The Use of Ocean-Colour Data to Estimate Chl-a Trends in European Seas
Author(s)
Giovanni Coppini*,
Vladyslav Lyubarstev,
Nadia Pinardi,
Simone Colella,
Rosalia Santoleri,
Trine Christiansen
Affiliation(s)
1Centro Euro Mediterraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici, Lecce, Italy 2Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Bologna, Italy. Centro Euro Mediterraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici, Lecce, Italy. CIRSA, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy. National Research Council, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Rome, Italy. European Environment Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark.
1Centro Euro Mediterraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici, Lecce, Italy 2Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Bologna, Italy. Centro Euro Mediterraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici, Lecce, Italy. CIRSA, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy. National Research Council, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Rome, Italy. European Environment Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark.
ABSTRACT
Ocean-colour remote-sensing products have been used to
estimate Chl-a trends in European seas with the aim to develop a new indicator
based on ocean-colour data for the European Environment Agency (EEA). The new
indicator, called CSI023(+), derived from
satellite ocean-colour products from the MyOcean Marine Core Service (www.myocean.eu)
has been defined and calculated. In our analysis, we have used 3 MyOcean
satellite products: 2 global satellite products (SeaWiFS and a merged product)
and one regional (adjusted to specific regional Mediterranean conditions)
ocean-colour product. We have evaluated the differences among the 3 different
products in estimating Chl-a trends. CSI023(+) complements the EEA CSI023
indicator for eutrophication based on chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in-situ observations. Analysis
has revealed the potential of ocean colour as a CSI023(+) indicator to detect
large-scale, and in some cases, even local-scale, changes and decreasing trends of Chl-a were observed throughout the Black Sea, the Eastern
Mediterranean, the southern part of the Western Mediterranean, the English
Channel and the north part of the North Sea. Large areas with increasing trends
were observed in the Bay of Biscay, in the North-East Atlantic regions of
Ireland and the UK, in the northern part of the North Sea, in the Kattegat and
in the Baltic. Specific analysis has been performed in the Mediterranean
coastal areas using regional products to investigate local scale results. Validation
of ocean-colour products has been carried out through comparison with
observations of the Eionet EEA database. The validation results highlight that
regional products produced with regional algorithms are recommended for the
future.
Cite this paper
G. Coppini, V. Lyubarstev, N. Pinardi, S. Colella, R. Santoleri and T. Christiansen, "The Use of Ocean-Colour Data to Estimate Chl-a Trends in European Seas," International Journal of Geosciences, Vol. 4 No. 6, 2013, pp. 927-949. doi: 10.4236/ijg.2013.46087.
G. Coppini, V. Lyubarstev, N. Pinardi, S. Colella, R. Santoleri and T. Christiansen, "The Use of Ocean-Colour Data to Estimate Chl-a Trends in European Seas," International Journal of Geosciences, Vol. 4 No. 6, 2013, pp. 927-949. doi: 10.4236/ijg.2013.46087.
References
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[1] J. G. Ferreira, J. H. Andersen, A. Borja, S. B. Bricker, J. Camp, M. C. da Silva, E. Garcés, A.-S. Heiskanen, C. Humborg, L. Ignatiades, C. Lancelot, A. Menesguen, P. Tett, N. Hoepffner and U. Claussen, “Overview of Eutrophication Indicators to Assess Environmental Status within the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Estuarine,” Coastal and Shelf Science, Vol. 93, No. 2, 2011, pp. 117-131. [2] S. B. Bricker, C. G. Clement, D. E. Pirhalla, S. P. Orlando and D. R. G. Farrow, “National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment. Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in the Nation’s Estuaries,” NOAA, National Ocean Service, Special Projects Office and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, 1999. http://ian.umces.edu/neea/pdfs/eutro_report.pdf [3] S. B. Bricker, J. G. Ferreira and T. Simas, “An Integrated Methodology for Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status,” Ecological Modelling, Vol. 169, No. 1, 2003, pp. 39-60. [4] S. B. Bricker, S. V. Smith, J. G. Ferreira, A. M. Nobre, E. Dettmann and J. Latimer, “Assessment of Eutrophication: A Comparison of Methods Applied to Barnegat Bay,” Estuarine Research Federation 2005, Session SYM-06: Managing River Basins and Estuaries: An International Assessment of Approaches and Progress, 2005. http://www.eutro.org/presentations/Barnegat%20ERF%202005%20SYM-06%20final.pdf [5] S. B. Bricker, B. Longstaff, W. Dennison, A. Jones, K. Boicourt, C. Wicks and J. Woerner, “Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in the Nation’s Estuaries: A Decade of Change, National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment Update,” National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, 2007. http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/publications/eutroupdate/ [6] S. B. Bricker, B. Longstaff, W. Dennison, A. Jones, K. Boicourt, C. Wicks and