The fourth ECOHAB Pacific Northwest cruise took place in July 2005
aboard the R/V Atlantis. The Atlantis left Seattle at 10:00 AM PDT
July 7 and returned to Seattle at 10:00 AM July 27. The chief
scientist was Barbara Hickey.
The ECOHAB-PNW 4 cruise has provided an important contrast to the
2003 and 2004 cruises. During ECOHAB-PNW 4, approximately 95%
of our normal study area was devoid of PN cells producing measurable
amounts of DA, and concentrations of both the diatom and the toxin
DA never reached maximal levels experienced in previous cruises. Perhaps
equally interesting, the cruise took place during a summer with anomalously
weak upwelling. The lack of upwelling and media reports of a crashing
ecosystem were reported in a number of prominent West Coast newspapers
(e.g., Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle) as well as on National
Public Radio. Our research team was able to measure the system in the
reduced upwelling state, but also were able to follow its recovery
in a strong, persistent upwelling period that lasted for ~2 weeks of
the cruise period.
The ECOHAB-PNW 4 cruise has provided an important contrast to the
2003 and 2004 cruises. During ECOHAB-PNW 4, approximately 95%
of our normal study area was devoid of PN cells producing measurable
amounts of DA, and concentrations of both the diatom and the toxin
DA never reached maximal levels experienced in previous cruises. Perhaps
equally interesting, the cruise took place during a summer with anomalously
weak upwelling. The lack of upwelling and media reports of a crashing
ecosystem were reported in a number of prominent West Coast newspapers
(e.g., Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle) as well as on National
Public Radio. Our research team was able to measure the system in the
reduced upwelling state, but also were able to follow its recovery
in a strong, persistent upwelling period that lasted for ~2 weeks of
the cruise period.