Dynamic forcing of biological production around canyons

Field measurements combined with remote sensing data and numerical modelling are being used to investigate the interplay between winds, currents, water masses and seabed topography along the shelf region off Northern Norway. The goal is to identify physical processes in submarine canyons that lead to favourable conditions for pelagic primary production and export of particulate organic matter to the seabed which serves as food for benthic communities.

The region has been the subject of several previous ecological studies as well as physical oceanographic investigations, but the interplay between physical oceanographic processes and biological production is still unclear. This is due to the complex nature of the physical forcing that links canyon-related processes with specific biological regimes.

This multidisciplinary study combines traditionally independent fields of science (i.e. physical oceanography, community ecology) and different analytical approaches (empirical field-collected data, remote sensing, and numerical modelling). Linkages between topographic irregularities, physical oceanographic features and processes, and ecological dynamics are being investigated using Bleikdjupet (Northern Norway) as a test system.

Internally funded research

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