Marine Ecological Ordering in Mexican North Pacific: a methodological proposal

Abstract

The dynamic oceanic and coastal regionalization of the Mexican North Pacific in front of the Baja California Peninsula was proposed based on a temperature and new primary production model (Pnew). Pnew was calculated based on temperature AVHRR images; SeaWiFS chlorophyll and PAR sensor and total phytoplankton production (PPz) and the reason for each depthfz multiplied. Monthly temperature maps and Pnew were done for different depths: 0, 10, 30, 50, 75 and 100 m. This is the first marine regionalization using the concept of territorial regionalization. The results show the oceanographic dynamic in front of the Baja California Peninsula; this varied from the coast to the ocean in a latitudinal manner. For the regionalization of the Mexican North Pacific, nine Environmental Management Units (EMU) are being proposed: three oceanic and six coastal. The oceanic EMU VIII and the neighboring coastal areas IV and V are considered transition zones between the northern (subarctic waters) and the southern (tropical waters) conditions. In particular, the region of Isla Navidad stands out as the division between the cold northern waters and the warm waters to the south. In the spring, the effect of the coastal upwellings of the EMUs I and II is visible from the surface up to 100 m, with eutrophic zones in the coastal EMUs IV and V at 30-50m. In the fall, the area of study is oligotrophic.