About this Research Topic
Climate change causes large changes in marine systems, as for example increased temperature, acidification, and changed hydrology and influence from land. This, in turn, can have drastic consequences for processes such as eutrophication and pollutant accumulation in organisms inhabiting the ecosystems.
Environmental change is projected to be especially pronounced in northern ecosystems, and alterations may accentuate in semi-enclosed marine systems, such as the Baltic Sea, which are strongly affected by surrounding land. Here, surface water temperature is expected to increase by 4oC, whereas salinity will decrease as the freshwater inflow may increase by 30%. Sea ice cover is drastically reduced, changing the marine light regime and affecting pelagic productivity. At the same time the inflow of organic matter, nutrients, and pollutants from the terrestrial systems is forecasted to be elevated. The ongoing changes are expected to be particularly challenging for the organisms living in boreal marginal seas and affect productivity, biodiversity, trophic control and accumulation of pollutants as well as the organismal interactions, behavior, and movement pattern severely.
We welcome original and review research articles on the potential effects of climate change on the ecology in boreal marginal seas.
Environmental change is projected to be especially pronounced in northern ecosystems, and alterations may accentuate in semi-enclosed marine systems, such as the Baltic Sea, which are strongly affected by surrounding land. Here, surface water temperature is expected to increase by 4oC, whereas salinity will decrease as the freshwater inflow may increase by 30%. Sea ice cover is drastically reduced, changing the marine light regime and affecting pelagic productivity. At the same time the inflow of organic matter, nutrients, and pollutants from the terrestrial systems is forecasted to be elevated. The ongoing changes are expected to be particularly challenging for the organisms living in boreal marginal seas and affect productivity, biodiversity, trophic control and accumulation of pollutants as well as the organismal interactions, behavior, and movement pattern severely.
We welcome original and review research articles on the potential effects of climate change on the ecology in boreal marginal seas.
Keywords: boreal marginal seas, marginal seas, climate change, ecology change, boreal ecology
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
