Data from: Going with the flow: the role of ocean circulation in global marine ecosystems under a changing climate

(2017) Data from: Going with the flow: the role of ocean circulation in global marine ecosystems under a changing climate. DRYAD doi:10.5061/dryad.233hb [Dataset]

Abstract

Ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation and reduced productivity are widely considered to be the major stressors to ocean ecosystems induced by emissions of CO2. However, an overlooked stressor is the change in ocean circulation in response to climate change. Strong changes in the intensity and position of the western boundary currents have already been observed, and the consequences of such changes for ecosystems are beginning to emerge. In this study, we address climatically induced changes in ocean circulation on a global scale but relevant to propagule dispersal for species inhabiting global shelf ecosystems, using a high resolution global ocean model run under the IPCC RCP 8.5 scenario. The ¼ degree model resolution allows improved regional realism of the ocean circulation beyond that of available CMIP5-class models. We use a Lagrangian approach forced by modelled ocean circulation to simulate the circulation pathways that disperse planktonic life stages. Based on trajectory backtracking, we identify present-day coastal retention, dominant flow and dispersal range for coastal regions at the global scale. Projecting into the future, we identify areas of the strongest projected circulation change and present regional examples with the most significant modifications in their dominant pathways. Climatically-induced changes in ocean circulation should be considered as an additional stressor of marine ecosystems in a similar way to ocean warming or acidification.,Asia and Oceania releasesThe dataset contains the particle tracking runs for the coastline of Asia and Oceania. 3 runs were carried out using the velocity field of three different decades: 2000-09, 2050-59 and 2090-99 and released particles were tracked backwards in time for 12 months.Releases_Asia_Oceania.tar.gzReleases Europe and AfricaReleases_Europe_Africa.tar.gzReleases North AmericaReleases_Nth_America.tar.gzReleases South AmericaReleases_Sth_America.tar.gzMatlab script to extract each ASCIIdataA step by step procedure to extract trajectories from the datasetsExtract_ASCIIdata.mExplanation_ASCII_dataDescription of datasets content

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