Characterizing Productivity of Geostrophic Eddis: Implications for Leatherback Habitat

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Satellite tagging of leatherback turtles allowed the observation of “looping” tracks south of Hawaii along cruise track S-199. Polovina et al. (2005) correlated remotely sensed chlorophyll a data with the looping behavior of loggerhead turtles of the Kuroshio Extension Current Bifurcation Region, and concluded this observation to be the result of preferential feeding within cyclonic eddies. It was determined that the leatherback looping was observed around a similar cyclonic eddy. Additionally, it was determined that the anticyclonic counterpart was located along the cruise, just south of the cyclonic eddy. Locating the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy system was done using TOPEX and Jason 1 SSH imagery. Additionally, ADCP profiling allowed high resolution physical characterization of the mesoscale eddies. In situ biological sampling of the known leatherback turtle habitat reveled gelatinous densities an order of magnitude higher within the core of the cyclonic eddy versus the peripheral anticyclonic eddy. Zooplankton and fluorescence measurements mimicked this trend, bolstering the hypothesis that the cyclonic eddies, within an otherwise homogeneous body of water, are oceanic hotspots. It has been concluded that leatherbacks are exhibiting opportunistic behavior when making trans-pacific journeys, exploiting such oceanic hotspot habitat.

Type of resource	text
Date created	June 9, 2005

Author	Markman, Nicholas
Author	Schwartz, Rebecca

Subject	Stanford@SEA
Subject	S-199
Subject	Hopkins Marine Station
Subject	Department of Biology
Subject	Department of Earth System Science
Subject	BIOHOPK 182H
Subject	BIOHOPK 323H
Subject	EARTHSYS 323
Subject	ESS 323
Subject	leatherback
Subject	turtle
Subject	tagging
Subject	Hawaii
Subject	chlorophyll
Subject	loggerhead
Subject	Kuroshio Extension Current Bifurcation Region
Subject	preferential feeding
Subject	eddy
Subject	TOPEX
Subject	Jason 1 SSH
Subject	ADCP
Subject	gelatinus density
Subject	zooplankton
Subject	fluorescence
Subject	oceanic hotspot
Subject	trans-pacific
Subject	opportunistic
Genre	Student project report

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/bk468mz8701

Use and reproduction: User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).

Preferred Citation: Markman, Nicholas; Schwartz, Rebecca. 2005. Characterizing Productivity of Geostrophic Eddis: Implications for Leatherback Habitat. Unpublished Student Work, S-199, Stanford@SEA, Stanford Digital Repository. https://purl.stanford.edu/bk468mz8701.

Stanford@SEA -- Student papers

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