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Microbial biogeochemistry of coastal upwelling regimes in a changing ocean

Nature Geoscience volume 6, pages 711–717 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Coastal upwelling regimes associated with eastern boundary currents are the most biologically productive ecosystems in the ocean. As a result, they play a disproportionately important role in the microbially mediated cycling of marine nutrients. These systems are characterized by strong natural variations in carbon dioxide concentrations, pH, nutrient levels and sea surface temperatures on both seasonal and interannual timescales. Despite this natural variability, changes resulting from human activities are starting to emerge. Carbon dioxide derived from fossil fuel combustion is adding to the acidity of upwelled low-pH waters. Low-oxygen waters associated with coastal upwelling systems are growing in their extent and intensity as a result of a rise in upper ocean temperatures and productivity. And nutrient inputs to the coastal ocean continue to grow. Coastal upwelling systems may prove more resilient to changes resulting from human activities than other ocean ecosystems because of their ability to function under extremely variable conditions. Nevertheless, shifts in primary production, fish yields, nitrogen gain and loss, and the flux of climate-relevant gases could result from the perturbation of these highly productive and dynamic ecosystems.

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Figure 1: Locations of the four main coastal upwelling systems associated with eastern boundary currents.
Figure 2: Trends in the biogeochemistry of coastal upwelling systems.

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Acknowledgements

Support was provided by the USC Dornsife 2020 Research Clusters Fund to D.G.C. and D.A.H., US National Science Foundation grants OCE 0850801 and 0934073 to D.G.C. and OCE 117030687 and 1260490 to D.A.H., and University of Southern California Sea Grant funding to D.A.H. We acknowledge the critical input of N. Gruber which greatly improved the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Marine and Environmental Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, California, USA

    Douglas G. Capone & David A. Hutchins

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Correspondence to Douglas G. Capone.

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Supplemental Table 1

Interactive environmental change factors affecting coastal upwelling systems. The distinction between drivers and impacts is not necessarily straightforward. (PDF 158 kb)

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Capone, D., Hutchins, D. Microbial biogeochemistry of coastal upwelling regimes in a changing ocean. Nature Geosci 6, 711–717 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1916

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