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This summer's sea temperatures were the hottest on record for Australia: here's why.

This summer's sea temperatures were the hottest on record for Australia: here's why.

Shifts in phytoplankton phenology were observed in the Strait of Malacca (SM) and Sunda Shelf (SS), which were speculated to be potentially related to global warming and climate anomaly events. Such interactions between phytoplankton structure and physico-chemical factors were less known in narrow straits. Therefore, the spatial distribution pattern and diversity of surface phytoplankton assemblage, local hydrology, and nutrient regimes were investigated over the SM and SS (South China Sea, SCS) during 2017 and 2018 pre-monsoon season (spring). Diatoms, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria were representatives of microphytoplankton in the survey area. Total phytoplankton abundance peaked near Singapore Strait (SGS) and diminished toward SS. From the lower ratio of diatoms to dinoflagellates (<3) in SS, we deduced lower carbon pump efficiency here. In agreement with the modeled results proposed previously, cold conditions (negative Indian Ocean Dipole, IOD) were more suitable for high diatom (especially centric forms) abundance, while warm scenarios (positive IOD/El Niño period as in 2017) seemed to favor dinoflagellates and/or cyanobacteria. Specifically, diatom proportion increased by 30% and dinoflagellate, cyanobacteria reduced by 71%, 75% in response to shifts of climate anomaly from 2017 cruise to 2018 cruise. This study between field microalgae and physical and chemical conditions would be helpful to launch large-scale climate model, biogeochemistry, and carbon cycling in future research.

Detailed ocean currents in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean adjacent to southern Sumatran and Javan coasts have not been fully explained because of limited observations. In this study, zonal current characteristics in the region have been studied using simulation results of a 1/8∘ global hybrid coordinate ocean model from 1950 to 2013. The simulated zonal currents across three meridional sections were then investigated using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF), where the first three modes account for 75 %-98 % of the total variance. The first temporal mode of EOF is then investigated using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) to distinguish the signals. This study has revealed distinctive features of currents in the South Java Current (SJC) region, the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF)-South Equatorial Current (SEC) region, and the transition zone between these regions. The vertical structures of zonal currents in southern Java and offshore Sumatra are characterized by a one-layer flow. Conversely, a two-layer flow is observed in the nearshore and transition regions of Sumatra. Current variation in the SJC region has peak energies that are sequentially dominated by semiannual, intraseasonal, and annual timescales. Meanwhile, the transition zone is characterized by semiannual and intraseasonal periods with pronounced interannual variations. In contrast, interannual variability associated with El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) modulates the prominent intraseasonal variability of current in the ITF-SEC region. ENSO has the strongest influence at the outflow ITF, while the IOD's strongest influence is in southwestern Sumatra, with the ENSO (IOD) leading the current by 4 months (1 month). Moreover, the contributions (largest to smallest) of each EEMD mode at the nearshore of Java and offshore Sumatra are intraseasonal, semiannual, annual, interannual, and long-term fluctuations. The contribution of long-term

Marine ecosystems are experiencing rapid shifts under climate change scenarios and baleen whales are vulnerable to environmental change, although not all impacts are yet clear. We identify how the migration behaviour of the Chagos whale, likely a pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda), has changed in association with shifts in environmental factors. We used up to 18 years of continuous underwater acoustic recordings to analyse the relationships between whale acoustic presence and sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a concentration, El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). We compared these relationships between two independent sites Diego Garcia southeast (DGS) and Diego Garcia northwest (DGN) where Chagos whales are detected and are suspected to move interannually across the Chagos-Laccadive ridge. We showed that the number of whale songs detected increased on average by 7.7% and 12.6% annually at DGS and DGN respectively. At the DGS site, Chagos whales shifted their arrival time earlier by 4.2 ± 2.0 days/year ± SE and were detected for a longer period by 7.3 ± 1.2 days/year ± SE across 18 years. A larger number of songs were detected during periods of higher chlorophyll-a concentration, and with positive IOD phases. At the DGN site, we did not see an earlier shift in arrival and songs were not detected for a longer period across the 13 years. Whale presence at DGN had a weaker but opposite relationship with chlorophyll-a and IOD. The oceanic conditions in the Indian Ocean are predicted to change under future climate scenarios and this will likely influence Chagos whale migratory behaviour. Understanding how environmental factors influence whale movement patterns can help predict how whales may respond to future environmental change. We demonstrate the value of long-term acoustic monitoring of marine fauna to determine how they may be affected by changing environmental conditions.

Research May Also Help Determine Effects of Global Warming in the Region.

Massive mangrove die-off on Gulf of Carpentaria worst in the world, says expert.

In the summer of 2022, like in many other regions of the world, an unprecedented period of continuous high-temperature weather occurred in eastern China. The degree and duration of this event far exceeded normal standards. Between 2020 and 2022, the tropical Pacific experienced the most significant three-year consecutive La Nina event recorded in recent decades. We investigate linkages between these events: the high-temperature response in eastern China and Asia under the background of such La Nina events. Development of summer La Nina events contributed to a high-temperature heat wave during the summer of 2022. Rapid development of these events in the third year exacerbated negative Indian Ocean Dipole phases because of energy accumulation from abnormal easterly winds. The combined effects of the negative Indian Ocean Dipole phase and La Nina provided background field support that strengthened the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) and the Iranian High, leading to high terrestrial temperature anomalies. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the vertical velocity in the middle and low latitudes of the tropical Indian Ocean and the Asian continent reveals the first two empirical orthogonal function modes to be conducive to the strengthening of Walker circulation in 2022. These two main modes jointly reflect the rising movement of the equatorial East Indian Ocean and South China Sea in 2022, and the sinking movement to the west of the Tibet Plateau and eastern China, which was conducive to generating high temperatures in eastern China. Finally, the South Asian High was affected by the La Nina event that lasted for three years, showing a strong trend towards the north, thus making an important contribution to this high temperature.