ESTIMATION OF SEASONAL VERTICALLY INTEGRATED PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY IN AMBON BAY USING THE DEPTH-RESOLVED, TIME-INTEGRATED PRODUCTION MODEL

Abstract

Seasonal vertically integrated primary productivity (IPP) in eight stations of Inner Ambon Bay (IAB) and nine
stations of Outer Ambon Bay (OAB) was estimated using the depth-resolved, time-integrated production model and
vertical-a distribution model which was mainly dependent on chlorophyll-a profile. The profile was modeled as Gauss
function in which its parameters were determined by minimizing the difference between the model and the average
of in situ chlorophyll-a concentration from 2008 to 2012. The data was collected by UPT BKBL-LIPI Ambon
during monitoring program in Ambon Bay. Based on this model, the results showed that the primary productivity
during the southeast monsoon was to some degree higher than that of other seasons. The main factors causing the higher
IPP in this season were upwelling phenomenon and high rainfall intensity. From the results, it could be concluded
that run-off gave more impacts in IAB than in OAB while upwelling in Banda Sea affected the IPP more in OAB
than that in IAB. Then, the existence of the sill located between IAB and OAB inhibited the mixing of IAB and
OAB waters so that the levels of IPP and chlorophyll-a concentration in IAB were higher than that of in the OAB.