Prof. Zhang Shaoqing and Prof. Gao Yang’s team under the Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multisphere and Earth System of Ocean University of China (OUC) has made progress in the research of marine heatwaves.

The results were published online in Nature Climate Change, a top journal in the field of climate research, under the title of “Threat by marine heatwaves to adaptive large marine ecosystems in an eddy-resolving model”.

Marine heatwaves (MHWs), episodic periods of abnormally high sea surface temperature, severely affect marine ecosystems. Observed impacts include coral bleaching, declining seagrass density and spawning reduction, which bring devastating ecological and socioeconomic consequences. Therefore, it is of great significance to investigate future changes in MHWs underthe background of climate change.  Research shows that coastal ecosystems will face a persistent threat from marine heatwaves. The study has profound ecological, economic and social implications and provides a scientific basis for decision makers in affected areas to develop counter-measures and strategic planning.