Skagerrak Coast
Main Contributors:
Other Contributors:
Summary
Since the early 1980s, more or less widespread hypoxia has been observed nearly every autumn in Danish coastal waters. Water exchange in Skagerrak is limited and hypoxic conditions in deep basin are common, because water renewal, which takes place only once a year, causes stagnation period with hypoxia in the winter. Several fjords on the Swedish and Norwegian Skagerrak coast have shown negative trends in dissolved oxygen content, and some of them lack benthic fauna in the deeper parts for several months or more. Swedish fjords of the Skagerrak coast experience hypoxia and anoxia for most of the year. In Norway, for instance in Oslofjord, the benthic fauna has suffered from mortality and behavioral changes. Since around 1960-70s, dissolved oxygen content has reclined in Oslofjord. Improvements in sewage treatment and discharge practices have been made.
Type of regime shift
Ecosystem type
- Marine & coastal
Land uses
- Fisheries
Spatial scale of the case study
- Sub-continental/regional (e.g. southern Africa, Amazon basin)
Continent or Ocean
- Europe
Region
- Northern Europe
Countries
- Norway
- Sweden
- Denmark
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Key References
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Conley J, Carstensen J, Ærterbjerg G, Christensen PB, Dalsgaard T, Hansen J, Josefsen A. 2007. Long-term changes and impacts of hypoxia in Danish coastal waters. Ecological Applications 17, 165-184.
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Rabalais N (Ed.), Turner RE (Ed.). 2002. Coastal hypoxia: Consequences for living resources and ecosystems (Coastal and estuarine sciences, 58). Amer Geophysical Union, Washington
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Rosenberg R, Cato I, Förlin L, Grip K, Rorhe J. Marine environment quality assessment of the Skagerrak - Kattegat. Journal of Sea Research 35, 1-8.
