006
Simulated SST
(E) Mar 2005
(F) Nov 2005
(G) Jun 2006
(H) Nov 2006
Observed SST
HYCOM Simulated SST for (A) March 2005, (B)
November 2005, (C) June/July 2006, and (D)
November 2006 and cruise observed SST for (E)
March 2005, (F) November 2005, (G) June/July
2006, and (H) November 2006
(A) Mar 2005
(B) Nov 2005
(C) Jun 2006
(D) Nov 2006
Simulated Salinity
(H) Nov 2006
(E) Mar 2005
(F) Nov 2005
(G) Jun 2006
Observed Salinity
HYCOM Simulated SSS for (A) March 2005, (B)
November 2005, (C) June/July 2006, and (D)
November 2006 and cruise observed SST for (E)
March 2005, (F) November 2005, (G) June/July
2006, and (H) November 2006
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Modeled Surface Currents vs. Chlorophyll a
Imagery Bottom Topography
Topography
Chlorophyll a
Surface Currents
Model .040? ---- Vectors 0.83?
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Status Galápagos Model Regime

• The 0.04 degree resolution is sufficient for
  studying the circulation and water mass structure
  around the Galápagos. HYCOM can generally
  simulate the major characteristics of ENSO
  events.
• GMR has a large range in temperature and
  salinity. West of Isabella is the largest
  upwelling and productive zone and corresponds to
  relatively colder and salty waters.
• EUC and strong upwelling, resulting from the
  collision of the EUC with the islands, marks the
  location of surface production. Model results
  show that the EUC around the Galápagos shoals to
  nearly 20m from the normal 50m, seen from the
  shallow mixed layers in western Galápagos.
• Model, which agree with observations of the EUC,
  show a seasonal cycle in EUC, reaching a maximum
  during late spring/early summer and minimum in
  late fall.
• Far northern region characterized by warmer,
  fresher water and deepest mixed layer depth as a
  result of the Panama Current waters from the
  northeast. The other regions fell between the
  range of upwelling region and Far North Region.

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The effects of El Niño in the GMR
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The effects of El Niño in the GMR
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HYCOM Simulated SSTA for the Niño3.4 Region
NINO3.4
The HYCOM simulated SST anomalies in Nino3.4
region from 1950 to 2006 after subtracting the
trend.
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Climate Simulation El Nino Cycle

• ENSO events are simulated using the Hybrid
  Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) with daily
  atmospheric forcing derived from the NCEP/NCAR
  reanalysis dataset for the period of 1949-2006.
• The result indicates that with prescribed
  atmospheric forcing, the HYCOM model can
  accurately simulate the major characteristics of
  ENSO events.
• The correlation coefficient between the
  simulated Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies
  and observed SST anomalies in the Niño3.4 region
  is 0.73.
• However, the simulated SST anomalies (SSTA) have
  an anomalous rising trend compared with the
  observed SSTA for which we are performing
  diagnostic studies to understand the problem.

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Preliminary Ecosystem Model
NPZD
The the biological response to physical forcing
within the GMR, is being simulated by a nutrient
phytoplankton zooplankton detritus (NPZD,
Oschlies 2001) coupled to the inner nest of the
hydrodynamic model.

• Wiggert et al. (2004) conclude that the
  greatest challenge in ecological modeling appears
  to involve reproducing the observed levels of
  physical variability (e.g., upwelling and rapid
  mixing events, filaments and mesoscale eddies).
  These conclude that high frequency physical
  processes are directly responsible for major
  biogeochemical events that are, in turn,
  responsible for a large fraction of the annual
  production and export flux.
• Until the sources of the tremendous physical
  variability are resolved and their biogeochemical
  effects accounted for, understanding of
  biogeochemical variability is not likely to be
  significantly impacted by incorporation of added
  ecosystem model complexity

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Next Steps!!!
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Charles Darwin Research Stations Routine
Ecological Sampling Sites
Moorings
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Subtidal dive surveys evaluating changes in
rocky reef communities under different management
regimes within natural variability between
biogeographic regions.
MPA evaluation at 6/15m depth Habitat mapping to
gt 30m Pre and post fisheries monitoring
Peces
5m
1m
0 m
5 m

10 m
50 m
Macroinvert.
1m
Macroinvert. sesiles
5m
Sessile macroinvertebrates \10 quadrats
cover sp. and substrate. (Animals without
backbones that are large enough to be seen.)
Mobile macroinvertebrates 100 m2 transect, 1m to
either side of transect Abundance and size
Demersal reef fish 500 m3 transect 5 m x 5 m
window either sied of transect Abundance and
size (Bottom feeding fish)
Mesogastropods (mollusks) 10 quadrats Relative
abundance
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What about our impact?
Is there a problem ? hugely increased human use
of the marine reserve!
Tourism
Galapagos residents
Fishermen
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Local fisheries for fin fish, sea cucumber and
lobster
Capture for the same amount of fishing effort has
dropped due to overfishing
Serious problems with the fishermen due to
quotas, fishing areas, capture sizes and duration
of the open season.
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Illegal fishing and shark finning bringing
conflicts
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MAN AS A STEWARD?
POLLUTION - TRASH ?
OIL SPILLs ?
FISHING TO NEAR EXTINCTION ?
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Ecopath with Ecosim EwE
5082 registered users in 161 different countries
from November 2003 to May 1, 2008.
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A trophic model of a Galápagos subtidal rocky
reef for evaluating fisheries and conservation
strategies

• T.A. Okey et al. / Ecological Modelling 172
  (2004) 383401
• A balanced tropic model of a Galapagos rocky reef
  system was constructed using Ecopath and Ecosim
• Ecopath and Ecosim enabled exploration of
  hypotheses about system dynamics and potential
  solutions to conservation concerns about
  overfishing.
• Galapagos Rocky Reef Systems sea cucumbers
  (pepinos) and detritivouous mullets comprised
  71 and 15, respectively, of the total fisheries
  catch.
• Catch rates of pepinos were shown to be
  unsustainable.
• Exclusion of fishing from 23 of total reef area,
  representing a hypothetical non-extractive zone,
  prevented functional extinction of pepinos that
  analysis predicted with no areas protected (given
  1999 - 2000 catch rates).
• Even with 23 of the hypothetical area protected,
  pepinos were predicted to decline overall to a
  stable 36 of their current estimated biomass.
• Pepinos biomass was predicted to increase to 8
  times that of current levels if pepino fishing
  were stopped altogether.

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Ecopath-Ecosim Rocky Reef System

• This situation gives rise to several new
  questions
• Should models of each biogeographic zone be
  constructed?
• Roles of oceanographic forces in shaping these
  biotic communities?
• Results constitute a first step to explore and
  understand the nature and dynamics of the
  Galápagos marine ecosystems.
• Continuing strategy to evaluate and refine rocky
  reef ecosystem model in parallel with the ongoing
  baseline monitoring program.
• Only combining such analytical approaches with
  ongoing empirical field investigations can
  evaluate usefulness of ecological models.
• This adaptive approach will help evaluate the
  potential effects of human activities and
  management policies such as the effectiveness of
  zone-based fisheries and conservation management
  in the Galápagos Marine Reserve

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Participatory management
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Provisional Coastal ZonationScheme
Green - no entry no take
Blue - No Take Tourism Black -
Fishing Conservation Management Yellow -
Special Use Zones
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Thanks Woody!
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2009