Graph from the paper.
Timing of the occurrence of triple compound events (orange shading: low oxygen (O2), acidification (H+), negative aragonite saturation (Ωarag) and purple shading: warming, acidification, and low oxygen) and quadruple compound events (grey shading, low oxygen, acidification, negative aragonite saturation and warming) on the benthic area of the Gulf of Alaska continental shelf. Credit: Hauri et al. [2024], Figure 10f
Editors’ Highlights are summaries of recent papers by AGU’s journal editors.
Source: AGU Advances

The stressors imposed by warming ocean temperatures, low oxygen, and ocean acidification can be compounded by short term marine heat wave extreme events with devastating effects on marine ecosystems.

Hauri et al. [2024] use hindcasts from a regional ocean biogeochemical model to assess the occurrence and causes of extreme and compound extreme events in the Gulf of Alaska. Their analysis show that marine heat waves exacerbate the stressors imposed by climate change and that these compound extreme events are becoming more frequent and intense in the Gulf of Alaska, with important consequences for the regional ecosystem. 

Citation: Hauri, C., Pagès, R., Hedstrom, K., Doney, S. C., Dupont, S., Ferriss, B., & Stuecker, M. F. (2024). More than marine heatwaves: A new regime of heat, acidity, and low oxygen compound extreme events in the Gulf of Alaska. AGU Advances, 5, e2023AV001039. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023AV001039

—Eileen Hofmann, Editor, AGU Advances

The logo for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 is at left. To its right is the following text: The research reported here supports Sustainable Development Goal 14. AGU is committed to supporting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
Text © 2023. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.