The coastal ocean: hotspot of global change. University of Antwerp
The coastal ocean is hotspot of global change. The human imprint on the coastal zone is sharply increasing, both in arctic, temperate and tropical regions. Coastal ecosystems are exposed to increased nutrient inputs (eutrophication), higher risk of oxygen depletion (hypoxia), and ongoing changes in the chemical composition of seawater (ocean acidification), which may lead to strong and rapid changes in element cycling and food web functioning. ...