Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

Ocean variability in relation to living resources during the 1982–83 El Niño

Abstract

Ocean /atmosphere perturbations that generate large-scale thermal anomalies in the Pacific are natural processes that cause significant variability in living resources. Analysis of the 1982–83 El Niño indicates that depression of the nutricline set in motion a decrease in productivity that eventually affected survival and reproduction at higher trophic levels. This impact, together with large-scale southward redistributions, accounted for most of the observed changes in the abundance of living resources.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Philander, S. G. H. Nature 302, 295–301 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gill, A. E. & Rasmusson, E. M. Nature 306, 229–234 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Rasmusson, E. M. Am. Scient. 73, 168–177 (1985).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Wormuth, J. H. & Berkowitz, S. P. Eos 65, 922 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Shulenberger, E. & Loeb, V. J. Eos 65, 922 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Heywood, R. B., Everson, I. & Pridle, J. Deep-Sea Res. 32, 369–378 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ryther, J. H. Science 166, 72–76 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Barber, R. T. & Chavez, F. P. Science 222, 1203–1210 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Barber, R. T. & Smith, R. L. in Analysis of Marine Ecosystems (ed. Longhurst, A. R.) 31–68 (Academic, New York, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Barnett, T. P. J. phys. Oceanogr. 11, 1043–1058 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wyrtki, K. J. J. phys. Oceanogr. 5, 572–584 (1975); J. geophys. Res. 89, 10419–10424 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Mangum, L. J. & Hayes, S. P. J. geophys. Res. 89, 10441–10449 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Cane, M. A. Science 222, 1189–1195 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Rasmusson, E. M. & Wallace, J. M. Science 222, 1195–1202 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Enfleld, D. B. J. geophys. Res. 86, 2005–2016 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Smith, R. L. Science 221, 1397–1399 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Smith, R. L. & Huyer, A. Trop. Ocean-Atmos. Newslett. 21, 28–29 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Barber, R. T., Kogelschatz, J. E., Chavez, F. P. & Thayer, V. G. in El Nino Atlas 1982–1983 (eds Leetma, A. & Witte, J.) 149–155 (US Government Printing Office, Atlanta, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lukas, R., Hayes, S. P. & Wyrtki, K. J. geophys. Res. 89, 10425–10430 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Chavez, F. P., Barber, R. T. & Soldi, S. H. Nature 309, 47–49 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Dugdale, R. C., Jones, B. H., Jr, MacIsaac, J. J. & Goering, J. J. Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 210, 234–250(1981).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Eppley, R. W. Can. Bull Fish, aquat. Sci. 210, 251–263 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Dugdale, R. C. Limnol. Oceanogr. 12, 685–695 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Guillen, O., Calienes, R. & Izaguirre de Rondan, R Bol. Inst. Mar Peru 2, 49–76 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Valdiva, G., J. E. Rapp. P. V. Reun. Cons. int. Explor. Mer 173, 196–202 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Murphy, G. T. Geoforum 11, 63–71 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Arntz, W. E. Oceanus 27, 36–39 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Castillo, R. Estudio Regl Fenummon El Niño Bol. 12, 3–5 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Halpern, D., Leetma, A., Hansen, D. & Philander, G. Science 221, 1173–1174 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Herdson, D. Trop. Ocean-Atmos. Newslett. 28, 14–16 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Velez, J., Zeballos, J. & Mendez, M. Trop. Ocean-Atmos. Newslett. 28, 10–12 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Eguiguren, V. Bol. Soc. Geogr. Lima 4, 241–258 (1894).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Wolff, M. Trop. Ocean-Atmos. Newslett. 28, 8–9 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Kirby-Smith, W. W. & Barber, R. T. Aquaculture 3, 135–145 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Barber, R. T. & Kogelschatz, J. E. Data Rep. of WECOMA Cruises WELOC 83–2 and 83–3 (Duke University, Beaufort, USA)

  36. Avaria, S. Estudio Regi Fenummon El Niño Bol. 13, 17–25 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Santander, H. & Zuzunaga, J. Trop. Ocean-Atmos. Newslett. 28, 9–10 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  38. Lasker, R. Fish. Bull. 73, 453–462 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  39. Jordan, R. Invest. Pesq. 35, 113–126 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  40. Cowles, T. J., Barber, R. T. & Guillen, O. Science 195, 285–287 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Simpson, J. J. Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 937–940 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Lynn, R. J. geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 1093–1095 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Fieldler, P. C. Science 224, 1251–1254 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. McGowan, J. A. Trop. Ocean-Atmos. Newslett. 21, 23 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  45. Fiedler, P. C. CalCOFI Rep. 25, 53–58 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  46. Fiedler, P. C. & Hewitt, R. P. Eos 65, 910 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Steele, J. H. Nature 313, 355–358 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Steele, J. H. & Henderson, E. W. Science 224, 985–987 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barber, R., Chávez, F. Ocean variability in relation to living resources during the 1982–83 El Niño. Nature 319, 279–285 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/319279a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/319279a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing