Abstract
A subsurface oxygen minimum layer (OML) in intermediate water is identified and characterized in Rivers Inlet, a fjord on British Columbia’s central coast, using data from 1998 to 2018. The OML was observed in most years from May to September and was most persistent at the middle and head of the fjord. The Rivers Inlet OML develops in three stages: (i) in early spring, the cessation of winter storms from downwelling-favourable winds stops the ventilation of the water column; (ii) throughout spring and summer, the remineralization of organic matter, likely primarily phytoplankton, consumes oxygen in the intermediate waters; (iii) in late spring, deep-water renewal by oxygenated offshore water forms the base of the OML inside the inlet. The strength and persistence of the OML vary interannually, mainly due to variability in hemispheric-scale winds and primary production. In some years, the OML was hypoxic, which could influence the local marine ecosystem. Changes to downwelling, upwelling, or primary production in Rivers Inlet could affect the OML in the future.
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Change history
23 September 2021
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-021-01011-3
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Acknowledgements
We thank the scientists and crew from the University of British Columbia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Hakai Institute for collecting these data. Two anonymous reviewers and the editor offered constructive comments that greatly helped to improve the manuscript. All data used in this project is managed by CIOOS (www.cioos.ca). Keith Holmes created Fig. 1 and Josh Silberg created Fig. 13. We gratefully acknowledge that this work took place on the traditional territory of the Wuikinuxv First Nation.
Funding
Funding for this research was provided by the Tula Foundation (JMJ, JDBB, and BPVH) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (SJ and CGH).
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Communicated by David K. Ralston.
Key Points
• A subsurface oxygen minimum layer (OML) is identified in Rivers Inlet.
• The OML is observed during most years from May to September.
• Downwelling, upwelling, and remineralization of organic matter together cause the Rivers Inlet OML to form.
The original online version of this article was revised: Due to a typesetter error, Fig. 1 required correction.
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Jackson, J.M., Johannessen, S., Del Bel Belluz, J. et al. Identification of a Seasonal Subsurface Oxygen Minimum in Rivers Inlet, British Columbia. Estuaries and Coasts 45, 754–771 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-021-00999-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-021-00999-y