The impacts of climate change at the global scale are well characterised, however the likely effects at regional levels are less certain. With this in mind, an international group of scientists, led by Dr Clive Fox, has recently carried out an evaluation of the mechanisms linking different areas of the pelagic ecosystem in the north-eastern Atlantic; the group also considered how these connections may change over our lifetimes. The study finds that whilst ocean currents form the major linkage, atmospheric connections and human-activities such as shipping are also important.

The study, just published in Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, considers how these various transport mechanisms affect all trophic levels from phytoplankton up to fish, whales and seals. The report concludes that the most important ecosystem changes in the region will driven by altered ocean current strength with sub-regional effects moderated by local environmental conditions. Re-structuring of the higher latitude pelagic ecosystems can also be expected as a consequence of loss of Arctic sea-ice over the next 50 years.  Increasing human activity, particularly at higher latitudes as a result of the opening of shipping routes across the Arctic, will also have serious consequences. The report highlights the fact that local marine ecosystems are strongly affected by regional scale forcing and that in any evaluation of local ecosystem health, these connections should not be ignored.
(The workshops which underpinned the study were funded through the EU supported Network of Excellence – Eur-Oceans).

Image: NE Atlantic circulation. S. Sundby, IMR, Bergen


Fox, C., R. Harris, S. Sundby, E. Achterberg, J.I. Allen, J. Allen, A. Baker, C.P.D. Brussaard, P. Buckley, E. Cook, S.R. Dye, M. Edwards, L. Fernand, P. Kershaw, J. Metcalfe, S. Østerhus, T. Potter, E. Sakshaug, D. Speirs, E. Stenevik, M. St. John, F. Thingstad & B. Wilson. 2009. Transregional linkages in the North-Eastern Atlantic - An ‘end-to-end ’ analysis of pelagic ecosystems. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review 47: 1-75.