Biogeochemical modelling of dissolved oxygen in a changing ocean

Andrews, Oliver, Buitenhuis, Erik ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6274-5583, Le Quéré, Corinne ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2319-0452 and Suntharalingam, Parvadha (2017) Biogeochemical modelling of dissolved oxygen in a changing ocean. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 375 (2102). ISSN 1471-2962

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Abstract

Secular decreases in dissolved oxygen concentration have been observed within the tropical oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) and at mid- to high latitudes over the last approximately 50 years. Earth system model projections indicate that a reduction in the oxygen inventory of the global ocean, termed ocean deoxygenation, is a likely consequence of on-going anthropogenic warming. Current models are, however, unable to consistently reproduce the observed trends and variability of recent decades, particularly within the established tropical OMZs. Here, we conduct a series of targeted hindcast model simulations using a state-of-the-art global ocean biogeochemistry model in order to explore and review biases in model distributions of oceanic oxygen. We show that the largest magnitude of uncertainty is entrained into ocean oxygen response patterns due to model parametrization of pCO2-sensitive C : N ratios in carbon fixation and imposed atmospheric forcing data. Inclusion of a pCO2-sensitive C : N ratio drives historical oxygen depletion within the ocean interior due to increased organic carbon export and subsequent remineralization. Atmospheric forcing is shown to influence simulated interannual variability in ocean oxygen, particularly due to differences in imposed variability of wind stress and heat fluxes.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	31 Aug 2017 05:06
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2023 01:07
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/64698
DOI:	10.1098/rsta.2016.0328

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