Subtropical coccolithophores in the Weddell Sea

• Published in: Deep-sea research. Part I, Oceanographic research papers Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 439 - 449
• Main Authors: Winter, Amos, Elbrächter, Malte, Krause, Gunther
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1999; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Coastal oceanography, estuaries. Regional oceanography; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Marine; Oceanography; Physics of the oceans; Plankton; Weddell Sea; Southern Ocean; PSW, Weddell Sea; Measurement in situ; Species diversity; Water mass; Microorganism; Sea current
• ISSN: 0967-0637; 1879-0119
• DOI: 10.1016/S0967-0637(98)00076-4

Eleven subtropical coccolithophore species were identified in three samples taken in the austral autumn from the Weddell Sea, Antarctic, between 69°S and 70°S, just south of the Antarctic Slope Front. This is the first report of coccolithophores present at such southern latitudes. We provide three hypotheses for their occurrence in the Weddell Sea: (1) Coccolithophore species have wider temperature tolerances than previously believed. (2) Coccolithophores found in the Weddell Sea were part of a remnant community from the Agulhas Current. (3) Coccolithophores were transported by a N–S eddy crossing the Brazil–Malvinas confluence region and then subsequently transported to the east by warm water eddies of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current to the study location. Further temperature tolerance experiments with coccolithophores are recommended.