The depicted seasonal cycle, showing a large spring phytoplankton bloom triggered by increasing sunlight and available nutrients after winter mixing, followed by zooplankton grazing that draws phytoplankton down, nutrient depletion through summer, and a smaller secondary fall bloom as mixing re-supplies nutrients before winter light limitation sets in, is the classic bimodal (spring + fall bloom) seasonal production pattern characteristic of temperate ocean regions.
In temperate mid-latitude oceans, winter deep mixing replenishes surface nutrients but light limitation (short days, deep mixed layer relative to the critical depth) suppresses phytoplankton...
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