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Climate-Ocean Variability and Ecosystem Response in the Northeast Pacific
1J. A. McGowan and L. M. Dorman are at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. D. R. Cayan is at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the U.S. Geological Survey, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|July 11, 1998
Summary
Climate variations significantly impact marine ecosystems. Sea surface temperature changes off North America
Area of Science:
- Marine ecology
- Climate science
- Oceanography
Background:
- The influence of climatic variation on marine populations and communities remains poorly understood.
- Comparing climatic and biotic variations is crucial for advancing ecological knowledge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between climatic variations and marine ecosystems off the West Coast of North America.
- To analyze sea surface temperature changes and their ecological impacts.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of historical sea-surface temperature data over 80 years.
- Comparison of interannual and interdecadal climatic variations.
- Assessment of biological observations in relation to climate shifts.
Main Results:
- Significant interannual and interdecadal sea surface temperature fluctuations were observed off the West Coast of North America.
- Interannual anomalies exhibited sudden and synchronous coastal-wide occurrences.
- An increased frequency of warm events was noted since 1977.
Conclusions:
- Climate-ocean variations have demonstrably disturbed and altered coastal ecosystems.
- Understanding these variations is essential for marine ecosystem management and conservation.