“Coastal phytoplankton blooms expand and intensify in the 21st century” (2023), by Yanhui Dai et al. Earth and Planetary Sciences research paper. Original abstract below, unchanged. A free PDF is available.

Coastal phytoplankton blooms expand and intensify in the 21st century

Yanhui Dai, Shangbo Yang, Dan Zhao et al. · March 1, 2023 · Earth and Planetary Sciences

Abstract

-yet detailed characterizations of bloom incidence and distribution are not available worldwide. Here we map daily marine coastal algal blooms between 2003 and 2020 using global satellite observations at 1-km spatial resolution. We found that algal blooms occurred in 126 out of the 153 coastal countries examined. Globally, the spatial extent (+13.2%) and frequency (+59.2%) of blooms increased significantly (P < 0.05) over the study period, whereas blooms weakened in tropical and subtropical areas of the Northern Hemisphere. We documented the relationship between the bloom trends and ocean circulation, and identified the stimulatory effects of recent increases in sea surface temperature. Our compilation of daily mapped coastal phytoplankton blooms provides the basis for global assessments of bloom risks and benefits, and for the formulation or evaluation of management or policy actions.

Free PDF DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05760-y