Phytoplankton comprise the foundation of marine food chain by fixing inorganic carbon into organic carbon, making it available to higher order organisms. As these organisms’ growth is connected strongly with sea surface temperature and nutrient availability, oceanographic, meteorological, and terrestrial processes exert a major impact on both phytoplankton abundance, and ocean primary productivity. Here I examine the impact of persistent drought on primary productivity in Columbia River Plume using monthly MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery collected between 2003-2015. Chlorophyll concentrations are compared to several drought indices, although only correlated to the Precipitation Index (PCP), Palmer Z-Index (ZNDX), and sediment concentration (as determined by MODIS Rrs_645). This signals that chlorophyll is sensitive to short-term changes in drought. The monthly chlorophyll values were then compared to VGPM primary productivity in order to confirm that chlorophyll is a good proxy for phytoplankton growth.

Presentation Slides: https://www.scribd.com/document/320954889/Impacts-of-Costal-and-Climatological-Processes-on-Primary-Productivity-in-the-Columbia-River-Plume#fullscreen&from_embed