Sea surface temperature (SST) is a critical physical attribute of coastal ecological systems. Water temperature directly affects process rates, water column stability, and the species of plants (such as algae, seagrasses, marsh plants, and mangroves) and animals (microscopic animals, larger inverteb...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.183.1373 http://oaspub.epa.gov/eims/eimscomm.getfile?p_download_id=446968 |
| Summary: | Sea surface temperature (SST) is a critical physical attribute of coastal ecological systems. Water temperature directly affects process rates, water column stability, and the species of plants (such as algae, seagrasses, marsh plants, and mangroves) and animals (microscopic animals, larger invertebrates, fish, and mammals) that live in a particular region. Increases in temperature are thought to be associated with the degradation of coral reefs (bleaching) and may increase the frequency or extent of blooms of harmful algae. On longer time scales (decades to centuries), such changes may be related to decreases in the supply of nutrients to surface waters from the deep sea and a cascade of effects from decreases in primary production to declines in fish production. Changes in temperature may result from long-term cycles in ocean circulation or secular trends in climate (Committee on the Bering Sea Ecosystem et al., 1996). This indicator, developed by the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (The Heinz Center 2002) describes whether SST is above or below average. The indicator tracks how much regional average temperatures in any given year deviate from the average for a 14-year period of record for waters within 25 miles of the coast. |
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