Influences of oceanographic processes on the biological productivity of the Gulf of Maine

The Gulf of Maine’s unusual geography and oceanography make it distinct from other continental shelf ecosystems. It has deep basins, shallow offshore banks that limit water flow between the Gulf and the open Atlantic Ocean, strong tidal mixing of it shallower waters, and a seasonal cycle of intense winter cooling, springtime freshwater runoff, and summer warming. These features act individually and collectively to affect the physical, chemical, and biological oceanography of the Gulf.