Climate change

Abstract

Climate changes throughout geological history have influenced estuaries and coastal systems in a variety of ways and over all timescales. Similarly, future climate change will influence estuaries, perhaps at an accelerated rate, notably through effects on salinity and temperature, dissolved oxygen concentrations, nutrient and sediment flux, biogeochemical processes, and coastal ecosystem functioning. Sea-level rise, altered rainfall patterns leading to extreme droughts and wet periods, and biogeochemical changes associated with ocean acidification are among the most important research topics associated with climate that will likely see great progress in the next few years.