Classifying the seascape of eastern tropical pacific based on physicochemical variables

Area of Science:

• Marine Ecology
• Oceanography
• Biogeography

Background:

• The Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) is environmentally diverse, supporting rich biodiversity and endemic species.
• Understanding ETP's environmental heterogeneity is crucial for ecological research and marine management.
• Seascape classification provides a framework to structure this variability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an objective seascape classification for the ETP.
• To utilize 20 years of satellite and model data for this classification.
• To support ecological research and ecosystem-based marine management.

Main Methods:

• Compared four unsupervised clustering methods: three Fuzzy c-means (FCM) and Self-Organizing Maps with Partitioning Around Medoids (SOM-PAM).
• Utilized seven Essential Climate Variables (ECVs): sea surface temperature, salinity, pH, turbidity, and current velocity.
• Selected SOM-PAM for its finer spatial resolution and interpretable patterns, classifying the ETP into 15 seascapes.

Main Results:

• The ETP was divided into 15 distinct seascapes based on environmental characteristics.
• Identified seascapes with high salinity/thermal variability, subtropical influence, strong currents, thermal stability, transitional conditions, and low salinity.
• The classification revealed previously unrecognized seascapes and aligned with existing biogeographic frameworks.

Conclusions:

• The 15-seascape classification provides a spatially explicit environmental framework for the ETP.
• This classification advances understanding of oceanographic processes and environmental structures.
• It serves as a vital tool for marine spatial planning, biodiversity studies, and eco-evolutionary assessments.