Water temperature variability in the Coos Estuary and its potential link to eelgrass loss
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Date
2022-09-02
Authors
Sutherland, David A.
Helms, Alicia R.
Marin Jarrin, Maria Jose
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers in Marine Biology
Abstract
Subtidal water temperatures in estuaries influence where organisms can survive
and are determined by oceanic, atmospheric and riverine heat fluxes,modulated
by the distinct geometry and bathymetry of the system. Here, we use 14 years of
data from the Coos Estuary, in southwest Oregon, USA, to explore the impact of
anomalously warm oceanic and atmospheric conditions during 2014-2016 on
the estuary temperature. The arrival of a marine heatwave in September 2014
increased water temperature in the greater Pacific Northwest region until March
2015, and again from July to August 2015. Additionally, in 2014-2016, the
Equatorial Pacific showed increased temperatures due to El Niño events. In the
Coos Estuary, this warming was observed at all the water quality stations,
producing more than 100 days with temperatures at least 1.5°C warmer than
normal, and notably, a higher prevalence during Fall and Winter seasons. Larger
temperature variations occurred at shallower stations located further away from
the mouth of the estuary, changing the along-estuary temperature gradient and
potentially the advection of heat through the estuary. After the onset of these
increased temperatures, eelgrass declined sharply, but only in certain stations in
the shallow estuary South Slough and has not yet returned to long term average
values. As global temperatures continue rising due to climate change, increased
numbers ofmarine heatwaves and El Niño events are expected, leading to higher
temperature stress on the marine ecosystem within estuaries.
Description
20 pages
Keywords
Temperature, Estuary, Bathymetry, Marine heatwave, El Niño, Eelgrass (Zostera marina)
Citation
Marin Jarrin MJ, Sutherland DA and Helms AR (2022) Water temperature variability in the Coos Estuary and its potential link to eelgrass loss. Front. Mar. Sci. 9:930440. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.930440