Editorial: Regional coastal deoxygenation and related ecological and biogeochemical modifications in a warming climate
Résumé
Coastal ecosystems play tremendous roles in socio-economic development, but their functions are degrading due to human activities. One of the most alarming degradations is coastal deoxygenation, driven primarily by the over-enrichment of anthropogenic nutrients and organic matter (eutrophication) in the coastal waters. The coastal deoxygenation has led to the worldwide spread of hypoxic zones (where dissolved oxygen concentration is less than 2 mg/L), with the number of reported hypoxic sites increasing from 45 in the 1960s to around 700 nowadays. Besides being perturbed by human activities locally, coastal waters respond more rapidly than the open ocean to global climate change such as ocean warming. Warmer water temperature reduces oxygen solubility, weakens the mixing of oxygen-rich surface water with oxygen-poor bottom water, and enhances biogeochemical oxygen consumption, exacerbating the coastal deoxygenation situation.
Domaines
Sciences de l'environnementOrigine | Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte |
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