Typhoons mix up bacteria and biochemistry
Scientists studying the East China Sea utilized a rare opportunity to sample ocean water before and after Typhoon Maria in 2018. The study reveals how intense storms mix ocean layers, significantly altering bacterioplankton communities and biogeochemical cycles.
Why it matters
Understanding how typhoons affect ocean chemistry is vital for predicting the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and carbon sequestration.
by Rebecca Dzombak, American Geophysical Union
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Researchers aboard the R/V Ocean Researcher I took samples of the southern East China Sea to better understand how Typhoon Maria affected the waters. Credit: Yiing Jang Yang After a typhoon surprised a research cruise, scientists took advantage of the unique sampling opportunity to reveal rapid changes in bacterioplankton communities and biogeochemical cycling.
Typhoons are becoming more frequent and more intense as a result of climate change , and scientists are working to understand the transient but impactful changes these storms have on ocean biogeochemistry.
A typhoon stirs the ocean's stratified water, redistributing nutrients and organisms and changing seawater temperature and salinity.
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