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18-Year Trends in Phytoplankton Blooms and Associated Physical Variables in New York and San Francisco Estuaries
by Sonia Hasko and Alisha Ansari

June 19, 2024

Abstract
Phytoplankton is a critical producer in, but copious blooms can harm ecosystems through eutrophication. In northern urban estuaries, seasonal fluctuations in water properties encourage phytoplankton growth, leading to seasonal blooms. The current experiment analyzed phytoplankton growth in the urban estuaries bordering the NY-NJ coasts and the San Francisco region. Remotely-sensed [Chl-a], FLH, and SST data was gathered, spanning the years 2002 to 2020, whereas remotely-sensed salinity data was available from 2015 to 2020. Data composite medians were the primary form of data analysis. Spring blooms, autumn blooms, and seasonal SST and salinity trends were expected. The study found that median [Chl-a] confirmed known blooms and confirmed hurricanes’ impacts on blooms, while FLH data raised questions regarding low measurements during months of known peak phytoplankton activity. Remote sensing limitations may have impacted data. The data indicated an overall decline in phytoplankton, but the relationships between FLH and [Chl-a] were weaker than expected (r2 = .184 for NY; r2 = .254 for SF). The greatest significant changes (p<.05) in Chl-a, FLH, and SST were only found in NY. Monthly SST values increased across the seasons in NY (0.04-2% per year) and SF (0.08-0.6% per year). High phytoplankton biomass was consistently found near coasts, highlighting the need for continued monitoring of NY bays and rivers and the SF Bay area.

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