What our results show
Data showed that the Salish Sea is a complex system and the factors that regulate it cannot be defined by one parameter alone. Previous theories would lead us to believe that upwelling and river flow would be a strong determinant of physical water properties in this region. However, our data show us that this is not the case. Neither upwelling nor river flow were strongly related to patterns in the data. We thereby cannot say that either is an influential factor.
La Niña and a cool PDO produce cooler temperatures, whereas El Niño and a warm PDO will produce warmer temperatures. Furthermore a La Niña will not appear during the higher spring and summer temperatures, where instead, El Niño will dominate.
Further Analysis
Further analysis is needed to better understand the Salish Sea. Multivariate analyses will show the significance of parameters and local factors as a whole, rather than one by one. Tide data (another presumably strong factor in this region) and biological data (phytoplankton trends) could also provide further insight into other factors that could influence physical and chemical features of the water.
Importance
While this study focused on the Salish Sea, the data can be applied to other estuarine systems. We thought that upwelling and river flow would have more significance than they did. Perhaps the same can be said for other systems. The factors we think influence a system might not be as influential as we believe. It is crucial to evaluate long-term data in individual marine systems to determine their own unique properties and variability.
