Diversity of Growth Rates Maximizes Phytoplankton Productivity in an Eddying Ocean

In the subtropical gyres, phytoplankton rely on eddies for transporting nutrients from depth to euphotic zone. But, what controls rate of nutrient supply new production? We show that vertical flux both depends motion within eddying flow and varies nonlinearly with growth rate. Flux is maximized when matches inverse decorrelation timescale motion. Using a three-dimensional ocean model linear uptake model, we find productivity 1/3 day?1, which corresponds submesoscale dynamics. Variability in frequency across different physical features favors production rates. Such growth-transport feedback can generate diversity community structure at submesoscales higher net presence diversity.