Decline in global oceanic oxygen content during the past five decades
Sunke Schmidtko1, Lothar Stramma1, Martin Visbeck1,2
1GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Nature
|February 17, 2017
Summary
The global ocean has lost over two percent of its oxygen since 1960 due to warming and reduced ventilation. This decline impacts marine ecosystems and fisheries, with varying oxygen loss across ocean basins and depths.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Climate Science
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Ocean models predict significant declines in global dissolved oxygen by 2100 due to warming and reduced deep ocean ventilation.
- Decreasing oceanic oxygen content poses risks to marine nutrient cycles, habitats, fisheries, and coastal economies.
Observation:
- Regional data show a general decrease in oceanic dissolved oxygen, though some areas report increases.
- Previous global estimates indicated an oxygen loss of 550 ± 130 teramoles per decade in the upper 1,000 meters between the 1970s and 1990s.
Findings:
- Analysis of 50 years of data reveals a global oceanic oxygen decrease of over 2% (4.8 ± 2.1 petamoles) since 1960.
- Oxygen loss varies significantly across different ocean basins and depths.
- Upper water column changes are linked to warming-induced solubility decrease and biological consumption.
Implications:
- Deeper ocean oxygen loss may be influenced by multi-decadal variability, slowing ocean overturning, and increased biological consumption.
- Understanding these oxygen changes is crucial for predicting future marine ecosystem health and managing fisheries.
- The findings highlight the widespread impact of climate change on ocean chemistry and biology.
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