We assess a stock, Gulf of Mexico Gray Triggerfish, that is typically associated with sargassum at Age-0. We would like to develop a time-series of the annual spatial extent of sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico in order to better understand the possible influence of sargassum on year-class strength. Are there references or data sources we should be aware of?
NOAA should be able to figure this one out most easily by tracking the sargassum via your ocean maps for chlorophyll, etc. Once you know where huge mats physically were at one point in time, you should be able to track them meshing chlorophyll and current maps/charts - I believe you all would have better mapping and tracking abilities than anyone else .... :)
HI Shannon,
These two references illustrate the most recent satellite methodologies for assessing populations. You can do a Web of Science search to follow the threads. They also include some of the historical cites for the Gulf.
Gower, J., Young, E. & King, S. 2013. Satellite images suggest a new Sargassum source region in 2011. Remote Sensing Letters 4:764-73.
Gower, J., Hu, C. M., Borstad, G. & King, S. 2006. Ocean color satellites show extensive lines of floating sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 44:3619-25.
This reference illustrates how finer scale patterns can emerge from mesoscale circulation patterns.
Zhong, Y., Bracco, A. & Villareal, T. A. 2012. Pattern formation at the ocean surface: Sargassum distribution and the role of the eddy field. Limnology and Oceanography: Fluids and Environments 2:12-27.
Jim Gower has told me that the satellite products he used are not available at the moment, so you might have to be a bit creative. -Tracy Villareal
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