Stratification in is a complex phenomenon that plays a crucial role in shaping the marine environment. This process involves the formation of distinct layers within the water column, primarily driven by differences in temperature and salinity. These layers, which can vary in depth and stability, create unique habitats and influence the distribution of marine life.
Impacts of Stratification:
Marine Life: Stratification affects nutrient distribution, often trapping nutrients in deeper layers and limiting their availability to surface-dwelling organisms. This can influence the productivity and distribution of marine species.
Oxygen Levels: Stratified waters can lead to oxygen depletion in deeper layers, affecting the survival of bottom-dwelling organisms.
Climate Regulation: Stratification influences the exchange of gases like carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere, playing a role in climate regulation.
This layer serves informational purposes only and does not exert any pressure on the ecosystem.
In the North Sea Digitwin Edition, the stratification layer is based on data from running model simulations in the North Sea by van Leeuwen et al., 2015. This data represents data from 1956 till 2008 and was last updated in 2019-11.
In the Sand Extraction Edition, the layer remains unchanged and is exactly the same in the Digitwin Edition.
Not applicable.
This layer is not available in the Baltic Sea Edition.
This layer is not available in the Clyde Marine Region Edition.
This layer is not available in the Adriatic Sea Edition.
This layer is not present in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Co-funded by the European Union.