J. Woerner, “Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in the Nation’s Estuaries: A Decade of Change,” Harmful Algae, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2008, pp. 21-32. [7] G. Kowalewska, B. Wawrzyniak-Wydrowska and M. Szymczak-Zyla, “Chlorophyll a and Its Derivatives in Sediments of the Odra Estuary as a Measure of Its Eutrophication,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 49, No. 3, 2004, pp. 148-153. [8] U. Claussen, W. Zevenboom, U. Brockmann, D. Topcu and P. Bot, “Assessment of the Eutrophication Status of Transitional, Coastal and Marine Waters within OSPAR,” Hydrobiologia, Vol. 629, No. 1, 2009, pp. 49-58. [9] M. Garmendia, M. Revilla, J. Bald, J. Franco, A. Laza-Martínez, E. Orive, S. Seoane, V. Valencia and á. Borja, “Phytoplankton Communities and Biomass Size Structure (Fractionated Chlorophyll ‘a’), along Trophic Gradients of the Basque Coast (northern Spain),” Biogeochemistry, Vol. 106, No. 2, 2011, pp. 243-263. doi:10.1007/s10533-010-9445-2 [10] J. Carstensen and P. Henriksen, “Phytoplankton Biomass Response to Nitrogen Inputs: A Method for WFD Boundary Setting Applied to Danish Coastal Waters,” Hydrobiologia, Vol. 633, No. 1, 2009, pp. 137-149. [11] M. Devlin, M. Best, D. Coates, E. Bresnan, S. O’Boyle, R. Park, J. Silke, C. Cusack and J. Skeats, “Establishing Boundary Classes for the Classification of UK Marine Waters Using Phytoplankton Communities,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 55, No. 1-6, 2007, pp. 91-103. [12] M. Devlin, J. Barry, S. Painting and M. Best, “Extending the Phytoplankton Tool Kit for the UK Water Framework Directive: Indicators of Phytoplankton Community Structure,” Hydrobiologia, Vol. 633, No. 1, 2009, pp. 151-168. [13] HELCOM, “Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea: An Integrated Thematic Assessment of the Effects of Nutrient Enrichment and Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea Region,” Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings No. 115A, Helsinki Commission, Helsinki, 2009, pp. 1-20. [14] J. G. Ferreira, S. B. Bricker and T. C. Simas, “Application and Sensitivity Testing of an Eutrophication Assessment Method on Coastal Systems in the United States and European Union,” Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 82, No. 4, 2007, pp. 433-445. [15] OSPAR, “Second OSPAR Integrated Report on the Eutrophication Status of the OSPAR Maritime Area,” OSPAR Publication, 2008. [16] S. Nixon, “Eutrophication and the Macroscope,” Hydrobiologia, Vol. 629, No. 1, 2009, pp. 5-19. [17] A. Morel and L. Prieur, “Analysis of Variations in Ocean-Colour,” Limnology Oceanography, Vol. 22, No. 4, 1977, pp. 709-722. doi:10.4319/lo.1977.22.4.0709 [18] H. Gordon and A. Morel, “Remote Assessment of Ocean Colour for Interpretation of Satellite Visible Imagery: A Review,” Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1983. [19] L. Prieur and S. Sathyendranath, “An Optical Classification of Coastal and Oceanic Waters Based on the Specific Spectral Absorption Curves of Phytoplankton Pigments, Dissolved Organic Matter and Other Particulate Materials,” Limnology Oceanography, Vol. 26, No. 4, 1981. pp. 671-689. doi:10.4319/lo.1981.26.4.0671 [20] D. Antoine, A. Morel, B. Gentili, H. R. Gordon, V. F. Banzon, R. H. Evans, J. W. Brown, S. Walsh, W. Baringer and A. Li, “In Search of Long-Term Trends in Ocean Color,” Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, Vol. 84, No. 32, 2003, pp. 301-309. doi:10.1029/2003EO320002 [21] C. Beaulieu, S. A. Henson, J. L. Sarmiento, J. P. Dunne, S. C. Doney, R. R. Rykaczewski and L. Bopp, “Factors Challenging Our Ability to Detect Long-Term Trends in Ocean Chlorophyll,” Biogeosciences, Vol. 10, 2013, pp. 2711-2724. doi:10.5194/bg-10-2711-2013 [22] V. Vantrepotte and F. Melin, “Temporal Variability in SeaWiFS Derived Apparent Optical Properties in European Seas,” Continental Shelf Research, Vol. 30, No. 3-4, 2010, pp. 319-334. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2009.11.012 [23] V. Vantrepotte and F. Melin, “Inter-Annual Variations in the SeaWiFS Global Chlorophyll a Concentration (1997-2007),” Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, Vol. 58, No. 4, 2011, pp. 429-441. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2011.02.003 [24] S. Maritorena, D. A. Siegel and A. Peterson, “Optimization of a Semi-Analytical Ocean Colour Model for Global Scale Applications,” Applied Optics, Vol. 41, No. 15, 2002, pp. 2705-2714. doi:10.1364/AO.41.002705 [25] S. Maritorena and D. A. Siegela, “Consistent Merging of Satellite Ocean Colour Data Sets Using a Bio-Optical Model,” Remote Sensing of Environment, Vol. 94, No. 4, 2005, pp. 429-440. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2004.08.014 [26] S. Maritorena, O. H. Fanton d’Andonb, A. Mangin and D. A. Siegel, “Merged Satellite Ocean Colour Data Products Using a Bio-Optical Model: Characteristics, Benefits and Issues,” Remote Sensing of Environment, Vol. 114, No. 8, 2010, pp. 1791-1804. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2010.04.002 [27] J. E. O’Reilly and 24 co-authors, “Ocean Colour Chlorophyll-a Algorithms for SeaWiFS, OC2 and OC4: Version 4,” In: S. B. Hooker and E. R. Firestone, Eds., SeaWiFS Post Launch Calibration and Validation Analyses, Vol. 11, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, 2000, pp. 9-23. [28] G. Volpe, R. Santoleri, V. 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