View from the Western Channel Observatory

2013: a year on the edges of the envelope

www.westernchannelobservatory.org.uk

Geographical Region

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

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

19.3 C (19 July)

7.2 C (8 April)
Large diurnal variation during summer (1 C)
Shallow skin layer
6 C of thermal stratification at E1 in July
Data: Fishwick & Smyth

L4 CTD

Long duration, cold winter

Cool spring with warmest summer for 7 years

Data: Fishwick

L4

Year on the edges of the

envelope

E1

8.0

9.5

16.5

Less
summer
rainfall

L4 Nutrients

Summer
anomaly?

Data: Woodward & Harris

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

R. Harmer

March 75% females:

C. fin
Disappeared by July
Autumn: Calanoides
carinatus and
Rhincalanus
Small jellyfish low
abundance

2014 a sneak preview?

Wave Heights
E1 Buoy Maximum Wave Height (m)

Max. and Ave. wave heights (m)

Jan Feb 2014

E1 Sampled with Quest

magicseaweed.com
6 Jan

1 Feb

5 Feb

8 Feb

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

Short medium term impacts?

Highly turbid water column suspended particles
How will this impact on phytoplankton blooms and
succession?

K. Hiscock