International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol.14, No.3, 158-161 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ijms 158 Scientific Commentary Open Access Beneath the Storm: A Comparative Analysis of Natural and Anthropogenic Factors in Marine Biogeochemical Dynamics Haimei Wang Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572024, Hainan, China Corresponding email: whmj919@gmail.com International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol.14, No.3, doi: 10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0020 Received: 20 Apr., 2024 Accepted: 05 Jun., 2024 Published: 20 Jun., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Wang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproductio4n in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang H.M., 2024, Beneath the storm: a comparative analysis of natural and anthropogenic factors in marine biogeochemical dynamics, International Journal of Marine Science, 14(3): 158-161 (doi: 10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0020) The paper titled "Biogeochemical dynamics in a marine storm demonstrates differences between natural and anthropogenic impacts," authored by Justin Tiano, Rob Witbaard, Theo Gerkema, and Karline Soetaert, from Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University and Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), was published in Scientific Reports on April 16, 2024. This study explores the impact of storms on marine biogeochemical dynamics, particularly focusing on the differences between natural and anthropogenic disturbances. By comparing the effects of natural storms and bottom trawling on seabed suspended particulate matter, the research found that turbidity induced by storms was significantly higher than recent trawling events. This study offers a new perspective on understanding how storms and human activities affect marine ecosystems. 1 Experimental Data Analysis During the experiment, storm-induced mixing and movement of water masses led to a decrease in silicate concentrations and an increase in phosphate concentrations, accompanied by a decrease in salinity and an increase in fluorescence. The depth of seabed erosion during the storm averaged about 0.3 cm, while trawling caused more than twice this depth of erosion. The high turbidity during the storm may be part of the cumulative impact of fishing activities. Figure 1 shows the atmospheric conditions (a), wind direction (b), and location (c) during a marine storm from June 1 to June 9, 2017. Panel a shows a sudden increase in wind speed in the shaded gray area, indicating extreme weather during the storm. The wind direction map in panel b indicates the predominant wind directions during the storm, with wind strength represented by arrow length. Panel c shows the location of the Frisian Front during the storm, based on depth and the Dutch coastline, demonstrating the storm's impact on the area. This information helps us understand how the storm affects the biogeochemical processes in the sea area. Figure 2 shows the absolute water flow velocity at 1.4 meters and 4 meters above the seabed (a), water flow velocity and direction during calm conditions (b-c) and storm conditions (d), and the particle transport pathways calculated by integrating the water flow velocity over time (e-g). From figure a, it is evident that during the storm (shaded in gray), the lower layer water flow velocity significantly increases. Figures b-d present wind diagrams indicating the direction and intensity of water flow on different dates, especially during the storm day (figure d), which shows a distinct change. Figures e-g depict the particle transport pathways under calm and storm conditions, where figure g highlights significant changes in particle pathways and velocities during the storm. This information is crucial for understanding how storms affect seabed particles and associated biogeochemical processes. Figure 3 shows the vertical distributions of water temperature (a), salinity (b), oxygen concentration (c), and fluorescence (d) on June 1, 6 (calm conditions), 7 (during a storm), and 8 (after the storm) in 2017. It can be observed that the water temperature tends to uniformity before and after the storm, indicating that the storm
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==