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View from the Western Channel Observatory –
2013: a year on the edges of the envelope
www.westernchannelobservatory.org.uk
Western English Channel:
• boundary region between oceanic and neritic waters;
• straddles biogeographical provinces;
• both boreal / cold temperate &
• warm temperate organisms
• considerable fluctuation of flora and fauna since
records began.
Southward et al. (2005) Adv. Mar. Biol., 47
Geographical Region
2013 – Here comes the sun(fish) …
… and blue sharks
News Headlines - 2013
• L4 sampled 46 times in 2013
– Weather restricted: sometimes Weds/Thurs
– 3 weeks missed completely (January, October)
• E1 sampled 18 times
• L4 buoy on station Jan - October:
– Bio-fouling one of the biggest issues
• E1 Met Office buoy deployed 11 June 2013
7.2 ºC (8 April)
19.3 ºC (19 July)
• Large diurnal variation during summer (1 ºC)
• Shallow “skin” layer
• 6 ºC of thermal stratification at E1 in July
Data: Fishwick & Smyth
L4 Phytoplankton
• Compared to last years ‘ever-lasting’ diatom bloom this year has looked ‘normal’
BUT
• late/absent spring bloom
• Highest recording of Phaeocystis
• Occurrence of diatoms (planktonic and benthic) that are commonly found in the North Sea
C. Widdicombe
Zooplankton – 2013 • Warm water species: Calanus helgolandicus
• Cold water species: Calanus finmarchicus
C. fin
C. hel
• March 75% females:
C. fin
• Disappeared by July
• Autumn: Calanoides
carinatus and
Rhincalanus
• Small jellyfish – low
abundance
R. Harmer
Wave Heights
E1 Buoy Maximum Wave Height (m)
Max. and Ave. wave heights (m)
Jan – Feb 2014
E1 Sampled with Quest
E1 buoy Wave Statistics
Date Time Av Wave
Height (m)
Max Wave
Height (m)
Sig. Wave
Height (m)
High Tide
(m)
Time of
HW
3rd Jan 18:31 4.40 10.94 7.06 5.6 19:23
6th Jan 21:31 4.27 9.99 5.58 5.2 21:42
1st Feb 18:31 3.21 7.81 4.34 5.6 19:09
5th Feb 08:31 6.50 15.14 9.20 5.3 09:32
8th Feb 12:31 5.18 11.35 6.90 4.3 11:47
12th Feb 12:31 3.78 10.25 5.74 4.8 16:24
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