Driven by climate change and pollution, the decline of oxygen levels in oceans is altering biogeochemical cycles, threatening marine plants, animals and ecosystems. But how accurately are we projecting the fate of marine life? If models of marine ecosystems are to truly inform management — especially of coastal areas — they must account for the variation in oxygen levels across time and space, KAUST researchers say.

“Our study provides a perspective on the monitoring of oxygen decline in the ocean from a different angle,” says principal investigator Daniele Daffonchio. “Oceanic systems have a natural mechanism for regulating oxygen dissolution by balancing oxygen-consuming (respiration) and oxygen-producing (photosynthesis) processes.”

Click here to read the full story. ​​