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Dra Beatriz Mouriño-Carballido Ramón y Cajal Researcher Fellow Departamento de Ecología y Biología
Animal 36310 Vigo, Spain
E-mail: bmourino@uvigo.es |
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· BSc in Marine Sciences, University of
Vigo (
· PhD in Oceanography,
· Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow, Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution (
· Juan de
· Isidro Parga Pondal Researcher Fellow,
· Ramón y Cajal Researcher Fellow,
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Research interests Biological
fixation and subsequent sinking of organic carbon constitutes a net removal
of carbon from the surface ocean, which plays an important role in partitioning
of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere. The vast subtropical
regions of the ocean contribute at least to 30% of the carbon export to the
deep ocean. They have been traditionally considered relatively homogeneous
within the boundaries of the province. However a more dynamic picture has
emerged in the last decade. My research uses a combination of altimeter
images, time series data analyses, observations from specific cruises, and
ocean model simulations to asses the mechanisms that control primary
production in the upper ocean, and in particular the processes responsible
for intermittent nutrients supply to tropical and subtropical plankton
communities. Specific research lines include: •Global
biogeochemical cycles in marine subtropical ecosystems •Biogeochemical
role of ocean (sub)mesoscale turbulence •Application of
measurements of microstructure turbulence to the study of biological
processes in the ocean |
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Microstructure
turbulence profiler (MSS) on board BIO
Hespérides |
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Measurements of
microstructure turbulence carried by the Biological Oceanographic group at
the |
· Circunnavigation Expedition Malaspina 2010: Global Change and Biodiversity Exploration of the Global Ocean. Coordinator
(2008-2012): C. M. Duarte (CSIC). P. I. at U. Vigo.: E. Marañón
· Spatio-temporal variability in the synthesis, remineralization and
export of organic carbon in the
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Biological source term and
geostrophic horizontal advection flux divergence computed for oxygen, DIC and
nitrate at BATS and ESTOC. The discontinuous line represents the mixed-layer depth
and the black thick line the zero isoline. |
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VARITROP: Are differences in new production and
shallow remineralisation consistent with the discrepancy in export rates
observed at BATS and ESTOC? Subtropical
gyres play an important role in the global carbon cycle due to their large
extension, which is expected to get larger as a consequence of global
warming. Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of these vast biomes is
critical to comprehend the role of the oceans in the carbon cycle. We used 5-yr
concomitant data of tracer distribution from the BATS (Bermuda Time-series
Study) and ESTOC (European Station for Time-Series in the Ocean, Canary
Islands) sites to build a 1-D tracer model conservation including horizontal
advection, and then compute net production and shallow remineralization rates
for both sites. Our main goal was to verify if differences in these rates are
consistent with the lower export rates of particulate organic carbon observed
at ESTOC. Net production rates computed below the mixed layer to 110m from
April to December for oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon and nitrate at BATS
were slightly higher for oxygen and carbon compared to ESTOC, although the
differences were not statistically significant. Shallow remineralization
rates between 110 and 250m computed at ESTOC were statistically higher for
oxygen compared to BATS. The lateral advective flux divergence of tracers,
which was more significant at ESTOC, was responsible for the differences in
estimated oxygen remineralization rates between both stations. According to
these results, the differences in net production and shallow remineralization
can not fully explain the differences in the flux of sinking organic matter
observed between both stations, suggesting an additional consumption of non
sinking organic matter at ESTOC (Fernández-Castro et al.,
2012, BG). |
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VARITROP: Which are the implications of the
heterogeneity observed in atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the New production (the fraction of primary production fueled by nutrients
supplied from outside the euphotic zone) constrains the amount of organic
carbon that can be exported to the deep ocean. However, on long timescales any
downward flux of organic matter must be balanced by an equivalent upward flux
of nutrients and carbon, unless new nutrients enter the ocean. For unchanged
ocean physics and constant organic matter stoichiometry, only external
nitrogen supply mechanisms, such as nitrogen fixation and atmospheric
deposition, can impact the net balance of the biotically mediated flux of CO2
between the ocean and the atmosphere. A significant increase in the
deposition of anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen is predicted for the next
decades, a large part of which will be deposited over the subtropical ocean
gyres. These are largely depleted in surface nitrate and therefore are
expected to be particularly sensitive to enhanced atmospheric nitrogen
deposition. Using a model of plankton and organic-matter cycling, we
demonstrate that variable stoichiometric ratios can lead to a more than
5-fold higher sensitivity of simulated carbon export to atmospheric N
deposition in the ultra-oligotrophic eastern part of the North Atlantic subtropical
gyre, compared to the westerly oligotrophic region near |
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Schematic of main state variable and fluxes computed
for the upper |
· Physico-chemical model for the macaronesic region. Evaluation and
potential operational applicability (MOMAC) (2009-2011). P. I.: Melchor González-Dávila (ULPG)
· Physical-biological coupling at the mesoscale range around South
Shetland Islands (
· Turbulence during the northwestern
· Turbulence measurements along a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic
Ocean (TURBYTROP) (2007-2009). P. I.: B. Mouriño (U.
