Variations in coastal upswelling affecting marine ecosystem of California : SCIENCE : Tech Times

Variations in coastal upswelling affecting marine ecosystem of California : SCIENCE : Tech Times: "Using tree-ring studies from California coastal forests to reconstruct 600 years of climate, the researchers found the state has seen more winters featuring weak coastal upwelling since 1950 than occurred in the last six centuries.

Of the 10 weakest upwelling years in the last 600, four occurred after 1950, they reported in the journal Science.

Because the weather patterns that generate strong upwelling at sea can block storms from moving onshore, which can cause drought and stunting the growth of trees, the researchers discovered an inverse relationship between growth of tree rings and the health of the ocean ecosystem.

"The winters we see robust growth in the trees, we see poor growth in the marine ecosystem," says Texas marine science Professor Bryan Black."



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