A suboxic chlorophyll-a maximum persists within the Pacific oxygen minimum zone off Mexico

Abstract The tropical Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZ) are known to shelter a chlorophyll-a maximum (CM) within suboxic waters ( - 25 m year-round, which suggests that persistent low-light levels allow development of the suboxic-CM. The persistence of the suboxic-CM is consistent with its association with a stable microbial community. The effects on the ecosystem and biogeochemical cycles remain to be investigated.