Chapter 7
The Biogeochemical Context of Marine
Planktonic Ecosystems
Teodoro Ramírez, María Muñoz, Andreas Reul,
M. Carmen García-Martínez, Francina Moya, Manuel Vargas-Yáñez, and
Begoña Bautista
7.1 Introduction
7.1.1 Biogeochemistry and Phytoplankton Productivity
of the Alboran Sea
Although the Mediterranean Sea is considered in general an oligotrophic basin
(Béthoux et al. 2002; D’Ortenzio and Ribera d’Alcalà 2009), it is able to sustain
moderate levels of primary production. This fact is known as the “Mediterranean
paradox” (Sournia 1973; Estrada 1996) which seems to be related to high levels of
regenerated production and the existence of different fertilization mechanisms that
inject nutrients into the euphotic layer. In fact, there are large differences in productivity between the different regions in the Mediterranean Sea, so that some areas are
mesotrophic rather than oligotrophic (Stambler 2014). In these areas, primary
production is considerably higher than the average for the whole Mediterranean
basin (Bosc et al. 2004). In particular, the Alboran Sea is considered the most
productive basin of the Mediterranean Sea (Bosc et al. 2004; Lazzari et al. 2012).
However, the Alboran Sea presents a high spatio-temporal variability in its
hydrological and biogeochemical features as well as in its primary production. The
enhanced productivity of the Alboran Sea, in comparison with other regions within
T. Ramírez · M. Muñoz · M. C. García-Martínez · F. Moya · M. Vargas-Yáñez
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Fuengirola (Málaga),
Spain
e-mail: teodoro.ramirez@ieo.es; maria.munoz@ieo.es; mcarmen.garcia@ieo.es;
francina.moya@ieo.es; manolo.vargas@ieo.es
A. Reul · B. Bautista (*)
Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga,
Spain
e-mail: areul@uma.es; bbautista@uma.es
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. C. Báez et al. (eds.), Alboran Sea - Ecosystems and Marine Resources,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65516-7_7
207
The Biogeochemical Context of Marine
Planktonic Ecosystems
Teodoro Ramírez, María Muñoz, Andreas Reul,
M. Carmen García-Martínez, Francina Moya, Manuel Vargas-Yáñez, and
Begoña Bautista
7.1 Introduction
7.1.1 Biogeochemistry and Phytoplankton Productivity
of the Alboran Sea
Although the Mediterranean Sea is considered in general an oligotrophic basin
(Béthoux et al. 2002; D’Ortenzio and Ribera d’Alcalà 2009), it is able to sustain
moderate levels of primary production. This fact is known as the “Mediterranean
paradox” (Sournia 1973; Estrada 1996) which seems to be related to high levels of
regenerated production and the existence of different fertilization mechanisms that
inject nutrients into the euphotic layer. In fact, there are large differences in productivity between the different regions in the Mediterranean Sea, so that some areas are
mesotrophic rather than oligotrophic (Stambler 2014). In these areas, primary
production is considerably higher than the average for the whole Mediterranean
basin (Bosc et al. 2004). In particular, the Alboran Sea is considered the most
productive basin of the Mediterranean Sea (Bosc et al. 2004; Lazzari et al. 2012).
However, the Alboran Sea presents a high spatio-temporal variability in its
hydrological and biogeochemical features as well as in its primary production. The
enhanced productivity of the Alboran Sea, in comparison with other regions within
T. Ramírez · M. Muñoz · M. C. García-Martínez · F. Moya · M. Vargas-Yáñez
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Fuengirola (Málaga),
Spain
e-mail: teodoro.ramirez@ieo.es; maria.munoz@ieo.es; mcarmen.garcia@ieo.es;
francina.moya@ieo.es; manolo.vargas@ieo.es
A. Reul · B. Bautista (*)
Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga,
Spain
e-mail: areul@uma.es; bbautista@uma.es
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. C. Báez et al. (eds.), Alboran Sea - Ecosystems and Marine Resources,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65516-7_7
207