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Distribution of
N2 fixation rates integrated down to the base of the euphotic
zone, vertical flux of nitrate entering the euphotic zone through eddy
diffusion, and contribution (%) of N2 fixation to total new
nitrogen input during this cruise. Bubbles size is proportional to the magnitude of the
represented variable. |
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TURBYTROP:
What is the importance of N2-fixation versus nitrate diffusion across the Eddy diffusion
across the thermocline has traditionally been considered the main source for
new nitrogen in tropical and subtropical waters. Recent studies indicate that
N2-fixation could equal or exceed the vertical flux of nitrate by eddy
diffusion. Previous attempts to assess the relative importance of N2-fixation
versus nitrate eddy diffusion in supporting new production have assumed
constant diffusivity across the thermocline. However, the magnitude and
variability of diffusivity in the ocean is very poorly constrained. We described the first open-ocean basin-scale,
simultaneous measurements of N2-fixation, nitrate diffusion, and primary
production along a south-north transect in the Atlantic Ocean crossing three biogeographic
provinces: the South Subtropical Atlantic (SSA, ~31ºS – 12ºS), the Equatorial
Atlantic (EA, ~12ºS – 16ºN), and the North Subtropical Atlantic (NSA, ~16ºN –
9ºN) in April-May 2008. N2-fixation and primary production were measured as
15N2 and |
Peer-review articles
28. Teira E., Mouriño-Carballido B., Martínez-García S.,
Sobrino C., Ameneiro J., Hernández-León S., Vázquez E. Controls of primary
production and bacterial carbon metabolism around South Shetland Islands. Deep-Sea Research I (in press).
27. Luo Y.-W. et al (2012) Database of diazotrophs in global ocean: abundances,
biomass and nitrogen fixation rates. Earth
System Science Data, 4, 47–73. 
26. Fernández A., Graña R., Mouriño-Carballido
B., Bode A., Varela M., Domínguez F.,
Escánez J., de Armas D., Marañón E. Community N2 fixation and
Trichodesmium spp. abundance along longitudinal gradients in the Eastern
Subtropical North Atlantic. ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi:
10.1093/icesjms/fss142.
25. Fernández-Castro B., Anderson L., Marañón E., Ausín B., Neuer S.,
González-Dávila M. Santana-Casiano M., Cianca A., Santana R., Llinás O., Rueda
M.J., and Mouriño-Carballido B (2012).
Regional differences in modelled net production and shallow remineralization in
the
24. Ameneiro J., Mouriño-Carballido
B., Parapar J., Vázquez E. Abundance and distribution of invertebrate
larvae in the Bellingshausen Sea (West Antarctica). Polar Biology, DOI 10.1007/s00300-012-1177-4.
23. Mouriño-Carballido, B.,
Pahlow, M., Oschlies A. (2012) High sensitivity of ultra-oligotrophic marine
ecosystems to atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Geophysical Research Letters, 39,
L05601, doi:10.1029/2011GL050606.
