Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Climatic Warming And Accompanying Changes In The Ecological Regime Of The Black Sea During 1990s, T Oguz, T Cokacar, P Malanotte-Rizzoli, Hw Ducklow

VIMS Articles

The Black Sea ecosystem is shown to experience abrupt shifts in its all trophic levels from primary producers to apex predators in 1995 - 1996. It arises as a manifestation of concurrent changes in its physical climate introduced by intensive warming of its surface waters as well as abrupt increases in the mean sea level and the net annual mean fresh water flux. The warming is evident in the annual-mean sea surface temperature (SST) data by a continuous rise at a rate of similar to 0.25 degreesC per year, following a strong cooling phase in 1991 - 1993. The most …