SVIBOR - Project code: 1-06-091

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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Project code: 1-06-091


WATER EXCHANGE AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS AS AFFECTED BY CLIMATIC CHANGES


Main researcher: GAČIĆ, MIROSLAV (12795)


Assistants
Type of research: basic
Duration from: 01/01/91. to 12/31/93.
Papers on project (total): 42
Papers on project quoted in Current Contents: 7
Institution name: Institut za oceanografiju i ribarstvo, Split (1)
Department/Institute: Department for physical and chemical oceanography
Address: Meštrovićevo šetalište 63
City: 21000 - Split, Croatia
Communication
Phone: 385 (0)58 46688
Fax: 385 (0) 58 46593
E-mail: Ga~i}@Jadran.IZOR.HR
Summary: Oceanographic properties of the Adriatic Sea seem to be dependent on the intensity of water exchange trough the Otranto Strait. It is not, however, know which physical meachanisms are responsible for the rate of this exhange or how these different exchange rates directly affect physical, chemical and biological properties of the Adriatic. The goal of this project is: - to relate climatic change in the Adriatic region to its oceanographic properties and particularly to biological productivity; - to establish the meteorological functions of forcing which cause long-term variations of the Adriatic oceanographic properties; - to find out to what extend are the oceanographic, and particularly biological, properties of the Adriatic affected by water exchange with Ionian Sea; - to find out which physical mechanisms induce water exchange between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea; - to establish the mechanisms of formation of subsurface chlorophyll maximum and its dependence on oceanographic and climatic properties;

Keywords: climatic changes, sea level, meteorological forcing functions, nutrients

Research goals: The main objectives of this project are to determine the mostimportant physical mechanisms controlling the water exchangebetween the Adriatic and Ionian Sea (barotropic and baroclinicprocesses and particulary the formation of bottomwater) along with the variations of oceanographic andbiological properties due to different flow intensity throughthe Otranto Strait. The water exchange at the Palagruža Sill willbe related to the water exchange between the Adriatic and IonianSea from the data on the biomass of phyto-, zoo- andbacterioplankton as indicators. It will be separately attemptedto establish the mechanism of subsurface chlorophyll a maximumformation affected by chemical, biological and climaticconditions in the Adriatic. The characteristics of long-periodoscillations of physical, chemical and biological variables andtheir correlations with the climatic conditions over the Adriaticwill be determined. Sea level oscillations will also be analyzedas a part of the variables for which relatively long data seriesare available as well as rather good spatial resolution in theAdriatic. Mechanisms causing long-period oscillations(hydrostatic response, baroclinic forcing functions and currentfield fluctuations) will also be analyzed. Long-term fluctuationsof nutrient contents and dissolved oxygen in the bottom layerwill be analyzed in the light of the oscillations in the waterexchange intensity in the Otranto Strait. They will be related tothe ecosystem changes, particularly those of the planktoniccomponent and pelagic fish populations. It will also be attemptedto relate all these parameters to the climatic changes at acontinental and planetary scale.

COOPERATION - INSTITUTIONS


  1. Name of institution: Osservatorio Geofisico Sperimentale
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    City: 34100 - Trst, Italija

  2. Name of institution: Istituto per lo Studio della Dinamica delle Grandi Masse
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    City: Venecija, Italija

  3. Name of institution: DrŽavni Hidrografski Institut
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    City: 21000 - Split, Croatia

  4. Name of institution: Geofizički zavod "Andrija Mohorovičić"
    Type of institution: Economical/Production
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
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Last update: 10/10/95
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