Decadal trends in Red Sea maximum surface temperature

Chaidez, Veronica; Dreano, Denis; Agustı́, Susana; Duarte, Carlos M.; Hoteit, Ibrahim

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-08146-z

Cited by 182 publications

(186 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Conversely, thermal anomalies (i.e. defined as DHW and SSTA) were greatest for the northern Red Sea compared to the central and southern Red Sea due to a shift of SST anomalies since approximately the mid‐1990s (Figure c), which coincides with a general warming trend in the Red Sea (Chaidez, Dreano, Agusti, Duarte, & Hoteit, ; Raitsos et al., ). This suggests that the northern Red Sea might be more negatively impacted by the global warming trend than the central and southern regions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Thermal refugia against coral bleaching throughout the northern Red Sea

Osman

Smith

Ziegler

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

190

242

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Tropical reefs have been impacted by thermal anomalies caused by global warming that induced coral bleaching and mortality events globally. However, there have only been very few recordings of bleaching within the Red Sea despite covering a latitudinal range of 15° and consequently it has been considered a region that is less sensitive to thermal anomalies. We therefore examined historical patterns of sea surface temperature (SST) and associated anomalies (1982-2012) and compared warming trends with a unique compilation of corresponding coral bleaching records from throughout the region. These data indicated that the northern Red Sea has not experienced mass bleaching despite intensive Degree Heating Weeks (DHW) of >15°C-weeks. Severe bleaching was restricted to the central and southern Red Sea where DHWs have been more frequent, but far less intense (DHWs <4°C-weeks). A similar pattern was observed during the 2015-2016 El Niño event during which time corals in the northern Red Sea did not bleach despite high thermal stress (i.e. DHWs >8°C-weeks), and bleaching was restricted to the central and southern Red Sea despite the lower thermal stress (DHWs < 8°C-weeks). Heat stress assays carried out in the northern (Hurghada) and central (Thuwal) Red Sea on four key reef-building species confirmed different regional thermal susceptibility, and that central Red Sea corals are more sensitive to thermal anomalies as compared to those from the north. Together, our data demonstrate that corals in the northern Red Sea have a much higher heat tolerance than their prevailing temperature regime would suggest. In contrast, corals from the central Red Sea are close to their thermal limits, which closely match the maximum annual water temperatures. The northern Red Sea harbours reef-building corals that live well below their bleaching thresholds and thus we propose that the region represents a thermal refuge of global importance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Thermal refugia against coral bleaching throughout the northern Red Sea

Osman

Smith

Ziegler

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

190

242

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“…Because of their relatively small volume and the slow rate of their water renewal, marginal semienclosed seas, such as the Red Sea, are more susceptible to global warming. During the same period, the Red Sea also displayed evidence of significant warming (Chaidez et al, 2017;Raitsos et al, 2011). During the same period, the Red Sea also displayed evidence of significant warming (Chaidez et al, 2017;Raitsos et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…Two modern-era satellite products, used in recent studies to assess the recent Red Sea SST trends (Chaidez et al, 2017;Raitsos et al, 2011), and two long-term reconstruction data sets were selected. Two modern-era satellite products, used in recent studies to assess the recent Red Sea SST trends (Chaidez et al, 2017;Raitsos et al, 2011), and two long-term reconstruction data sets were selected.…”

Section: Sst Data Setsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Climate Oscillations may Counteract Red Sea Warming Over the Coming Decades

Krokos

Papadopoulos

Sofianos

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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Recent reports of warming trends in the Red Sea raise concerns about the response of the basin's fragile ecosystem under an increasingly warming climate. Using a variety of available Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data sets, we investigate the evolution of Red Sea SST in relation to natural climate variability. Analysis of long‐term SST data sets reveals a sequence of alternating positive and negative trends, with similar amplitudes and a periodicity of nearly 70 years associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. High warming rates reported recently appear to be a combined effect of global warming and a positive phase of natural SST oscillations. Over the next decades, the SST trend in the Red Sea purely related to global warming is expected to be counteracted by the cooling Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation phase. Regardless of the current positive trends, projections incorporating long‐term natural oscillations suggest a possible decreasing effect on SST in the near future.

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“…An increase in UV would also likely lead to intensified photobleaching of CDOM, which in turn would further increase the optical transparency of the water column . Additionally, SST of the Red Sea is increasing at a rate that exceeds the warming rate of the global ocean . This trend could affect the UV attenuation properties of the Red Sea; an increase in SST would result in stronger thermal stratification of the water column during summer and, potentially, deeper penetration of UV into the water column.…”

Section: Conclusion and Future Outlookmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal Gradient of UV Attenuation Along the Highly Transparent Red Sea Basin

Overmans

Agustı́

2019

Photochem & Photobiology

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The tropical and subtropical oceans experience intense incident ultraviolet radiation (280–400 nm) while their water columns are thought to be highly transparent. This combination represents a high potential for harmful effects on organisms, yet only few reports on the UV penetration properties of oligotrophic tropical waters exist. Here, we present the pattern of UV attenuation over a wide latitudinal range of the oligotrophic Red Sea. We recorded spectroradiometer profiles of PAR and UV, together with chlorophyll‐a (Chl‐a) and light absorption by chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to determine the contribution of phytoplankton and CDOM toward UV attenuation. Transparency to UV exhibited a distinct latitudinal gradient, with the lowest and highest diffuse attenuation coefficients at 313 nm (K d (313)) of 0.130 m−1 and 0.357 m−1 observed at the northern coast off Duba, and in the south close to the Farasan islands, respectively. Phytoplankton and CDOM both modulated UV attenuation, but CDOM was found to be the key driver despite the lack of riverine inputs. We confirm that ultraviolet radiation can reach deeper into the Red Sea than previously described, which means its potential to act as a stressor and selective driver for Red Sea organisms may have been underestimated to date.

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Decadal trends in Red Sea maximum surface temperature

Cited by 182 publications

References 40 publications

Thermal refugia against coral bleaching throughout the northern Red Sea

Thermal refugia against coral bleaching throughout the northern Red Sea

Natural Climate Oscillations may Counteract Red Sea Warming Over the Coming Decades

Latitudinal Gradient of UV Attenuation Along the Highly Transparent Red Sea Basin

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