Hipoxia en el Golfo de México

Nancy N. Rabalais, Ph.D.Executive Director and Professor

Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium

nrabalais@lumcon.edu

http://www.gulfhypoxia.net

symposium LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

Towards a regional assessment

Effects are more far reachingthan suspended sediment plume,

esp. N & somewhat P

New Orleans

dominant wind direction

Mississippi River

Atchafalaya River

Hypoxic Area

Mississippi River – Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Continuum

Hypoxia-Eutrophication

State Waters: Estuaries, Bays, Tidal Reach of RiversWorking with GOMA Nutrient Reduction and Water Quality PITs

• Hypoxia-Nutrient Data Portal• Planning for Increased Monitoring

Shelf Waters: Time Series & AUVs

LA LATX MS ALMississippi River

Atchafalaya River

Distribution of bottom-water dissolved oxygen July 18-21 (east of the Mississippi River delta) and

July 24-30 (west of the Mississippi River delta), 2011.

Data source: NN Rabalais, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, and RE Turner, Louisiana State University. Funding source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research. http://www.gulfhypoxia.net

Brown Shrimp• Fisheries resources at risk

• Altered migration

• Reduced habitat

• Changes in food resources

• Susceptibility of early life stages• Growth & reproduction

The Consequences

Nutrients Delivered to GoMx

http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/sparrow/gulf_findings/Alexander et al. 2008 &

*

Long Island Sound (tons N/yr)

http://dep.state.ct.us/

*33% increase since 1950

1600% increase since 1950

Mississippi River Watershed

Downing et al. 1999

*

Nutrient Sources Differ by Watershed

Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico

Land use change around the Grijalva Usumacinta Watershed,

(1976-2010)

EVALUACIÓN INTEGRAL Y MANEJO DEL GRAN ECOSISTEMA MARINO DEL GOLFO DE MÉXICOINTEGRATED ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE GULF OF MEXICO LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM

www.gulfofmexicoproject.org

*

BAHIAS Cruise in June 2009RV ANTEA - IRD

Hipoxia - Grijalva-Usumacinta Cuenca

< 1.25

1.25 - 1.50

1.50 - 1.75

1.75 - 2.00

2.00 - 2.25

2.25 - 2.50

2.50 - 2.75

2.75 - 3.00

3.00 - 3.25

3.25 - 3.50

3.50 - 3.75

3.75 - 4.00

4.00 - 4.25

4.25 - 4.50

4.50 - 4.75

4.75 - 5.00

5.00 - 5.25

5.25 - 5.50

5.50 - 5.75

5.75 - 6.00

6.00 - 6.25

> 6.25

93°00'W 92°40'W 92°20'W 92°00'W 91°40'W 91°20'W8°20'N

8°40'N

9°00'N

Ciudad Del Carmen

Laguna de Terminos

Bottom Oxygen

BAHIAS Cruise in June 2009RV ANTEA - IRD

The Future

Climate ChangeOcean Acidification

BiofuelsIncreased Population

Increased AgribusinessIncreased Atmospheric

DepositionLATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN

LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEMSTowards a regional assessment