Effects of climate change over the NW African coast

Abstract

Changes in the coastal upwelling ecosystems need to be accounted for as these structures are responsible for an important percentage of the global fish catch, for the primary and secondary productivity and for the atmosphere-ocean exchange. In this sense, our work aims to assess its impact in the coastal upwelling regions located in the northwest African coast (latitudes 5 degrees to 36 degrees N and longitudes 5 degrees to 30 degrees W). This area is one of the major upwelling regions in the world, so, it is important its study to predict the variability that measured parameters may have in the future. Upwelling Index obtained from Sea Surface Temperature images for the period 1987-2006 and remote sensing wind stress have been used to analyze the coastal upwelling region off Northwest Africa. Upwelling Index shows an intensification of the upwelling during the 20 years period.