Assessment of changes in temperature and primary production over the East China Sea and South Sea during the 21st century using an Earth System model

Abstract

Using results from an Earth System model, we investigated change in primary production in the East China Sea, under a global warming scenario. As global warming progresses, the vertical stratification of water becomes stronger, and nutrient supply from the lower part to the upper part is reduced. Consequently, so is the primary production. In addition to the warming trend, there is strong decadal to interdecadal scale variability, and it takes a few decades before the warming trend surpasses natural variability. Thus, it would be very hard to investigate the global warming trend using data of several years' length.