22. Huete-Ortega, M., Calvo-Díaz A., Graña R., Mouriño-Carballido, B., Marañón E.
(2011) Effect of environmental forcing on the biomass, production and growth
rate of
size-fractionated phytoplankton in the central
21. Mouriño-Carballido, B.,
Graña, R., Fernández, A., Bode, A., Varela, M., Domínguez, J. F., Escánez, J.,
de Armas, D., Marañón, E. (2011) Importance of N2 fixation versus
nitrate eddy diffusion along a latitudinal transect in the Atlantic Ocean. Limnology
and Oceanography, 56(3), 2011, 999–1007.
20. Moreno-Ostos, E., Fernández, A., Huete-Ortega, M., Mouriño-Carballido, B., Calvo-Díaz, A.,
Morán, X. A. G., Marañón, E. (2011) Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass and
production in the tropical Atlantic. Scientia
Marina, 75, 379-389.
19. Marañón, E., Fernández, A., Mouriño-Carballido,
B., Martínez-García, S., Teira, E., Cermeño, P., Chouciño, P.,
Huete-Ortega, M., Fernández, E., Calvo-Díaz, A., Morán, X. A. G., Bode, A.,
Moreno-Ostos, E., Varela, M. M., Patey, M. D., Achterberg, E. P. (2010). Degree
of oligotrophy controls the response of microbial plankton to Saharan dust. Limnology
and Oceanography, 55, 2339-2352.
18. Fernández, A., Mouriño-Carballido,
B., Bode, A., Varela, M., Marañón, E. (2010) Latitudinal distribution of Trichodesmium spp. and N2
fixation in the
17. Mouriño-Carballido B.
& Anderson L. (2009). Net community production of oxygen derived from in
vitro in situ 1-D modeling techniques in a cyclonic mesoscale eddy in the
16. Mouriño-Carballido B.
(2009) Eddy-driven pulses of respiration in the
15. Mouriño B. & Neuer S.
(2008). Regional differences in the role of eddy pumping in the
14. Marañón E., Pérez V., Fernández E., Anadón R., Bode A., González N.,
Huskin I., Isla A., Morán A, Mouriño-Carballido
B., Quevedo M., Robinson C., Serret P., Teira E., Varela M., Malcolm M.,
Woodward S. & Zubkov, M. (2007). Planktonic carbon budget in the euphotic
layer of the Eastern Subtropical North Atlantic. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 48, 261-275.
13. Cianca A., Helmke P., Mouriño-Carballllido
B., Rueda M.J., Llinás O. & Neuer S. (2007). Decadal analysis of
hydrography and in situ nutrient budgets in the western and eastern
12. Mouriño-Carballido B. & McGillicuddy D., 2006. Mesoscale
variability in the metabolic balance of the
11. Teira E., Mouriño B.,
Marañón E., Pérez V., Pazó M.J., Serret P., Fernández P, 2005. Variability of
chlorophyll and primary production in the Eastern North Atlantic subtropical
gyre: potential factors affecting phytoplankton activity. Deep-Sea Research I, 52: 569-588.
10. Mouriño, B., E.
Fernández, R. Pingree, B. Sinha, J. Escánez, D. de Armas, 2005. Constraining
the effect of mesoscale features on the carbon budget of the photic layer in
the NE subtropical
9. Fernández E., Álvarez F., Anadón R., Barquero S., Bode A., García A.,
García-Soto C., Gil J., González N., Iriarte A., Mouriño B., Rodríguez F., Sánchez R., Teira E., Torres S., Valdés
L., Varela M., Zapata M., 2004. An overview of the physical, chemical and
ecological properties of a Slope Water anticyclonic Oceanic eddy (SWODDY) in
the Sourthern Bay of Biscay. Journal of
Marine Biological Association,
8. Mouriño, B., E. Fernández,
Alves, M., 2004. Thermohaline structure, ageostrophic vertical velocity fields
and phytoplankton distribution and production in the North East Atlantic
subtropical front. Journal of Geophysical
Research, 109, C04020, doi:10.1029/2003JC001990.
