Influence of the Shelf-Break Front Off Nova Scotia on Phytoplankton Standing Stock in Winter

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Abstract
Observations made on the shelf-break front off Nova Scotia during winter on 2 successive years show that the concentration of chlorophyll a in the euphotic zone is correlated to the inclination of the subsurface front. The steepness of the front influences the depth to which phytoplankton are mixed which in turn controls the average amount of illumination received by a given cell. The 2 winter observations showed the subsurface front at each of 2 extremes: vertical with little phytoplankton biomass and almost horizontal with significant quantities of chlorophyll. The amount of production enchancement that could result from shallowing of the mixed layer by decreased frontal inclination was calculated. During the winter under ideal conditions as few as 35 days of intermittent growth increase annual production in the frontal region by 25%.