I've read that SST fronts stimulate biological productivity (e.g. Woodson and Litvin 2015, PNAS). But my question is how strong of a SST front is needed to significantly enhance productivity? Of course this will be dependent on a number of factors, but what is a rough estimate? Will a front with 1 ℃ SST change be relevant? Or is this only found with much bigger gradients (e.g. 10 ℃ change)?
I'm particularly interested in the application of this question in the Gulf of California, Mexico.
May I add another question ..
- Is it possible to get an general estimation or this stimulation may be probably biased by an specific taxa as the cephalopoda (among other factors) ?
Thank you!
Particularmente en el Golfo de California ocurren demasiados procesos de diferente índole que resultan en frentes superficiales de temperatura. En el norte la mezcla de marea genera frentes térmicos de hasta 3 grados en el archipielago central, y frentes más difusos en el alto golfo. En el sur del golfo los procesos predominantes que generan frentes son la surgencia en invierno/primavera y los remolinos en verano, En la boca por otro lado la interacción con la corriente de California y el agua tropical generan frentes de masas de agua.
Entonces, todo el golfo es susceptible a los procesos de mesoescala, pero hablar de un frente superficial, sin tomar en cuenta su origen, dificulta evaluar en que medida promueve el aumento de la productividad.
Particularly in the Gulf of California too many different kinds processes resulting in surface temperature fronts. In the north, tidal mixing generates thermal fronts up to 3 degrees in the central archipelago, and more diffuse fronts in the upper gulf. In the southern Gulf, predominant processes that generate fronts are upwelling in winter / spring and eddys in summer. In the mouth, interaction with the California current and tropical water, and gulf water generate fronts throughout the year.
Then, the entire Gulf is susceptible to mesoscale processes, but talk of a surface front, regardless of its origin, difficult to assess to what extent promotes increased productivity.
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