7. Mouriño, B., E. Fernández, H. Etienne, F. Hernández, S.
Giraud, 2003. Significance of cyclonic STORM (SubTropical Oceanic Rings of
Magnitude) eddies for the carbon budget of the euphotic layer in the subtropical
6. Marañón, E., Behrenfeld, M., González, N., Mouriño, B.,
Zubkov, M.V. 2003. High variability of primary production in the Atlantic
subtropical gyres. Marine Ecology
Progress Series, 257: 1-11.
5. Mouriño, B., E. Fernández, J. Escánez, D. de Armas, S. Giraud,
B. Sinha, R. Pingree.
4. Mouriño, B., E. Fernández, P. Serret, B. Sinha, D. Harbour, R.D.
Pingree. 2001. Variability and sesonality of physical and biological fields at
the Great Meteor Seamount (Subtropical NE Atlantic). Oceanologica Acta. 24(2). 167-185.
3. Marañón, E.,
Holligan, P.M., Barciela, R., González, N., Mouriño, B., Pazó, M.J.,
Varela, M., 2001. Patterns of phytoplankton
size structure and productivity in contrasting open-ocean enviroments. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 216: 43-56.
2. González, N., R.
Anadón, B. Mouriño, E. Fernández, B. Sinha, J. Escánez, D. de Armas. 2001. The metabolic balance of the planktonic community in the N.
Atlantic Subtropical Gyre: The role of mesoscale instabilities. Limnology and Oceanography. 46(4):
946-952.
1. Marañón, E., Holligan, P.M., Varela, M., Mouriño, B., Bale,
A.J., 2000. Basin-scale variability of phytoplankton biomass, production and
growth in the
Book chapters
1.
Graña R., Chouciño P., Varela R., Mouriño-Carballido
B., 2011. Medidas directas de
microturbulencia en el océano. Editorial Tecnos (Grupo Anaya),
ISBN:978-84-309-5208-3.
2.
Chouciño Vilela P., Fernández Graña R.; Fernández Castro B.; Piedeleu
M., Rodríguez Santana A., Mouriño
Carballido B., 2012. Medidas de tasas de disipación de energía cinética
turbulenta. Expedición de circunnavegación Malaspina 2010: cambio global y
exploración de la biodiversidad del océano global: Libro blanco de métodos y
técnicas de trabajo oceanográfico.
Selected
recent oral presentations
·
Mouriño-Carballido, B., Pahlow, M.,
Oschlies A. (2012) High sensitivity of ultra-oligotrophic marine ecosystems to
atmospheric nitrogen deposition. ASLO Aquatic
Sciences Meeting 2012 (
·
Fernández-Castro B., Rodríguez-Santana A.,
Chouciño P., Graña R., Piedeleu M., Benítez-Barrios V., Fraile-Nuez E., Mouriño-Carballido
B. (2012). Turbulence
microstructure measurements and KPP validation in the tropical and subtropical
· Graña R., Mouriño-Carballido B., Varela R., Fernández A., Marañón
E., Cotano U, Irigoien X, Alcaraz M (2011). Utilización de medidas de microturbulencia en el estudio de procesos
biológicos en el océano. I Encuentro de la oceanografía física española
(Barcelona, Spain).
· Mouriño-Carballido B., Marañón E., Graña R., Fernández-Carrera A., Bode A., Domínguez F.,
Escánez J., de Armas D. (2010). Importance of N2-fixation versus
nitrate eddy diffusion across the Atlantic ocean. 2010 Ocean Sciences Meeting (
· Mouriño-Carballido B. (2009). Eddy-driven pulses of respiration in the
· Elena Hojas Sánchez. Master student (2011/2012)
· Bieito Fernández Castro. Master student (2010/2011), currently PhD student
· Maribel García. Undergraduate student (2010/2011)
·
Blanca Ausín González. Undergraduate student (2009/2010)
·
Rocío Graña Fernández. Master student (2007/2008)
Last updated
September 2012