The environmental impact of Lagrangian transport routes in the north east atlantic ocean.

• Published in: Frontiers in Marine Science
• Main Authors: Iria Sala, Sheila Natali Estrada-Allis, Xavier Couvelard
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2014
• Subjects: connectivity; drifting; rafting; pollutant and larval transport; water masses; Science; Q; General. Including nature conservation; geographical distribution; QH1-199.5; North East Atlantic; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3389/conf.fmars.2014.02.00037; https://doaj.org/article/c5b3d89583fe4b049aa438a397028d72

The study of the transport by ocean currents has important applications for fisheries, conservation biology, pollution control, military and rescue missions, amongst others Using Ariane (an off-line Lagrangian tool) coupled to a Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS) were mapped the general transport pathways of the northeast Atlantic Ocean. After 10-year climatic simulation, four depth ranges showed different Lagrangian transport pathways, 0–10 m, 20–200 m, 300–500m, and 600–2000 m, being these routes consistent with the known ocean circulation patterns. These routes were partially confirmed by results from previous oceanic water mass distribution, biological studies on marine organisms and observations of the rafting of crude oil spilled during the Prestige oil tanker accident (in Galicia, north of Spain). This preliminary yet provocative study should help guide future observational campaigns, as well as the interpretation of open-ocean transport patterns and the distribution of marine organisms and chemical tracers in the northeast Atlantic region.