Winter Monsoons Keep the Red Sea Fertile

KAUST researchers, including Ibrahim Hoteit, have uncovered surprising effects of warming on the Red Sea ecosystem, revealing that it may actually become more fertile due to the influence of winter monsoons. This study challenges general predictions that tropical oceans will become more saline and less fertile due to global warming.

The research highlights how the winter Arabian monsoon brings nutrient-rich surface waters from the Arabian Sea into the Red Sea, increasing fertility. This influx of nutrients supports phytoplankton growth, which is vital for marine productivity and coral reefs. Between 1998 and 2010, the study found a 75% increase in chlorophyll levels during winter, signaling a rise in phytoplankton.

The findings also suggest that El Niño, a global climate phenomenon, contributes to even stronger water inflows into the Red Sea, making it more productive during these periods. This is particularly significant for understanding how climate change might affect fish productivity and coral reefs, major economic assets for surrounding nations.

Ibrahim Hoteit and his collaborators point out that this unexpected increase in fertility due to winter monsoons may offer new insights into how regional biological phenomena are controlled by larger Earth system processes.

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