A team of researchers from the Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences (ACCESS) at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) studied the evolution of dissolved oxygen in the Arabian Gulf over three decades and discovered a significant decline in oxygen concentrations and the expansion of the seasonal near-bottom hypoxic zone (lower oxygen levels near the bottom of the Gulf in certain seasons). The researchers conclude that changes in local climate are altering the Gulf’s physical and biogeochemical environment with potential implications for the ecosystems and the fisheries of the region.
In the paper titled Recent expansion and intensification of hypoxia in the Arabian Gulf and its drivers published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, the researchers used a sophisticated ocean model to simulate hypoxia near the sea bottom, from 1982 to 2010. The results indicated an expansion and intensification of hypoxia in the central Gulf, accompanied by a lengthening of the hypoxic season.
Because of the scarcity of observations of the area, the dynamics of hypoxia in the Gulf remain largely unknown. This is the first study to model the biogeochemistry of the Gulf. This is also the first time that researchers have explored the drivers of large-scale hypoxia in the Gulf and its seasonal and long-term variability.
The expansion and intensification of hypoxia in the Gulf has the potential to alter its biogeochemistry and marine ecosystems in various ways. Hypoxia can cause fish mortality, lead to a loss of marine biodiversity, and may also cause distribution shifts as fish migrate to avoid hypoxic stress. This can alter the community structure of reef ecosystems and increase the vulnerability of the Gulf coral reefs to ongoing warming and climate change.
