[All-postdocs] Bioseminar - Bror Jonsson

[Ana Velez]

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Biology Department Seminar

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 12:00 pm
Redfield Auditorium

Bror Jonsson
Research Assistant Professor, University of New Hampshire

A Unified Data-Driven Approach to Quantify Biological Production and Export in the Global Surface Ocean
Satellite-derived models of Primary Production (PP) are critical tools to constrain the global carbon system and to better understand the mechanisms of marine ecosystems with unprecedented spatial resolution and coverage. While arguably one of the most significant developments in biological oceanography over the last 30 years, there is still questions about what the models predict (the output lies somewhere between Net and Gross PP) or how to validate the models with in situ observations. PP is furthermore only a part of the cycling of carbon in the surface ocean. To address these challenges, we have developed purely data-driven models to better constrain upper-ocean fluxes including export production (EP).  We use decision-tree models to predict primary and export production from satellite-derived properties. The approach is expanded by including depth as an input feature, allowing for depth-resolved predictions. Our approach allows us to generate purely data-driven global models with high skill, showing that depth resolved PP and EP estimates are reasonable. We are able to predict well-constrained vertical relationships for PP and EP closely analogous to earlier analytical work. The models can in conjunction also estimate community respiration, remineralization attenuation (the Martin relationship), and export efficiency.

Biology Seminar Web Page<https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/understand/departments-centers-labs/bio/bio-highlights-events/>

For questions, contact:

Ana Maria Velez
Biology Pre-Award Administrative Associate
Ph: 508-289-2334
[signature_1005462319]

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