A sub-project investigates the developement of bottom water hypoxia as function of current velocity and stratification of bottom waters overlying organic rich sediments.

Hypoxic (i.e. low oxygen) conditions in lakes and ocean waters increase in number, duration and extent due to global warming and eutrophication. Global warming will lead to degassing of oxygen, increased stratification, reduced deep-water circulation and changes in wind patterns affecting transport and mixing. Where hypoxia is linked to eutrophication, it will enhance emission of greenhouse gases, thus a positive feedback to global change.

The projected increases in hypoxia (e.g. doubling of "dead zones" in land-locked and coastal aquatic ecosystems) are accompanied by losses in biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services such as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. Hence, improving capacities for in situ monitoring of oxygen depletion, especially in sensitive lakes, land-locked and coastal waters, is critical to understand the developement of hypoxic conditions.

Max-Planck-Institute for marine microbiology, Germany

Moritz Holtappels, forskare, mholtapp@mpi-bremen.de

University of Koblenz-Landan, Institute for Enviromental Sciences, Germany

Christian Noss, noss@uni-landan.de
Andreas Lorke, lorke@uni-landau.de

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