Response of ocean ecosystems to climate warming

Response of ocean ecosystems to climate warming

2004 | J. L. Sarmiento, R. Slater, R. Barber, L. Bopp, S. C. Doney, A. C. Hirst, J. Kleypas, R. Matear, U. Mikolajewicz, P. Monfray, V. Soldatov, S. A. Spall, and R. Stouffer
The study examines the response of ocean ecosystems to climate warming using six coupled climate model simulations. It defines six biomes based on vertical velocity, mixed layer depth, and sea ice cover. Climate warming leads to a contraction of the marginal sea ice biome by 42% in the Northern Hemisphere and 17% in the Southern Hemisphere, while the permanently stratified subtropical gyre biome expands by 4.0% and 9.4% in the respective hemispheres. The subpolar gyre biome expands by 16% and 7%, and the seasonally stratified subtropical gyre biome contracts by 11% in both hemispheres. The low-latitude upwelling biome shows only modest changes. Vertical stratification increases, reducing nutrient supply but extending the growing season in high latitudes. An empirical model is developed to predict chlorophyll based on physical properties of the simulations. Key findings include a drop in chlorophyll in the North Pacific due to the retreat of the marginal sea ice biome, an increase in the North Atlantic due to complex factors, an increase in the Southern Ocean due to changes in the marginal sea ice zone, and a decrease in chlorophyll adjacent to Antarctica due to freshening. Primary production algorithms show a global increase of 0.7% to 8.1%, with large regional differences. The study also shows results for the period 2050-2090. The main cause of the response is the temperature sensitivity of primary production algorithms. The study defines biomes and biogeographical provinces based on physical characteristics and uses empirical models to estimate chlorophyll and primary production. The results show changes in biome areas and chlorophyll concentrations in response to climate warming. The study highlights the importance of considering biogeochemical processes and the impact of climate change on ocean ecosystems.The study examines the response of ocean ecosystems to climate warming using six coupled climate model simulations. It defines six biomes based on vertical velocity, mixed layer depth, and sea ice cover. Climate warming leads to a contraction of the marginal sea ice biome by 42% in the Northern Hemisphere and 17% in the Southern Hemisphere, while the permanently stratified subtropical gyre biome expands by 4.0% and 9.4% in the respective hemispheres. The subpolar gyre biome expands by 16% and 7%, and the seasonally stratified subtropical gyre biome contracts by 11% in both hemispheres. The low-latitude upwelling biome shows only modest changes. Vertical stratification increases, reducing nutrient supply but extending the growing season in high latitudes. An empirical model is developed to predict chlorophyll based on physical properties of the simulations. Key findings include a drop in chlorophyll in the North Pacific due to the retreat of the marginal sea ice biome, an increase in the North Atlantic due to complex factors, an increase in the Southern Ocean due to changes in the marginal sea ice zone, and a decrease in chlorophyll adjacent to Antarctica due to freshening. Primary production algorithms show a global increase of 0.7% to 8.1%, with large regional differences. The study also shows results for the period 2050-2090. The main cause of the response is the temperature sensitivity of primary production algorithms. The study defines biomes and biogeographical provinces based on physical characteristics and uses empirical models to estimate chlorophyll and primary production. The results show changes in biome areas and chlorophyll concentrations in response to climate warming. The study highlights the importance of considering biogeochemical processes and the impact of climate change on ocean ecosystems.
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