Coastal upwelling along the eastern margins of major ocean basins represent regions of large economic importance due to the high biological productivity. However, the physical forcing of upwelling processes that favor the production in these areas are being affected by global warming, which will modify the intensity of the upwelling and, consequently, the carbon dioxide cycle. For this reason, the role of observations in addressing any climate change impacts on the global carbon cycle in areas of upwelling is of great importance. Monthly high resolution surface experimental data for temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the Mauritanian-Cape Verde upwelling region from 2005 to 2012 are shown. This data set provides direct evidence of seasonal and interannual changes in the physical and biochemical processes. They confirmed an upwelling intensification and an increase in the CO2 outgassing of 1 Tg a year in one of the four most important upwelling regions of the planet due to wind increase, even when primary production seems to also be reinforced. This increase in CO2 intake together with the observed decrease in sea surface temperature at the location of the Mauritanian Cape Blanc, 21º N, produced a pH decrease of −0.003 ± 0.001 per year.
González-Dávila M., Santana Casiano J. M. & Machín F., 2017. Changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the Mauritanian-Cape Verde upwelling region between 2005 and 2012. Biogeosciences Discussions 1-31. Article.
